Floor and Floor Treatments

Floor And Floor Treatments 3 (1+2)

Lesson :14 Care and Maintenance ofsoft and hard floors

Carpet care and maintenance through non mechanical method

The major Non mechanical methods are as follows.

1. Shampooing:
   

Using traditional damp-shampoo methods is very expensive because (1) carpet cleaning usually is done at night on the more expensive labor shift; (2) in winter, buildings have to be heated to help the wet carpet dry quickly; and (3) labor is needed to move and replace the furniture. Shampoo cleaning can be employed on nearly all types of carpet, if properly used. Heavily soiled traffic areas are usually treated with a pre-conditioner prior to overall cleaning. The drying time will be determined by the amount of moisture allowed to remain in the carpet and may vary from one to twelve hours, and , in extreme cases, as long as twenty-four hours.

2. . Use of detergents:

The nature of the detergent in carpet cleaning, much as in laundry machines, is critical. Chemists are endeavoring to come up with just the right for­mulas to clean various kinds of fibers properly. The suggestions given below may help when selecting proper detergents.

1. Avoid those with oily residues because they con­tribute to re-soiling,
2. Use detergents with a pH of 8 to 9.5 for carpet.
3. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
4. Determine the residue of detergents. A simple test discussed below can be carried out to evaluate the re-soiling characteristics.

Use a clean glass piece plate. Add approximately 1/4th inch of the detergent water mixture just as you would when cleaning a carpet. Allow the liquid to evaporate, It may require several days under nor­mal room conditions, but to shorten the time, place the dish in a dry room, in the sun, or in an oven set no higher than 150°F,

After all the liquid has evaporated, examine the remains to see what is left. If it has dried to a pow­der that can be vacuumed up, there should be no problem with accelerated soiling. On the other hand, to determine whether the residue is sticky, run a finger over the inside of the plate and hold the plate up to a light to check the results; it can then be determined whether or not the detergent is contributing to faster soiling.

3. Absorbent compound: Absorbent compound is the lowest moisture system that can be used on carpet. In heavily soiled areas, a preconditioner may be applied prior to the application of the absorbent compound.
4. Absorbent pad or Bonnet (Dry): Absorbent pad or Bonnet is another minimum moisture system, which can be used on nearly all carpet. Deeply soiled traffic areas are normally treated prior to cleaning with a preconditioner. The drying time is normally one to three hours, after which the carpet should be thoroughly vacuumed to further remove any cleaning agent and loosened soil.
5. Dry foam cleaning: Dry foam cleaning uses a detergent solution, which can be aerated before it is applied to the carpet. This method adds only a minimum amount of moisture to the carpet and, therefore, this method can be used on most carpets. Normally, in the heavily soiled traffic areas, a preconditioner is used to loosen the soil before cleaning with the dry foam method. Drying normally takes place within one to three hours unless multiple passes have been made over the carpet.
6. Stem cleaning (Hot water extraction): Stem cleaning applies the largest amount of cleaning solution, and when operated by a skilled operator, can be used on most carpets. In heavily soiled areas, a preconditioner may be applied as the first step. The maximum drying time should not be longer than twenty-four.
   The above methods illustrate the various systems available. They may be used separately or in combination. Some may be used for maintaining traffic areas, while others may be used for overall cleaning. Some methods may not be suitable for all types of carpet construction, such as certain cut pile construction; therefore, it is always advisable to obtain the carpet manufacturer’s recommendations for the preferred methods to be used in order to prevent invalidation of applicable warranties.