Selecting Certified Carpet Care Equipment

This article was originally published in Cleaning & Maintenance Management. 

Facility managers are tasked with the challenge to not only keep their building looking clean and visually appealing, but also to implement sustainable cleaning practices that maintain a facility''s health and flooring longevity.

One component of maintenance procedures is carpet cleaning, which significantly impacts the overall appearance of a facility. Dirty, worn carpet can negatively affect a patron''s first impression and satisfaction, and indicates an unkempt building.

Carpet is an expensive investment for any facility, making it crucial to maintain with regular vacuuming and annual deep cleaning. This not only adds to a carpet''s longevity — which increases a facility manager''s bottom line — but also increases the building''s physical condition. Carpet acts as a filter to capture and hold airborne particles, including dust, dirt and harmful chemicals.

Routine carpet cleaning minimizes exposure to these contaminants, improving indoor air quality and enhancing the health of the facility and its occupants. When selecting carpet care equipment, it is important to consider several factors, including machine capabilities in terms of performance, efficiency, sustainability and durability.

To assess these factors, cleaning professionals turn to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), which rates carpet care equipment on their ability to remove soil, contain dust or water — depending on whether it is a vacuum or extractor — and retain quality carpet appearance.

Check back next week for more information on CRI certification.