Being a small business owner isn’t easy! There are so many things on your to-do list: hiring, billing, customer service, marketing, delivery, equipment maintenance, accounting…the list is never-ending. It’s understandable that sometimes more minor tasks are forgotten or put off until later. One of those possibly minor-seeming tasks might be carpet cleaning for small businesses.

But it’s not a good idea to make professional carpet cleaning one of those “back burner” tasks. If you have carpet in your business location, keeping it fresh and clean is important. The way your space looks and smells helps your customer to form their first impression of the business. But, perhaps even more importantly, professional carpet cleaning protects your health as well, not to mention the health of your employees and customers.

Over time, carpets will accumulate pollutants that could pose a health hazard. These contaminants come into your business through foot traffic, drafts from open doors or windows, HVAC systems, spills, and even coughs or sneezes. Regular vacuuming can eliminate some of the toxins, like mold spores, pollen, and dust. But other health hazards–like bacteria, viruses, harmful chemicals and pesticides–can only be extracted using professional cleaning methods.

To make sure your business space is both clean and healthy, it’s a good idea to commit to routine professional cleaning.

How often should you have your carpets cleaned? Well, it depends.

• 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. Small 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 cleaned monthly.

Carpet cleaning for small businesses requires maintenance! In between professional cleanings, follow these tips to keep your small business’s carpets looking their best:

• Stick to a regular vacuuming schedule.
• When having work done inside your location (like remodeling or plumbing), put down adhesive carpet protection strips where the heaviest foot traffic will be.
• Place welcome mats both inside and outside all entrances so customers and employees can wipe their feet 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, then apply a spot cleaner according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Before using any spot cleaner on your carpet, do a spot test in an out-of-sight location to ensure the cleaner won’t result in fading or damage to the carpet fiber.

If your business is located in the Asheville, NC area, give Five Step a call at 828.237.7233 or contact us to discuss your carpet care needs.