FACILITIES MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES

Sustainable Textile and Carpet Maintenance: More Than Meets the Eye

A Sustainable Maintenance Plan has Benefits Beyond What's Visible
By Stephen Lewis, technical director, MilliCare

MilliCare www.millicare.com

There is no doubt that facility managers wear a lot of hats.  Whether putting out fires, managing budgets, developing new programs, meeting with vendors or reading up on the latest sustainable practices, the schedule of a facility manager is a full one. 

With that in mind, it's easy to overlook the impact of something as simple as the choice of a textile and carpet cleaning system can have.  The most immediate, and sometimes rewarding, result is a visibly clean environment – but with a little forethought, carpet maintenance can provide benefits in many other ways, all of which would benefit the busy facility manager.  If your facility is looking to improve indoor air quality and employee health, incorporate sustainable cleaning practices, earn LEED-EB certification, or save money and valuable resources, the answer could be right under your feet.

Sustainable Maintenance – Go Green and Save Green

As sustainability becomes a greater industry priority, facility managers continue to look for ways to achieve and maintain workspaces that are more environmentally friendly, but also bottom-line friendly in a time of constricting facility management budgets.  Sustainability offers a long list of financial and social benefits for businesses.  Recent studies have shown that the costs of going and staying green are outweighed by lowering standard operating costs in a relatively short period of time.

Water Efficiency – According to the EPA, efficient water use can have major environmental, public health and economic benefits by helping to improve water quality, maintain aquatic ecosystems and protect drinking water resources. Not to mention that incorporating water-efficient practices will provide more immediate financial returns in the form of reduced utility bills. Using a dry polymer-based cleaning system can assist in reducing a company's water usage.

Assuming optimal productivity rates of the cleaning equipment used, the average hot water extraction carpet cleaning system requires 50 gallons of water for every 10,000 square feet of carpet cleaned. Since typical work environments can be thoroughly cleaned with dry polymer-based cleaning methods as opposed to hot water systems, the greater the space, the greater the potential for water conservation. Building operators could also incorporate other practices – using low-flush toilet systems, collecting rainwater, and using sensors rather than taps for sinks in bathrooms, to name a few – to increase water efficiency efforts and save money.

Materials and Resources – Sustainable methods such as using resources that are reused or contain recycled content can help reduce our demand for raw resources.  The most significant way to reduce this demand, however, is to extend the lifecycle of existing products. Detergents used in many carpet cleaning systems create residue that can have a damaging effect on the carpet, causing rapid resoiling that leads to poor appearance and a shortened life.

Implementing a preventive maintenance program for textiles and carpet using a dry polymer system will extend the useful life of carpet and textiles, thus reducing the amount of materials going into landfills.

Employing other practices such as using local materials to minimize transportation resources and costs and using high-recycle content of building materials and finishes also plays a significant role in helping buildings achieve sustainable goals.

Thinking Green, "LEED"-ing the Industry

Not all facility managers introduce sustainable practices solely for the environmental and cost saving benefits.  Many are working towards achieving LEED-EB status, the U.S. Green Building Council developed-standard that allows building managers to earn points towards certification by operating existing buildings in a more sustainable manner. LEED-EB provides a recognized, performance-based benchmark for building owners and managers to measure operations, improvement and maintenance on a consistent scale.

Attaining LEED-EB status differentiates a company by recognizing them as a Green Building leader. This can help to attract and retain quality employees, elevate a company's profile in the community and recognize their concern for the global environment.  There are few greater rewards than being recognized as a leader in green thinking in facility management, and LEED certification is a visible way to do just that.  For more information on how to qualify for LEED-EB, visit the U.S. Green Building Council's Web site at www.usgbc.org.

While facility managers will need to take a variety of other steps to achieve LEED-EB certification, using dry polymer-based systems for textile and carpet cleaning can make many contributions to LEED-EB points. Incorporating methods to increase water efficiency, sustain materials and resources, and improve indoor air quality are all components that contribute to earning LEED-EB points. 

Whether facility managers are working towards qualifying for LEED-EB certification or just want to maintain resources and lower building operating costs, these facts make it clear that all cleaning systems are not created equal when it comes to implementing sustainable practices in facility management. Using the dry polymer method can enable facility managers to clean their textiles and carpet and create interior environments that result in happier occupants, more productive employees and a healthier bottom line.

The Invisible Connection – Your IAQ, Your Carpet, Your Health

The Environmental Protection Agency calls indoor air quality (IAQ) one of the top five health risks of modern times. Carpet in a building can collect pollutants from the air so the maintenance of that carpet can impact everything from sick days and allergies to energy savings and sustainability. 

