Carpet Tile Maintenance

How to Clean Carpet Tiles Guide

Barrier Matting
All installations need a good barrier system. Barrier carpet tiles are designed to attract and remove soil therefore they require a high level of maintenance. Research has proven that 80% of all soil is foot borne. The nature of the UK climate produces soil which is hydrophilic (water-soluble). This means that entrance or barrier matting must not only be easily removable for maintenance or replacement but it should be absorbent. Barrier systems must never be allowed to become heavily soiled otherwise they will become a source of the transferred soil.

Correct Vacuuming of Carpet Tiles
After barrier systems, the most important piece of equipment is the correct type of vacuum cleaner. For the majority of our products, we recommend the twin motor upright machine. This machine is far more effective than the cylinder suction only type. Even though regular vacuuming seems to be time consuming it is very cost effective and is the only way to remove soil, grit and sand that migrate to the base of the carpet fibres, eroding the fibres at the base, causing premature wear. Tests have proven that the suction only vacuum cannot remove this damaging debris.

Spot and Stain Removal from Carpet Tiles
Carpet tiles require constant monitoring for spots and spills. Action must be taken as soon as possible. Once a spill dries it can be very difficult to remove.

Method of Removal - Excess liquid should be removed by placing a plain absorbent material over the area and applying pressure. A good quality pre-spotter should be sprayed onto the spill, then carefully working from the edge to the centre of the spill, tease out the spill with an absorbent cloth.

Dry Extraction Cleaning of Carpet Tiles
Reception areas, main walkways, lift lobbies and any heavy traffic areas will benefit from regular maintenance. For this we recommend the dry extraction compound method of cleaning. The compound which is impregnated with cleaning agent is sprinkled over the soiled area, then brushed into the carpet fibres, using a contra rotating brush machine. It is left in the carpet for a minimum of thirty minutes to absorb the soil before it is extracted, using the twin motor upright machine. The compound does not leave any sticky residues that attract new soiling and it requires little or no drying time. The vacuum will be more efficient if the bag is not allowed to get more than three quarters full. The tiles must always be vacuumed slowly. If any compound remains in the carpet tiles, it may be that it is still damp and needs to be brushed and left to dry before vacuuming again.

Wet Extraction Cleaning of Carpet Tiles
We still recommend that the tiles are wet extracted occasionally, but with regular dry extraction maintenance, this can be delayed for several years. Carpet tiles which are allowed to become contaminated with drinks, food, or are allowed to become heavily soiled, will also need to be wet extracted. This operation should be carried out by an experienced cleaning contractor or fully trained in-house staff to achieve the best results.