Making My Backroom More Functional

Clean Your Workplace Carpet Safely With These 3 Simple Tips

by Phil Lawrence

If you've reached a point at which your business needs a serious cleaning, renting a carpet cleaner can help to transform the space -- especially if you're the type of business owner who enjoys rolling up his or her sleeves and getting the work done yourself. A heavy-duty, industrial carpet cleaner uses a combination of hot water or steam and cleaning chemicals to lift stains and make the carpet as good as new. While you can operate this machine after carefully reading the instructions, it's always important to keep safety in mind during this task. Here are three important safety rules to follow when you clean your place of work.

Pre-Soak Stubborn Stains

While an industrial-strength carpet cleaner can certainly transform the look of a dirty carpet, you can give the machine a helping hand by pre-soaking stains that are particularly concerning. Depending on the substance that caused the stain, different cleaning solutions can be helpful. In the event of a printer toner ink stain, which can commonly take place when you or an employee is switching the printer's toner cartridge, applying a commercial cleaning solution to the stain and then patiently blotting it with a rag can successfully lighten it before you use the carpet cleaner.

Ensure The Space Is Properly Ventilated

The chemicals used in a carpet cleaner help to lift away stains and restore the carpet's original pristine condition, but excess exposure to these substances can make you dizzy. Avoid this issue by ensuring that each room you clean is properly ventilated. Open all the windows in the room don't be afraid to open windows in the surrounding rooms, too. Placing a large box fan at either window to help pull fresh, clean air into the room can also ensure that the fumes dissipate quickly. Do the work well outside of business hours to ensure your workplace's air is clear by the time employees and customers enter the space.

Don't Think That Wetter Is Better

It can be easy to fall into the trap of applying plenty of water to your carpet under the assumption that more water will help the cleaning process. When using a water extraction cleaner, be careful to keep moving; standing in one spot for too long can oversaturate the carpet. Too much water can soak through the carpet's fibers and into the underpad, which can lead to the growth of mildew and cause you to have to replace the carpet prematurely.

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