Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Carpet Cleaner Kit

Tips I recommend on how to maintain your commercial or home carpets

Carpet Cleaner Kit | Carpet Cleaners:


Preventative Procedures 
1. Barrier Mats - Barrier mats should be placed at all entrance ways into the facility and at 
locations were there is a transition from hard surface flooring onto the carpet if possible. 
This will help prevent soil from being tracked onto the carpet, improving its appearance 
and extending its life. Barrier mats should be vacuumed daily and cleaned or replaced 
frequently depending on the weather and use. 
                         
2. Vacuuming - Proper vacuuming is one of the most important parts of a total preventive 
maintenance program.  Ineffective equipment or procedures will accelerate the 
appearance loss of the carpet by allowing dirt and grit to penetrate the pile surface. The 
accumulation of this soil, especially the smaller respirable particulates, can lead to Indoor 
Air Quality problems.  
The janitorial / housekeeping staff is typically assigned the task of scheduled vacuuming.  
Vacuuming frequencies should be determined by four factors: 
• Type of carpet installed and appearance expectations. 
• Type and quality of vacuum used. 
• Expected traffic for each area of the facility. 
• Soiling environment of each area of the facility. 
A commercial upright vacuum with a beater brush is recommended for vacuuming of all 
carpet. Regular maintenance of vacuums is also essential.  Vacuums should be emptied 
and inspected after every use.   Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the 
brushes. Also, make sure that there is no material obstructing the air-flow channel. 
Typical vacuuming frequencies are as follows: 
• High traffic: Every full work day.  All entrances, exits, lobbies, food service areas, 
main corridors, elevators, funnel and pivot points.  The vacuum should make a 
minimum of three passes in all high traffic areas.  July 2009 
• Medium traffic:  Every other work day. All secondary corridors, conference rooms, 
private offices. 
• Low traffic:  Once a week.   Minimal use corridors, rarely used conference rooms 
and training rooms. 
3. Spot Cleaning - Spots and stains are one of the biggest detriments to high appearance 
levels.  In order to maintain a consistent appearance level between periodic maintenance, 
it's critical that spots and stains be removed on a daily basis.  In most cases, daily spotting 
is the responsibility of the janitorial or housekeeping staff. Milliken recommends the use of 
a MilliCare® Spot Kit or Capture® Spot Kit for treating most spots, following these 
procedures: 
• Remove as much excess material as possible prior to spot removal. Blot up liquids 
with a clean white terry cloth, vacuum up soil and gently scrap up encrusted 
material.  
• Spray Capture Pre-mist onto a clean, white terry towel and work in gently. Do not 
scrub. Blot, absorbing as much of the spot into the towel as possible. Work from 
the outside edge of the spot into the center to prevent spreading.  
• Apply Capture dry carpet cleaner to the spot. Gently agitate with a brush. Wait 30 
minutes, and vacuum.  
Note: Milliken does not recommend using any spotting agents containing solvents as they can 
leave residue that contributes to resoiling and can possibly damage the carpet.

Carpet Cleaner Kit

Tips I recommend on how to maintain your commercial or home carpets

Carpet Cleaner Kit | Carpet Cleaners:


Preventative Procedures 
1. Barrier Mats - Barrier mats should be placed at all entrance ways into the facility and at 
locations were there is a transition from hard surface flooring onto the carpet if possible. 
This will help prevent soil from being tracked onto the carpet, improving its appearance 
and extending its life. Barrier mats should be vacuumed daily and cleaned or replaced 
frequently depending on the weather and use. 
                         
2. Vacuuming - Proper vacuuming is one of the most important parts of a total preventive 
maintenance program.  Ineffective equipment or procedures will accelerate the 
appearance loss of the carpet by allowing dirt and grit to penetrate the pile surface. The 
accumulation of this soil, especially the smaller respirable particulates, can lead to Indoor 
Air Quality problems.  
The janitorial / housekeeping staff is typically assigned the task of scheduled vacuuming.  
Vacuuming frequencies should be determined by four factors: 
• Type of carpet installed and appearance expectations. 
• Type and quality of vacuum used. 
• Expected traffic for each area of the facility. 
• Soiling environment of each area of the facility. 
A commercial upright vacuum with a beater brush is recommended for vacuuming of all 
carpet. Regular maintenance of vacuums is also essential.  Vacuums should be emptied 
and inspected after every use.   Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the 
brushes. Also, make sure that there is no material obstructing the air-flow channel. 
Typical vacuuming frequencies are as follows: 
• High traffic: Every full work day.  All entrances, exits, lobbies, food service areas, 
main corridors, elevators, funnel and pivot points.  The vacuum should make a 
minimum of three passes in all high traffic areas.  July 2009 
• Medium traffic:  Every other work day. All secondary corridors, conference rooms, 
private offices. 
• Low traffic:  Once a week.   Minimal use corridors, rarely used conference rooms 
and training rooms. 
3. Spot Cleaning - Spots and stains are one of the biggest detriments to high appearance 
levels.  In order to maintain a consistent appearance level between periodic maintenance, 
it's critical that spots and stains be removed on a daily basis.  In most cases, daily spotting 
is the responsibility of the janitorial or housekeeping staff. Milliken recommends the use of 
a MilliCare® Spot Kit or Capture® Spot Kit for treating most spots, following these 
procedures: 
• Remove as much excess material as possible prior to spot removal. Blot up liquids 
with a clean white terry cloth, vacuum up soil and gently scrap up encrusted 
material.  
• Spray Capture Pre-mist onto a clean, white terry towel and work in gently. Do not 
scrub. Blot, absorbing as much of the spot into the towel as possible. Work from 
the outside edge of the spot into the center to prevent spreading.  
• Apply Capture dry carpet cleaner to the spot. Gently agitate with a brush. Wait 30 
minutes, and vacuum.  
Note: Milliken does not recommend using any spotting agents containing solvents as they can 
leave residue that contributes to resoiling and can possibly damage the carpet.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Cleaning stains on your carpet

