THE DIRT ON DIRT I
Have you ever noticed that the dirtier your carpet is…the dirtier it becomes? There is a reason for that, and that is because soil is hydrophilic, meaning it is water-loving. Soil that is water-loving is sticky and becomes attached to your carpet fibers where it attracts more soil that is sticky and water-loving and then soil which is sticky and water-loving will attract more soil that is sticky and water-loving and will be attracted to the sticky water-loving soil on your carpet. HUH!? Did I just talk in a circle? Yes, because soiling of carpet is a vicious circle. Carpet must be cleaned and maintained on a routine basis so it stays clean.
Good preventative measures must be implemented such as;
• keep the outside environment leading into your home or building clean
• keep adjoining, non-carpeted floors clean
• place proper entrance matting at entry doors outdoors and indoors
• routine and proper vacuuming is critical
• remove spots on an as needed basis using appropriate products
Each of these points is a topic all on their own, but I am only going to spend my time talking about proper vacuuming. Proper vacuuming alone can delay the time cleaning of the carpet will be needed. Using proper entrance mats and performing proper vacuuming is very GREEN because you don’t need any water and you don’t need to dispose of any chemicals.
In my opinion, vacuuming is done haphazardly. Do you know that the rule of thumb for vacuuming carpet in a home is one time per week per occupant in the home? That includes pets. So if there are two adults, two children and a dog in the home, that makes 5. Is your carpet being vacuumed five times per week? How about the carpet in your building?
I feel that vacuuming of carpet whether in a residential or commercial setting is performed because company is coming or important clients are visiting. The haphazard vacuuming of commercial carpet I have seen was for litter removal only. I have seen the cleaning staff turn on the backpack or upright vacuum when they see a piece of paper or debris on the carpet. Overall vacuuming MIGHT be performed 2 or 3 times a week, but it’s never thorough, it is a quick pass over the carpet. Unfortunately these poorly maintained carpets are replaced prematurely because they have “uglied-out.” That is not very green. Had these carpets been maintained, they could have lasted for many more years.
What makes for a good vacuum? Weight? Air flow? Brush type? Filter bag? Does the phrase; “It Beats…as it Sweeps…as it Cleans” conjure up any memories of the bygone days? That was The Hoover Company’s advertising slogan which started in 1919. Does your vacuum beat, as it sweeps, as it cleans? Better find out because it could be causing irreparable damage to your carpet.
How is your carpet installed? What type of backing is on your carpet? If your carpet is installed over a cushion then using a vacuum with an agitator bar is fine. But if your carpet is glue-direct installed with no cushion, then the agitator bar, which is very common on upright vacuums, is literally beating your carpet to death. The best brush roller to have is one that has brushes only, no agitator strip. It should be a two motor vacuum, one motor to drive the brush and the other to create the suction. Vacuums with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are important too.
The best vacuum to purchase of course is the one that fits your needs. Maybe you need a standard size vacuum with on-board tools for detail work and a wide track, battery operated vacuum for large open spaces and corridors. Be certain the manufacturer of your carpet approves the vacuums you are using or better yet visit the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) website and search for a CRI Seal of Approval (SOA), Green Label vacuum that will work best for you. Then use it and use it per the carpet manufacturer’s recommendations.