Written by Bruce Bushert, president of USA-CLEAN
Bruce started out of college cleaning carpets across America
Carpet care parts at usaclean.com
1. VACUUMING
Vacuuming is THE #1 MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do to get your carpets clean and to keep them clean. I used to extract this retail store in MO every 3 months – the store was filthy except the shoe department. The shoe department never needed cleaned and did not even have “mud spots”. Mud spots are where a water spill falls on poorly vacuumed carpets – magically you have a spot. Anyway – the shoe department perplexed me – why did it not need extracted? I later found out the shoe department ladies were religious with their daily vacuuming.
Imagine extracting a ball diamond mud runway – think of the challenge. This is exactly what you are up against if you do not vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Realize too, that you have “funnel” areas in your store. A funnel area is where people walk off their feet from outside and from the hard floor. To keep your store clean – ALWAYS keep your funnel areas in perfect condition.
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2. DEBRIS REMOVAL
This is a “trick” used by many to LOOK like vacuuming. It is an ok quick scrap removal from the surface of your carpet – but it does not unload your carpet from soil. You will have ugly carpets if you do not follow the vacuum, vacuum, vacuum advice above. (I know it is easy to go fast here – but, please insure you run your vacuums)
Parts and support for Eureka Super Broom
3. SPOTTING
Removing spots is easy when your carpets are vacuumed, vacuumed, vacuumed. Remember the “mud spot” concept where a drip of water makes a spot due to excess soil? Yes, it’s true.
Be careful NOT to use too much SOAP – the #1 most difficult substance to remove from your carpets. Think of rubbing liquid soap in your hand – how much water and time is required to rinse it off? And when it dries it becomes sticky and attracts soil. Also, attack your spot in multiple days – if you cannot get it all at once – repeat extraction daily until you get it. Going too wet on your carpet causes mildew, re-soiling and possible delamination of your carpets.
A simple and powerful way to remove spots – use your trigger sprayer with water or even Windex/or a window cleaner (dries without residue). Spray the surface of the spot and then rub it with the white terry cloth towel. You will have a transfer of the soil spot to the towel. Turn the towel over and observe the transfer of the dirt spot material. This will give you an indication of how dirty your carpets are – examine the color difference surrounding your newly cleaned area.
Find parts for nearly all carpet spotters at USA-CLEAN
4. EXTRACTION
Extracting your carpets is easy when your carpets are vacuumed, vacuumed, vacuumed. Remember the “mud spot” concept where a drop of water makes a spot due to excess soil? Yes, it’s true. The only other major caution is if you have too much soap in your carpets – you will have a mess. You will have to extract, over and over and over – to gradually remove the concentration of soap.
Extraction is important to unload your carpets. Do NOT use too much soap. Do NOT get the carpet too wet – passing over the carpet more than 3 times will leave too much water in your carpets causing mildew, re-soiling and possible delamination of your carpet layers. Another trick is to bump your clothing racks in a row, pulling them onto the hard floor. Move them one row at a time. Bump the next row into the cleaned area. Continue until your section is completed. When done, simply bump all racks back in a straight line where they belong.
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5. CARPET RESTORATION
Carpet extractors are great for extracting soil. Extractor brushes are not powerful enough to loosen much soil with the majority of the amperage going to the vacuum motor. Now — apply the FULL power of your swing machine to break loose that ground in soil. Lift your nap and restore your carpets. Nothing works better to clean your carpets than a good old fashioned scrubbing. Our unique carpet brush will last years under daily use and “forever” under periodic carpet restoration. Add a solution tank to improve pre-spray efficiency. Finally, get those carpets deep down clean.
RESTORATION INSTRUCTIONS
There are 4 elements that effect cleaning: chemicals; time (dwell time); scrubbing (agitation); and heat. Fill your solution tank with cleaning chemicals, scrub your traffic lanes and then follow with hot water in your extractor. You have just applied all four cleaning elements to achieve outstanding results.
See our recommended solution tanks and carpet brushes at the links below
Solution tanks for side by side floor machines
Carpet brushes for side by side floor machines
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