Specialized floor care in action
Specialized floor care focuses on creating the right solution for each situation. All materials require specific treatment—from standard nylon, wool, or wool-blend commercial carpeting to carpets made with llama or goat hair. Cleaning methods and chemistries must be tailored to suit the products and their warranties. This requires extensive training to understand the different fiber types found in carpet, as well as the kinds of hard-surface flooring and the individual care each requires. Product cut sheets and specifications must be followed, as the use of improper methods can void product warranties before the client even takes ownership.
To begin, professional floor care specialists conduct a pre-clean audit of the space to document the areas requiring special attention and identify the sources of damage. Issues such as plaster, adhesive, paint, and general soiling must be noted and communicated to the cleaning team, which then determines the methods and chemistries required to bring the floors back to new condition. Trained technicians clean the entire carpet or the itemized spots, depending on the contract’s scope. Additional specialty solutions may be required to remove grease or adhesive. In severe cases, a restorative process might be necessary. Specialists can reduce long-term maintenance costs by recommending performance coatings or other treatments for post-installation application.
Following the cleaning process, a detailed report of the work performed is generated, including before and after photographs. This report may provide information allowing the contractor to bill the damage back to the individual trades responsible for it. For example, a pre-clean site audit recently identified grease as a major contributor to a damaged carpet. The grease was then determined to be lubricant, which had been employed during a sprinkler system installation. The contractor billed the plumbing company for damages done.
Significant cost savings can be realized if floor care is proactively planned to align with project costs and timelines rather than as a rushed emergency call shortly before tenant turnover. Ideally, post-construction floor care should be allocated in the construction budget. The flooring specialist should be contracted at least a month before the expected turnover date, and should be allowed three days following the completion of punch list items to adequately perform a pre-clean audit and effectively clean and restore the floors.
Successful project delivery
Designers and specifiers play an important role in the long-term maintenance of flooring materials simply by conveying proper cleaning methods and product warranties to the client during both the design development and specification phase. Products should be considered for their color, texture, and design aesthetic as well as long-term wear and maintenance. When specifying a high-quality finish, design/construction professionals would be wise to inform the client’s facility manager of the specialty product’s maintenance requirements.
Post-construction floor care specialists can also advise new tenants, before occupancy, on how to best maintain the floors. By assessing the materials, recommendations can be made on how to care for and protect both carpet and hard-surface flooring. A customized floor care plan, accounting for the usage of the space and the number of people occupying it on a daily basis, can also be provided. Regular cleaning and maintenance helps keep the carpets and hard-surface floors looking their best and can actually extend the life of the floor.
Tenant contracts generally outline how the space should look upon turnover. While each construction project is different, a client’s high expectation for quality is the same. Specialty floor care companies have the equipment, experience, and knowledge to effectively remove construction debris and repair damage, helping the design and construction team deliver a finished space, looking clean and new. After months of active, dusty construction on a busy project site, a carpet and hard-surface floor cleaning provides the finishing touch to deliver the fresh, flawless floors the client expects and deserves.
Brett Van Beever is president of ECOlogic, a commercial carpet and textile cleaning and restoration company. Van Beever spent seven years in sales and marketing for Milliken Carpet before starting ECOlogic in 1998. He received his bachelor’s degree in textiles and marketing from the University of Rhode Island. Van Beever can be reached at bvanbeever@ecologicltd.com.
