Commercial cleaning companies are not made equal. Many companies don’t have the means to fully train their staff to be competent in every cleaning discipline. This is especially true when it comes to restorative carpet cleaning.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) has recently released a list of eight (8) common carpet-cleaning mistakes that could be shortening the life of carpets. Below is a quick snapshot from the article of these eight mistakes to avoid:

1.     Rough treatment of carpets, such as intense scrubbing or scraping, wears away at fibers and is usually unnecessary. Scrubbing may only truly affect the surface of your carpet, and in some cases can result in stains to penetrate deeper within the fibers.

 2.     Slow treatment of a stain, or not reacting quickly enough allows the stain to set. When a stain is not attended to right away the stain can soak through the carpet and padding below making it virtually impossible to remove the stains.

 3.     Using the wrong product on a stain can not only be ineffective, but can also make matters worse. An intimate knowledge of carpet cleaning products is important for any cleaning professional.

4.     Not testing a new product can be a costly mistake. Professional cleaning companies train their employees to test new products before using them on carpets.  Different materials have varying strength and tolerance to different compounds.

 5.     Misusing deodorizing powder. Deodorizing powder is an excellent tool that maintains a fresh scent, but it is no substitute for a good cleaning. Overusing this product can lead to build up in carpets, and vacuuming alone may not get the product fully up.

 6.     Chemical overuse is a common mistake. Cleaning products are helpful, but when they are overused they can cause damage to carpets.

 7.     Lack of professional cleaning is possibly the most damaging for carpets. Property managers, landlords and business owners can cut the lifetime of their carpets in half by trying to self-clean carpets on their own, or by hiring a company not trained or certified to restoratively clean their carpets. When you have a medical problem you’d more than likely seek advice from a doctor. When it comes to your carpets, you need to receive the same advice and care from a trusted and certified organization.

 8.     Renting equipment is not always a safe bet. Faulty or old equipment can be costly and ineffective.

If your office is in need of professional carpet cleaning, it’s important to contact a company with a good reputation. Double check that the company you choose to hire trains their employees in the various elements of professional carpet cleaning.

Mister Kleen is a leading provider of contract cleaning services to Commercial and High Security facilities since 1976. Our primary service area is the DC Metro region. We also provide a variety of interior and exterior specialty services.