FEATURE FLOORCARE specially formulated as other chemicals can interfere with the encapsulation chemistry. Again, once sprayed, the spotter solution needs to be left to work for 1-2 minutes. Then the spot should be agitated by hand, with a soft brush or blunt object, working outwards from the centre. All that’s required then is to blot the area with a clean cloth, without rubbing, as this could spread the staining to the surrounding area. There’s no need to rinse. The encapsulation process does the rest, and this method is equally effective for both water- and oil-based spots and spills. 16 MAY 2016 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY The edges and corners of carpets tend not to get heavily soiled. However, they may need a bit of special attention if a vacuum does not revive their appearance to the level achieved with encapsulation. As these areas may be beyond the reach of the Cimex Cyclone, you can spray the solution and agitate by hand with a stiff brush. Simply leave the area to dry and then vacuum as normal. A WORD ON WICKING ‘Wicking’ occurs when embedded soils are not thoroughly removed by an extractor. Carpets can look fine straight after cleaning, but, as the carpet dries, the deep down soil that was not removed ‘wicks’ to the top of the carpet, making the surface look dingy. A thorough vacuuming before cleaning is the best way to prevent this. Another tip is to allow the chemical pre-spray more time to ‘dwell’, improving the effectiveness of the chemicals. The other main cause of wicking is using too much chemical in the cleaning process, so the chemical residue settles in the fibres causing rapid re-soiling as the carpet dries. A faster drying time also reduces the risk of wicking. Air movers placed at strategic locations can cut drying times dramatically. The entire encapsulation operation is not only highly efficient in terms of labour and chemical use; it’s also a low-noise as well as a low-moisture operation that minimises the risk of ‘wicking’ (see box). Carpets are safe to walk on, though signs should be displayed to alert building occupants that deep cleaning is in progress. All this means that carpets can be cleaned during daytime hours with minimal disruption. How often is deep, restorative cleaning by encapsulation required? For some buildings this will be quarterly, but the frequency depends on the level of traffic and soiling. The best advice is to schedule the work so that it’s not continually put off, to the detriment of the carpet. The visual ‘before’ and ‘after’ effect also gives a fair indication of the level of soiling, so intervals can be adjusted accordingly. Something else to bear in mind is that encapsulation cleaning can be done progressively (though it may be advisable to tackle separate floors or rooms so as not to leave a tell-tale frontier between deep-cleaned and uncleaned areas). In one case we know of, deep cleaning of carpets in a large London office block had been repeatedly postponed due the to the cost of what would have been a special weekend operation. By replacing standard upright vacuums with Wide Area Vacs, one operative was able to do the work of three. So the contract cleaner could switch staff to deep cleaning duties that were incorporated into the nightly cleaning schedule. As we said at the outset, carpet care begins and ends with vacuuming. But while the effects of the daily routine of vacuuming are visible and satisfying, the combined results from the post-encapsulation vacuum are truly transformative, as carpets take on a new lease of life. THE BENEFITS OF CIMEX-ENCAP High productivity: typically 200m2 – 300m2 of carpet can be deep-cleaned per hour. Cost-effective: This high productivity help keep costs per square metre down. Sparing use of solution also eliminates wicking and the need to re-treat areas. Low moisture: Carpets dry faster so areas can be walked on sooner and ‘daytime’ deep cleaning is feasible. Captures all soils: The polymeric solution dries to form a brittle residue that is easily removed by routine vacuuming. This also eliminates the risk of re-soiling and wicking problems. Spot cleaning is not cost-effi cient when staining is extensive – a proper deep clean is called for.”
Cleaning Hygiene Today May 2016
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