Maintaining commercial floors can sometimes be a challenge, depending on the usage that the floor gets, the materials, and even the size of the floor. For commercial floors that are covered in carpeting, such as office buildings, vacuuming is the most common method of maintaining them and keeping them clean.
Vacuuming commercial floors is somewhat similar to taking care of a wall to wall carpet in a home, but there are other challenges that need to be addressed.
Below are several tips that can help you vacuum and maintain commercial carpeting to maximize cleanliness and longevity of the carpeting itself.
1. Use a commercial strength vacuum cleaner.
It may be tempting to simply use a residential rated vacuum cleaner, as these tend to be less expensive, but these residential machines are not rated for the type of use that commercial floors will demand of them.
Not only will most commercial carpets contain more dirt and other debris than residential carpeting will see, the square footage to cover will be significantly more. Having the right equipment is the most fundamental aspect of proper commercial floor maintenance.
2. Pay attention to debris on the floor.
Far too many people at home have a tendency to simply vacuum over coins, screws, and other objects on the ground. It’s easier than having to stop, pick up the item, and throw it in the garbage. However, those objects damage the machine.
Commercial floors will tend to have a lot of debris, especially if they get more use. Paperclips, staples, nails, pens, and much more all find their way onto these floor surfaces. Pick up as many of these items by hand rather than attempting to have the machine suck them up.
3. Alter the direction of the machine.
When vacuuming any carpet or rug, it’s best to alter the direction of travel each time. One time you may move the machine north and south and the next time east to west. Altering the direction will help to maximize the life of the carpeting.
4. Have the carpets professionally cleaned on a consistent basis.
Vacuuming alone isn’t enough to get all of the dirt, bacteria, and other allergens out of the carpet. It’s important to also have them cleaned thoroughly. A maintenance department that has the right equipment to wash carpeting should do this bi-weekly, monthly, or as often as needed.