With your staff and customers each bringing up to 421,000 units of bacteria on their shoes every time they visit, cleaning your office carpets is vital in maintaining both the hygiene and reputation of your business.
Why is cleaning office carpets so essential?
Dr Charles Gerba, a microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona, conducted a study which investigated germs collected on footwear. Participants of the study averaged a staggering 421,000 units of bacteria on the outside of the shoe, and 2,887 on the inside.
Some of the bacteria types found on the shoes included E. coli (Escherichia coli), known to cause intestinal and urinary tract infections, meningitis and diarrheal disease; Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause wound and bloodstream infections as well as pneumonia; and Serratia ficari, identified as causing infections in both the respiratory tract and wounds.
Keeping this in mind, cleaning your carpets is essential in maintaining the hygiene of your office. Due to foot traffic, carpets in offices are susceptible to dirt and grime build up. When not cleaned regularly, this build-up of bacteria, mites and other germs will mean dirty and soiled carpets, which can pose serious health hazards.
Cleaning carpets also has the added bonus of improving your office’s air quality. The removal of dust and other particles from your carpet reduces allergic reactions, asthma spells and even eczema flare-ups, meaning fewer sick days for your employees.
Cleaning your carpets regularly also helps when it comes to your business’s reputation. Customers notice dirty, stained carpets. High traffic areas are prone to markings and stains, especially in winter when customers are entering your premises from the outside world.
And finally, carpets are expensive investments. Regular deep cleaning for high traffic areas, and annual cleaning for other areas, is essential in maintaining the durability of your investment. After all, it’s a lot cheaper to regularly clean your carpets than it is to replace them.
Why do I need my office carpets cleaned by a professional?
To ensure your office carpets are cleaned properly, it’s important you hire professional cleaners.
Just like a great shower, cleaning your carpets properly comes down to water pressure. If your cleaner is using a portable unit, it won’t do a professional level job. While these machines make a lot of noise, the combination of both low water pressure and low suction that means the build-up deep within your carpets won’t get touched.
To get your carpets truly clean, you’ll need to employ a cleaner that uses a truck mount machine, like PetraClean. Our USA-manufactured carpet cleaning unit is permanently fitted into large van, is petrol powered, capable of running very high pressure, and includes an industrial-strength vacuum pump.
A long hose runs into your office from our van carrying hot water to clean your carpets, and dirty water is sucked up and carried away through the vacuum hose.
In addition to our truck mount carpet cleaner, PetraClean uses a range of cleaning products suitable for use on all carpets and fabrics, including biodegradable carpet shampoo and a range of spot cleaning products.
How often do I need to clean my office carpets?
How often you need to clean your office carpets depends on a number of factors, including your industry and level of foot traffic.
A good rule of thumb is if your office carpets haven’t been cleaned professionally in 12 months, they are overdue. If you get a lot of visitors, or employ a lot of staff, we recommend getting them cleaned every six months to ensure both hygiene and aesthetic.
When is the best time of year to clean my office carpets?
The cooler and wetter months of autumn and winter usually mean your carpets end up a little dirtier than usual, making spring and summer in Perth the perfect time to clean your carpets.
Plus, with the weather being a bit warmer, you’ll enjoy the added benefit of your carpets drying much quicker.
If you’ve had any spills, or are in need of a clean, PetraClean is also able to visit your Perth office and clean your carpets all year round. Give us a call for more information or to book in your next carpet clean.