A facility management program that incorporates sustainable practices for the care of its carpets, upholstery, window treatments and fabric-covered cubicle panels can, and will, help buildings go green and save green.  Here's how it can be done.  

Carpets and other textile materials act as filters.  They trap benign airborne particles, but they also are home to a more unnerving group including allergens, dead skin, dust mites, bacteria and the detergent residue from other carpet cleaning methods.  Dust, dirt and pollutants that enter the air fall to rest on carpet and textiles, and contaminants from outside are also carried in on the feet of the facility's visitors. 

Deep cleaning can remove contaminants and allergens from a facility's carpet and other soft materials; with the right cleaners, the process can actually improve indoor air quality.  A year-long field study conducted in the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that an intensive carpet cleaning schedule can reduce categories of airborne allergens by 40 to 80 percent (Franke et al., 1997).  Other laboratory studies with advanced cleaners show that effective deep cleaning of carpet, when combined with a properly functioning HVAC system, can reduce indoor allergens by up to 99 percent (Milliken & Company).

The use of non toxic, dry powder cleaning compounds rather than traditional hot water extraction systems is one of the most effective practices to jointly improve a building's indoor air quality and remove allergens, bacteria and chemical residues from carpets and textiles.  Moreover, dry-based cleaning practices create a work environment that does not lend itself to the creation of mold and mildew, which can be an issue with wet carpet cleaning systems.   According to the Carpet and Rug Institute, carpet that is maintained in a clean, dry condition does not support or cause mold growth. 

With the potential to improve employee retention and decrease illness-based absenteeism, plus the value of a healthier work environment, a regular carpet maintenance plan can be the key to improving productivity. 

Top Tips For Implementing an Indoor Air Quality-Improving Carpet Cleaning Program

1. Choose low-emitting maintenance chemicals to reduce VOCs.  Volatile organic chemicals, or VOCs, in some traditional cleaners can contribute to indoor air quality issues.  As the EPA continues its studies of indoor air quality and overall health, careful selection of cleaners can help reduce the risks.
2. Place quality walk-off mats at all entrances.  The best way to reduce contamination is to stop it at the door.  When dirt, allergens and the like are successfully trapped in walk-off mats, carpets, textiles and surfaces can stay cleaner.
3. Vacuum carpet regularly.  Perhaps the most important aspect of a preventative maintenance system, regular vacuuming, can significantly reduce indoor allergens.  In general, weekly cleanings work for most surfaces, while high traffic areas may require more frequent vacuuming.
4. Deep clean carpet on a regular schedule.  Vacuuming removes the bulk of contaminants, but periodic deep cleaning is also important.  One alternative for carpet maintenance, dry polymer cleaning, can also remove up to 99 percent of allergens from the air when used with a quality, properly maintained HVAC system.
5. Don't forget textiles.  Carpet, upholstery, fabric panels and window treatments act as filters, collecting airborne contaminants.   Make sure to include these materials in any preventative maintenance regimen.
6. Safeguard against mold.  In addition to being unsightly, mold can negatively impact the health of those exposed.  Prevent mold growth, and avoid the problem, by choosing carpet cleaning and maintenance techniques that remove the bulk of moisture used in the process, and insuring that HVAC systems are in proper working order.
7. Maintain today, sustain tomorrow.  In addition to reducing indoor allergens and contaminants on a regular basis, proper, scheduled maintenance can also prolong the life of carpet, upholstery and other soft materials in your facility.  Dirt trapped in fibers can be abrasive, wearing materials prematurely.
8. Consider investing in an expert.  Companies or consultants specializing in green maintenance can be valuable partners, and can take the guesswork out of when and how to clean.  Choose a company with a proven track record and/or outside certifications, such as GreenSeal or the Carpet & Rug Institute's Seal of Approval, to ensure you get the best advice.

For more information or to contact an expert in your area, click here. 

Author Bio

Stephen Lewis is technical director for MilliCare. He is responsible for the company's research and development efforts, provides technical training to its network of more than 80 franchise partners, and is the company's key point of contact with the textile and carpet maintenance community.

About MilliCare:

MilliCare provides textile and carpet cleaning services internationally for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, airports, hotels and other public places. The company supplies facility managers with the products, services and knowledge they need to implement long-term maintenance plans that increase operational efficiencies and prolong the lifecycles of textiles and carpet. MilliCare's global network of more than 80 franchise partners consists of an integrated team of cleaning, manufacturing, retailing and other business professionals.