Weird odors. Faded colors. Mystery stains. Sound familiar? If so, you’re probably not getting the most out of your carpet extraction.
Now, more than ever, dirty carpets send the wrong message. Employees and visitors are on high-alert looking for clues your building is dirty, as they hunt for any reason to believe you’re not doing your best to keep them safe and healthy.
So, let’s break down how you can not only get incredibly clean carpets, but also kill some germs in the process.
Vacuum with Vigor
Professional carpet extraction comes down to the details. Make sure you thoroughly vacuum all carpet and then prevent people from walking on it before you can complete the extraction.
Most vacuums use HEPA filters but make sure your machines are equipped with them. This helps capture allergens and other small particles in the carpet.
Plenty of great vacuums are on the market, which you certainly know. Our teams generally use upright and backpack ProTeam models, depending on the job.
The Power of Pretreating
Before our crews get the extractor out, we always pretreat carpets to loosen stains. While it’s an extra step this will actually improve your team’s efficiency and the extraction’s effectiveness.
Our go-to option is Triple S’s Pretreat Plus. It’s safe on all carpets and honestly, we’ve met few stains it can’t break loose. It’s also great for spot cleaning between extractions. To apply the pretreatment, use a handheld pump sprayer.
Carpet Extraction
Our teams prefer Windsor’s walk-behind Clipper Extractor. It’s fast and effective and with the help of a fan will have carpets dry and ready for use when employees return the next morning.
There aren’t any big secrets here other than to make sure your team is well trained on how to use the equipment. Otherwise, you’ll get an inconsistent clean and the job may take longer than planned – neither of which you can afford.
Also, consider a deodorizer/disinfectant to kill microbes in the carpet and help eliminate odors. It works well with an extractor and will leave your carpets looking and smelling that much better. Our favorite choice is Triple S’s cleaner, deodorizer and disinfectant.
Time it Right
For high-traffic areas, we recommend a quarterly extraction. An annual carpet extraction is ideal for most other parts of a facility.
Generally, we find you get the most out of your extraction if you do it in early spring, once people have stopped trekking snow and salt into your buildings. Of course, it varies for everyone. For instance, schools prefer to handle carpet extraction in the summer when students are gone.
Still have questions? Need help with your extraction? Send us a note or call any time.
About the Author
Jeremy Angle leads our team in Southeast Wisconsin. As general manager of our Milwaukee branch, he works with some of our largest clients to ensure they have the right cleaning program in place.