What's cleaning today!:


How to clean the most common stains on your carpet
Common Carpet Spots…and Solutions

Here are some common carpet spot problems that facility managers and cleaning professionals often encounter and some simple, safe suggestions on how to remove them:

• Alcoholic beverages. Blot the area with a white absorbent towel. After pre-testing an appropriate spotter to ensure carpet safety, apply a small amount to a clean cloth and work from the edges of the spill to the center. Wait a few minutes; if the spot remains, repeat the procedure. Once the spot is removed, rinse the area with cold water and blot dry.

• Blood. If fresh, apply cold water to a cleaning cloth and blot the area. If dry, the area may need to be brushed to remove surface soils. Then, blood can often be removed simply by mixing one-quarter teaspoon of dishwashing detergent with two cups of water and blotting the area. If this does not work, a spotter specifically designed to remove blood spots will be necessary.

• Coffee/cola. Apply cold water to a cleaning cloth and blot the area. Next, mix ¼ teaspoon dishwashing detergent with a cup of lukewarm water and apply to the spot; allow to dry. To rinse, apply lukewarm water to a fresh cloth and blot the area. If the spot persists, repeat the process or consider a spot-removing kit designed to remove coffee/cola stains.

• Cosmetics. Apply ¼ teaspoon dish detergent to cup of water on a clean cloth and blot the area. If the spot remains, a solvent may be necessary. Select a nonflammable spot-removing solution or a dry cleaning-type solvent, which is preferable.

• Candle. Scrape the area first to remove any dry wax. Many times, placing a paper bag over the candle wax and ironing with a warm iron will cause the wax to transfer into the bag. Otherwise, specific solvents are available to help remove candle spots. Always apply the solvent to a cleaning cloth and not directly to the spot to prevent carpet damage. If the candle is dyed, the dye may permanently stain the carpet.*

The techniques suggested here are relatively easy to perform. However, when a solvent or chemical agent is necessary, always follow all manufacturers’ directions. When problems persist, call in a professional carpet cleaner. This person will likely have advanced training on carpet spotting and a full arsenal of stain- and spot-removing products.

Photo: Common Carpet Spots…and Solutions

Here are some common carpet spot problems that facility managers and cleaning professionals often encounter and some simple, safe suggestions on how to remove them:

• Alcoholic beverages. Blot the area with a white absorbent towel. After pre-testing an appropriate spotter to ensure carpet safety, apply a small amount to a clean cloth and work from the edges of the spill to the center. Wait a few minutes; if the spot remains, repeat the procedure. Once the spot is removed, rinse the area with cold water and blot dry.

• Blood. If fresh, apply cold water to a cleaning cloth and blot the area. If dry, the area may need to be brushed to remove surface soils. Then, blood can often be removed simply by mixing one-quarter teaspoon of dishwashing detergent with two cups of water and blotting the area. If this does not work, a spotter specifically designed to remove blood spots will be necessary.

• Coffee/cola. Apply cold water to a cleaning cloth and blot the area. Next, mix ¼ teaspoon dishwashing detergent with a cup of lukewarm water and apply to the spot; allow to dry. To rinse, apply lukewarm water to a fresh cloth and blot the area. If the spot persists, repeat the process or consider a spot-removing kit designed to remove coffee/cola stains. 

• Cosmetics. Apply ¼ teaspoon dish detergent to cup of water on a clean cloth and blot the area. If the spot remains, a solvent may be necessary. Select a nonflammable spot-removing solution or a dry cleaning-type solvent, which is preferable.

• Candle. Scrape the area first to remove any dry wax.  Many times, placing a paper bag over the candle wax and ironing with a warm iron will cause the wax to transfer into the bag.  Otherwise, specific solvents are available to help remove candle spots. Always apply the solvent to a cleaning cloth and not directly to the spot to prevent carpet damage. If the candle is dyed, the dye may permanently stain the carpet.*

The techniques suggested here are relatively easy to perform. However, when a solvent or chemical agent is necessary, always follow all manufacturers’ directions. When problems persist, call in a professional carpet cleaner. This person will likely have advanced training on carpet spotting and a full arsenal of stain- and spot-removing products.