Day cleaning, or cleaning during first shift, is touted as a sensible way to save on energy costs. These savings are often too lucrative to pass up, causing many facilities to consider the switch to cleaning during daytime hours.

Day cleaning is quite popular in Europe, where more buildings are cleaned during the day than at night. For various reasons, however, the practice has not seen similar prevalence here in the United States. While day cleaning isn’t exactly non-existent, cleaning organizations are expected to embrace the practice more eagerly in the future.

In fact, industry consultants predict that within 10 years, day cleaning will be more common than traditional nighttime cleaning.

The biggest reason to clean during daylight hours, rather than in the evenings, is the energy savings from no longer needing to illuminate and heat or cool the space being cleaned. Consultants report that day cleaning can save buildings between 4 and 8 percent on energy costs, a year.

There are also a number of staffing benefits resulting from day cleaning, including:

• Better employee retention and higher amounts of job satisfaction;
• Increased awareness and respect of cleaning staff, who are likely doing their jobs in the presence of building occupants; and
• Improved communication between customers and cleaning staff.

Casinos and hotels have been day cleaning for decades, but the method can be implemented in virtually any facility. The recent push for day cleaning has been largely associated with commercial offices.

Day cleaning is also popular in healthcare, especially in inpatient facilities where patients need to sleep at night without distractions, as well as in schools where janitors often work the day shift.

Hot-water extractors may be the popular choice today, but cold-water alternatives are causing many BSCs and in-house service providers to second-guess their selections.

Cost Benefits

It is often said that we learn from our mistakes. But when it comes to carpet care, there is no room for error. Using the wrong products or processes can result in permanent damage, impacting the carpet’s appearance and lifespan. But perhaps the greatest mistake of all, according to industry experts, is failure to implement a carpet maintenance program in the first place.

“Not having a proactive maintenance program for soft flooring is the downfall of many facilities,” notes Bill McGarvey, director of training and sustainability for Philip Rosenau Co., Warminster, Pennsylvania. “People wait until the carpets look dirty to clean them, but the problem is carpeting has been designed intentionally to hide the soil. So if we wait until it looks dirty to clean it, then how dirty is it really?”

Like McGarvey, Bill Griffin, president of Cleaning Consultant Services in Seattle, believes that the lack of a carpet maintenance program, including a regular cleaning schedule, is one of the biggest mistakes a facility can make. He also stresses the need for a comprehensive approach when planning and implementing a program.

“People often implement one element of a maintenance program and think that they have a good program in place,” says Griffin. “For instance, they may have low moisture cleaning, but they don’t have deep extraction to go with it. Or they do spotting, but don’t do any deep cleaning. They need a program that has all the elements necessary to give their carpet an effective cleaning, a long life, and a good appearance.”

A Case Of Mistaken Identity

In conjunction with a good carpet maintenance program, facility cleaning managers should familiarize their staff with the carpet manufacturer’s specifications — an element that is often overlooked in carpet care.

“When you look at carpet cleaning, it doesn’t start with the cleaning itself; it starts with the specification and installation of the carpet,” says Griffin. “Even though it’s not something we control directly, different fibers and construction methods impact how we should maintain or spot clean that carpet.”

John Poole, senior consultant for the American Institute of Cleaning Sciences in Atlanta, concurs.

“What people need to know in facilities — and they don’t — is who manufactured the carpet and what kind of carpet they’re dealing with,” he says. “You need to know the specifications so that you know how to maintain it, and you don’t violate the warranty.”

In addition to obtaining manufacturer’s specifications, consultants recommend that custodial workers attend training programs to learn how to identify and evaluate different fibers, which in turn will help them determine the best processes and chemicals for spot treatment, as well as interim and deep cleaning.

“If you don’t know what type of carpet you’re dealing with, you can create a mess,” warns Poole. “For instance, natural fibers will shrink, so it’s imperative to identify the type of carpet you’re dealing with.”

Just as different carpet fibers require different cleaning methods, spills and spots require different cleaning chemicals based on their pH level.

