Let’s talk about carpet care for small businesses!

If you own a small business, you know how overwhelming it can be to make sure that everything gets done. Product and service delivery, hiring, billing, customer service, marketing, equipment maintenance, payroll, and taxes have all got to be completed on schedule. And with all of those demands on an entrepreneur’s time, it’s understandable that some other things always seem to get put off until later.

Why is Professional Carpet Care So Important?

Getting your carpets professionally cleaned can often be one of those “back burner” tasks. But if your small business location has carpet, it’s important to keep it looking fresh and clean—especially if you receive customers at your business location. But aesthetics are not the only concern. Your health, as well as that of your employees and customers, is also a factor.

Over time, carpets accumulate pollutants that can become a health hazard. Some of these pollutants, such as mold spores, pollen, and dust, are sufficiently combated with regular vacuuming. But others–like bacteria, viruses, chemicals and pesticides–can only be extracted with professional cleaning. These contaminants can be transferred onto carpets from foot traffic, drafts from an open door, spills, or even sneezes. In order to keep your business location’s carpets beautiful AND healthy, it’s a good idea to commit to routine cleaning.

How Often Should I Have My Business’ Carpets Cleaned?

But how often should you have your business’ carpets cleaned? Well, that depends on what kind of business you are running. Here are some guidelines to help you decide:

• If you do not receive clients at your location, and you have relatively little foot traffic, you can probably get by with yearly professional cleanings.
• If your business location does receive clients, or has moderate to heavy foot traffic, two to three cleanings a year are recommended.
• Restaurants, hotels, and nursing homes should have carpets cleaned more frequently in order to maintain a healthy environment. Monthly cleaning is recommended.
• Elementary and high schools should have carpets cleaned on an every three to six months schedule.
• Carpets in kindergartens or day care centers require extra attention. Young children are built low to the ground and attract a lot more dirt and dust than adults, as well as bacteria and viruses. Their developing immune systems are also much more susceptible to illness from bacteria or viruses. Therefore it is recommended that daycare centers have carpets professionally cleaned monthly.
• During a period of epidemic disease (such as flu): schools, hotels, nursing homes, restaurants and daycare centers should commit to rigorous weekly cleaning.

Vacuuming and Protection for Your Carpets

In between cleanings, keep your business’ carpets looking great by sticking to a routine vacuuming schedule. When having work done inside your location, put down adhesive carpet protection strips where the heaviest foot traffic will be. It’s also a great idea to place welcome mats both inside and outside of the main entryway for customers and employees to wipe their feet on before entering the space. When small spills or stains occur, you can blot (not rub) with a dry paper towel to remove as much of the moisture as you can. Don’t use spot cleaners on your carpet unless you have tested them in an out-of-the-way location first to ensure they don’t result in fading or damage to the carpet fiber. Finally, be aware that attempting to clean your business’ carpets on your own can result in a voided manufacturer’s warranty.

We hope this blog post helped you make an informed decision about carpet care for your business! If your business is located in the Asheville, NC area, give Five Step a call or contact us for your carpet care needs.