Winter carpet care for commercial spaces

Paul Pearce, technical director of the NCCA, explains the considerations for winter carpet care plans and keeping on top of essential maintenance during winter months.

UNLIKE any other time of year, winter demands more stringent cleaning regimes in commercial spaces. This also applies to carpeting. Inclement weather often accompanies the winter months, bringing moisture, mud, leaves, and other biological contaminants with footfall. At a time of year that is associated with seasonal diseases, like influenza, colds and even norovirus, hygienic diligence is paramount.

Planning access

Identifying the type and amount of footfall traffic, area of space and layout all have a bearing on the cleaning schedule, the type of work and areas to focus on. This is particularly important in the winter as the level of soils increases with the onset of wetter weather. Obtaining a floor plan will assist in working out schedules relating to footfall, whether or not the building or area can be shut down during the process and optimise most efficient use of time and workforce. Also, factor in the allotted time required to undertake the cleaning, the possibility of working during unsociable hours, arranging keys and access, and consulting with building security teams. This may take more time to arrange during the pandemic. Then there’s the admin associated with cleaning schedules, which includes creating risk assessments, method statements, organising permits to work, and managing water and waste areas to name a few considerations. Please also be aware that there are regulations that cover lone working. It’s worth reading guidance provided by the Health & Safety Executive. Workers need support on site, especially if they are undertaking work that might be hazardous.

What are the hot spots?

The exterior of the building is an important area to consider for planned maintenance. A lot of soils are tracked in or carried in through the air. Building entrances and their interior and exterior mats should be properly cleaned or serviced on a regular basis during the winter. A key cleaning objective is soil prevention. Therefore, proper walk-off mats should be used both outside and inside the entrance to the building. These mats will also need to be properly maintained with professional cleaning.

Such mats should be exchanged on a regular basis (at least once every fortnight), removed from site and beaten thoroughly prior to wet cleaning. Walk off mats should be large enough to allow people to take around five to six footsteps across the mat in order to remove the majority of dirt and dust from their shoes. Apart from the obvious daily maintenance like daily vacuuming and making sure that spots or stains are reported, there are the specialist cleaning considerations for heavy traffic areas. These include entrances, showrooms, reception, corridors, stairs, hallways, retail sales floors, executive offices, clerical office areas, food service areas, traffic flow areas, break rooms, and post rooms. Their cleaning schedule checklist might include vacuuming, spot cleaning, interim maintenance, and quarterly restorative deep cleaning. Finally, ensure that the building is fit for purpose for its occupants - will the carpet be dry in time for your client’s business hours? Make sure there are sufficient drying procedures in place, such as air conditioning left on or a window left open (taking the security of the premises into account) when cleaning is completed. Planning and preparation can make carpet cleaning a satisfying and efficient experience, which benefits users and employers, by protecting their investment.

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