“If I treat a spot with the wrong product, I can take a dime- or quarter-size spot and turn it into a one-foot diameter stain,” says Mickey Crowe, trainer and consultant for CleenTech Consulting Group, Woodstock, Georgia. “If you can identify what the spot is, you’ll know whether to use an acid-based cleaner or an alkaline-based cleaner to attack it.”

When in doubt, Alan Bigger, APPA fellow and facilities management consultant, South Bend, Indiana, suggests testing any chemicals first before applying them directly to the soiled area.

“One of the mistakes people make is they don’t check their chemicals on the carpet in an inconspicuous place, so when they apply them, they might bleach out the carpet.” he says. “Make sure you test any cleaning chemicals or solvents under a desk or in a corner first.”

Bigger also suggests addressing the spot as quickly as possible and avoiding the urge to rub it.

“Blot or remove the excess, and then start from the outside and work inward,” he advises. “And don’t try to rub it because it will spread farther.”

Innovations on the chemical front are also helping carpet cleaning evolve, says Craig Jasper, vice president of the IICRC.

“We have learned how to use hydrogen peroxide much more effectively. It’s being built into cleaners and pre-sprays, giving the ability to break down tremendous amounts and varieties of organic soil, oils and greases,” Jasper says.

Hydrogen peroxide based cleaners not only clean well, but they’re also eco-friendly. These chemicals emit low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and after working dissolve into water and oxygen. Both of these attributes make the product safe to use in day cleaning programs when building occupants are present.

“What peroxide has done is, it’s enabled green carpet cleaners to be much more effective than they used to be,” Jasper says.

Encapsulation technology has advanced as well. Polymer encapsulation cleaning agents allow cleaning to happen with very little moisture, as the agent is simply vacuumed up once it dries. With the fast dry times, carpeted areas can be quickly opened to building occupants, making encapsulation useful for day cleaning.

Deep cleaning carpets can be expensive and time-consuming carpet care practice — not to mention hit or miss when factoring in the potential for over-saturation and improper use of carpet chemicals. Unlike hard flooring, carpet fibers absorb liquid, making them prone to stains and permanent damage that can shorten a carpet’s lifespan.

Proper carpet care, especially extraction, is essential to their longevity — but the wrong methods can have the opposite effect, leaving them lackluster and turning them into dirt magnets. Fortunately, custodians can take simple steps to prepare carpets for extraction, as well as boost the extraction process itself.

Vacuums Suck It Up

Considering about 80 percent of particulate in carpets is dry, the first principal of carpet care extraction is vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.

“As far as we’re concerned, dry soil removal is the most important part of maintaining carpet,” says Tom Murphy, sales manager for RoVic Inc., Manchester, Conn. “The problem is most people don’t vacuum often enough.”

To determine how often custodial workers should vacuum their carpets, Murphy recommends calculating the number of footfalls and the amount of traffic in the building.

Dan Ott, co-owner of Facility Supply Systems Inc. in West Chicago, suggests that custodians vacuum carpets on a daily basis.

“We want to make sure we’re vacuuming, even though the carpet may not appear dirty,” he says, “because once the carpet’s reached the point of appearing dirty, then it’s reached the restoration stage, and we want to put that off as long as possible.”

That said, facilities vary in size and daily vacuuming can be challenging. With that in mind, distributors recommend regularly scheduled vacuuming on a rotating basis.

“You don’t have to vacuum every square inch every day,” explains Ott, “but you do want to pay attention to high-traffic areas on a daily basis. For example, in a high-rise building on floors one through five, you might want to vacuum the entire floor on Monday and then focus on high-traffic areas for the rest of the floors. On Tuesday, you’d vacuum floors six through ten and just do hotspots on the other floors. No matter what, you’re going to get the entire building done in a week, maybe two, depending on its size.”

Experts also advise training custodial workers to carry a carpet-spotting chemical with them when vacuuming. With chemicals handy, workers can address spots as soon as possible, reducing the possibility of long-term damage.

“The difference between a spot you can remove and a permanent stain is time,” says Ott. “The longer something stays on a carpet the more it becomes part of the carpet.”

