Why You Need a Carpet Maintenance Program in Addition to Janitorial Services
Almost all business properties and corporate facilities are maintained by contracted janitorial services. Janitorial teams are typically scheduled nightly, weekly, or bi-monthly, with a deep clean performed periodically.
Regular janitorial services are essential for keeping your facility sanitary and maintaining its appearance. But when it comes to your carpet, are cleanings from janitorial teams enough to help you get the most from your carpet investment?
Don’t Overlook the Importance of Effective Carpet Maintenance
Most companies don’t realize what an asset they have in their carpet—especially new carpet. That’s because they don’t recognize the cost and value associated with replacing a building’s carpet (that is, until they have to replace it).
Facility managers don’t see the need to allocate additional time, energy and resources to finding the best carpet maintenance solution if the carpet “looks okay” or has been replaced recently. It’s the “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy.
Usually they simply trust the task of carpet maintenance to the janitorial team. Most janitorial companies will vacuum carpets regularly with quarterly carpet cleanings also typically folded into their janitorial contracts.
While janitorial teams do a good job keeping carpets looking good on a short-term basis, they generally don’t provide the type of carpet care you need if you want to preserve or extend the life of your carpet on a long-term basis.
Benefits of a Carpet Cleaning Program to Compliment Your Janitorial Services
Janitorial companies are made up of general cleaning professionals—not carpet specialists. Because they are “jack of all trades”, they are not always the best equipped to give your carpet the specific care it needs.
Here are two key reasons you should consider incorporating a carpet maintenance program in addition to your existing janitorial services:
Ensure your carpet and your workplace stay healthy
Janitorial companies clean your carpet, but they don’t have defined carpet-cleaning programs focused on preventative maintenance to help maintain or extend the life of your carpet. That’s important for getting the most from your carpet investment.
Most janitorial companies use extraction to clean the carpet—which can be bad for carpets because it uses too much water. This can cause an increase in the growth of microbial content and actually degrade your carpet over time.
Another problem is if you wait to clean a building’s carpet until it looks “noticeably dirty”, at that point it has been unhealthy for weeks or months.
A preventative maintenance program will help reduce the exposure of building occupants to chemical, biological and particulate contaminants, which can adversely affect air quality, human health, building finishes and systems, and the environment.
Prevent future problems through customized care
Your janitorial team is focused on all-purpose cleaning—wiping windows, vacuuming, mopping, emptying trashcans, etc. They probably can’t tell you about different carpet fiber types or backing systems, and how cleaning affects them.
You want a team of people who have a strong understanding of the ins and outs of your carpet and what needs to be done to preserve it. Janitorial teams typically don’t have the knowledge or skills to remove hard-to-clean stains without damaging your floors or voiding your warranty.
Most janitorial companies also have different subcontractors performing the work, which can lead to inconsistencies. When you’re dealing with extraction, that could mean people going over the carpet multiple times—which can cause longer drying times, mildew, and even dry rot.
A carpet maintenance program will work alongside your janitorial service provider to perform specialized services that require highly trained staff, special equipment, and proven chemistry.
Preserve Your Carpet by Incorporating a Preventative Maintenance Program
While janitorial services are undoubtedly valuable, they don’t present property owners and facility managers with the complete peace of mind they need when it comes to carpet cleaning.
If you don’t give carpeting the preventative care it needs, you can reduce the life of a carpet by years—which can ultimately cost your company thousands of dollars.
The best strategy is to have a preventative carpet maintenance program in place in addition to the typical janitorial services you receive. This approach is the best way to protect your investment and, ultimately, extend the life of your carpet.
At DPM, we developed an alternative to the widely used “extraction” process for cleaning carpets that works as a compliment to your janitorial staff. This process is scientifically proven to double the life of your carpet—saving you time and money, and improving the health of your workplace.
The DPM difference is backed by science and over 400 clients throughout the southeast U.S. It’s time to get better care for your building’s carpet—Get your FREE Demo today!