For most building service contractors, having an extractor or vacuum out of commission means lost income. Caring for carpet equipment is the same as caring for your profit margin. Luckily it’s in the BSC’s power to prevent many mechanical problems, and help to ensure that their investments enjoy a good, long life.

Know, maintain equipment

Daily preventative maintenance is the easiest way to keep a machine running well. Lubrication, for example should never be overlooked. Exposure to moisture can quickly corrode and rust parts so they freeze up or disintegrate and fine pieces fall into internal machinery where they shouldn’t be, so protecting them is vital.

“After I finish my service, I run a quick spray on connectors,” says Humberto Olivas, owner of Louisville-based Discount Carpet Cleaning & Janitorial Service. “Every time you put water in the line with male or female connectors you create friction, and the WD-40 reduces friction.”

Keeping parts lubed and electrical switches safe means being careful with water. Olivas keeps a funnel handy so when machines are filled, the water goes only where it should — into the tank.

Also, knowing when to add defoamer is key.

“If you don’t pay attention to that, soap will get into the air line and start sucking foam and dirty water into the unit and places you don’t want it to,” says Vernon Sampson, owner of Oakland, Calif.-based Customer First Carpet Care & Building Services.

Filters and debris bags should be changed regularly.

“If a filter is clogged, you won’t get suction because there is no air flow,” says Joe Stapf, president of Sanford, Fla.-based Platinum Floor Care Services. “If I get a dirtier job, or more jobs, I’ve had to clean mine daily, sometimes twice a day. It makes a big difference. Loss of air flow and suction can build up pressure, overheat the engine, and damage the machine.”

Olivas replaces the debris bag when it’s half full.

“If you let it fill, your suction is lower and you’re making the engine work three times harder,” he says. “I don’t care if I pay for it or not — I put in a new one.”

Olivas also checks the filter bag each time he replaces the debris bag.

“When changing my paper bag it’s easy to take a quick peek at the filter bag to see if it’s clean,” says Olivas. “I take off the filter, wash it, and put it back. This extends the life of the machine.”

Of course, storage should always be indoors. Even if it doesn’t rain, humidity, fog and mist, especially in areas near salt water, will cause corrosion. And in the winter ice can form inside, expand as it thaws, and crack parts and dislodge components.

It’s important to dump the waste tank before it’s full and the machine cuts off.

“When it shuts off itself, water overflows and goes into the engine area and saturates with water,” he says. “At end of a job you must check out the engines, wipe them down, dry them, spray them with an air compressor to get all the liquid out, and lube. You’re paying $2,000 for a machine, you don’t want it to last only two years.”

Keeping the outside clean as well, is key to ensuring that grit isn’t knocked from vibration into the interior.

“How it looks is how it runs,” says Stapf. “If it looks clean, it runs clean.”

Training users

Of course it’s not just the owner who is using and caring for equipment — employees have to take care of it, too.

Sampson encourages his people to know what a healthy machine runs and sounds, smells and looks like, and to then use their senses to know when the machine is acting up.

“First, look out for changes in the sound,” he advises. “When a belt breaks on a vacuum cleaner there is a distinct change in sound — the motor spins but it’s not picking up. If you get a penny or screw knocking around, shut the vacuum off and try to dislodge it, rather than let it knock around until the sounds goes away. It can break the fan if it’s plastic.”

Magnets can prevent some metals from entering the machine, and lights can help technicians see better to avoid picking up sharp objects or liquids, he adds.

An electrical or burning smell can mean something is lodged in the motor, and the unit should be shut off immediately.

Extension cords should be taken care of and never be knotted together, even though it’s something that employees may think is a smart move, Olivas says.

“Employees do it because they don’t want it to disconnect,” says Olivas. “But it will create more heat in the wire, and pull the wire from the internal motor, stressing the cable and the engine. If it’s loose, turn it off, and connect it again.”

Sampson takes this a step further, and loosely lassoes the cord on the top bracket for storage, as opposed to stretching it between the top and bottom brackets.

Vacuuming with one hand holding the cord allows the cleaner to feel the tension before it’s pulled at the plug head.

“You can stop yourself and reposition,” says Sampson. “Otherwise you can break the head or the ground plug off. That’s usually how it happens.”

Also train janitors to unplug by holding the head, not yanking the cord. Employees can be trained to treat machines well — and they can be trained to perform minor surgery in the event of a problem.

“Something as simple as changing a belt I expect my employees to do,” says Sampson. “Or, if you run over a cord you can strip the insulation right off, so I try to keep some electrical tape at all job sites. If no electrical tape is available they should stop using it immediately and use a sweeper until another unit arrives.“

Take extra time and caution when transporting equipment, whether it’s up and down stairs, or carrying into or out of a van, especially on rainy days when slipping can be an issue. Also, tie the machine into the van so it’s steady when making turns.

Regardless of what carpet cleaning method a facility uses, the “more is better” mindset is still prevalent in many custodial departments and can be detrimental to both the appearance and longevity of the carpet. Excess cleaning chemicals can exacerbate re-soiling, while oversaturating the carpet can causes odors and even mold issues.

“In the past the thinking has been ‘more is better’ — and I’ve been guilty of this, too,” admits McGarvey. “But when we load these carpets up with chemicals, we tend to see resoiling happening more quickly, and it degrades the appearance of the carpet a lot sooner than it should.”

In addition to following equipment manufacturer’s instructions for chemical usage, consultants advise users to rinse chemicals from the carpet thoroughly following hot water extraction, as well as low moisture options — particularly when applying the cleaning product to the carpet via the machine’s tank. The same holds true for interim cleaning methods such as encapsulation.

“When you use an encapsulation system, it’s important to remove the compound because, if you don’t, it will take the dirt off your shoes and leave it in the carpet,” says Bigger.

Just as chemicals need to be removed thoroughly from the carpet after cleaning, custodians need to recover as much water as possible from the carpet and avoid over-wetting it — a mistake that often occurs when dealing with high-traffic areas or stubborn stains.

“Make sure that you get the carpet dry, preferably in four to six hours,” says McGarvey. “Beyond 24 hours, you run the risk of mold growing.”

Air movement and carpet blowers can help to speed up the process, but staff should also check that carpet equipment is in good working order. A clogged vacuum, for instance, may not recover water properly, resulting in longer dry times. Jets should also be flushed on a regular basis to ensure that they don’t get clogged.

“A lot of times, custodians turn on the machine and hear the vacuum or pump and assume it’s working,” says Griffin. “But just because it’s making noise doesn’t mean it’s working properly. You want to inspect it regularly to make sure you’re getting proper flow of the jets and proper suction of the vacuum.”

In addition, tanks should be emptied and rinsed after each use and allowed to air dry to avoid odor problems caused by bacterial growth.

No other flooring warms and insulates a room like carpet

The warm comfort that carpet provides is not just your imagination. Unlike other types of flooring, carpet is a natural insulator, providing additional warmth in cold seasons.

The use of carpet in a wall-to-wall application actually increases the R-value, or insulation level, of the carpet area, potentially saving homeowners like you utility costs while reducing energy use. The R- value (thermal resistance) measures how much a material resists the movement of heat through a ceiling, wall or floor in a building. The higher the number, the more effective the insulation.

Recently, tests carried out at the Johns Manville Technical Center Thermal Labs, one of the most sophisticated laboratories of its kind in the world, confirm carpet and pad significantly increase R-value compared to other flooring materials. Results varied according to the carpet’s construction, with heavier products generally providing higher R-value. Carpets were tested with and without cushion, and the combination maximized the R-value. Carpet really is warmer.

CARPET COUTURE

We’re seeing a definite trend toward fashion in carpet. Textures, different types of yarn systems, different colorations, patterns, tone-on-tone prints, looped carpet, tip shears anything that has interest or fashion seems to be very accepted.

CREATE SPACE

For a room-enhancing effect, paint the trim to match the walls. When you eliminate contrast between the walls and other architectural features, you increase the apparent size of the space.