Info For Carpet Tiles

[rwcarpet]

I have a few custys with food service areas that are now carpet-tiled. They would like me to do a regular cleaning with a low moisture system. What would you use and what chem since this will most likely have food spills and stains?? It's a 2x2 tile with raised rows every 1/8 - 1/4 inch. It is solid rubber backed, so low moisture would be the best bet for quick back-to-service times. It's a darker brown/red color. I don't (and the custy don't) want to fully extract too often, if possible. I have access to Cimex and pad cleaners.

 

[boazcan]

RX-20 or other rotary cleaner - just did 60k sq ft of them. Not so sure about padding food service areas. RX-20 with a dry stroke will probably be drier than encapping or it would for me anyway.

 

[dealtimeman]

i say hwe with a dry pass and some air movers should make you look good and leave it dry before you leave.

 

[J Scott W]

Sometimes carpet tiles curl at the edges. Rotary system of any type can catch the edge and make the condition worse. Some manufacturers recommend not using a rotary machine or rotary extraction tool on their carpet tiles.

Water getting in the opening between tiles is another common issue. This can make the carpet and floor very slow to dry. This is the reason low moisture products are so often used for carpet tile.

I suggest cleaning with a CRB like the Brush Pro. Use an encapsulation product. Encapuclean O2 is a good choice. There are a few products that the manufacturer specs a dry compound. Brush Pro does make a dry compound with encapsulation properties for these tiles.

When you do restorative cleaning, use HWE with extra slow vacuum passes. Some have told me that a glided wand is helpful to get necessary airflow. Those solid backs tiles don't allow much airflow. Leaving the spent cleaning solution and suspended soil behind because your vacuum did not extract it can be a real problem.

I am working on projects involving carpet tiles from two different manufacturers right now. I have seen these issues first hand. I have seen how they clean with different methods.

Scott Warrington
Technical Support
Interlink Supply / Bridgepoint Systems

 

[rwcarpet]

Sometimes carpet tiles curl at the edges. Rotary system of any type can catch the edge and make the condition worse. Some manufacturers recommend not using a rotary machine or rotary extraction tool on their carpet tiles.

Water getting in the opening between tiles is another common issue. This can make the carpet and floor very slow to dry. This is the reason low moisture products are so often used for carpet tile.

I suggest cleaning with a CRB like the Brush Pro. Use an encapsulation product. Encapuclean O2 is a good choice. There are a few products that the manufacturer specs a dry compound. Brush Pro does make a dry compound with encapsulation properties for these tiles.

When you do restorative cleaning, use HWE with extra slow vacuum passes. Some have told me that a glided wand is helpful to get necessary airflow. Those solid backs tiles don't allow much airflow. Leaving the spent cleaning solution and suspended soil behind because your vacuum did not extract it can be a real problem.

I am working on projects involving carpet tiles from two different manufacturers right now. I have seen these issues first hand. I have seen how they clean with different methods.

Scott Warrington
Technical Support
Interlink Supply / Bridgepoint Systems

I'm agreeing with Scott here. Even with the best installation, the tiles do have very small openings between the tiles in which water will find and enter. And the solid backing doesn't allow for airflow. You could do some extreme airmoving, but you better have a way to vent the moisture out of the building. I have carpet tiles in my dining/living area, and have HWE'd them many times because of the pissin' dog I have. I have tried many different approaches to cleaning and drying them with HWE, and they still take 10 hours or more to dry. I've tried ultra low pressure, many dry strokes, glided ti and quad wands, glided RX20, and air moving, and they still take a long time to dry.

Remember.....when you're done with HWE'ing carpet tiles, you pack up and leave. Try going back in 6-8-12 hours, or the next day, and I think you will still find damp areas and some odor problems. They are just troublesome to dry because of their composition, and the moisture that finds it's way in between and under the tiles. The jobs I'm talking about have HWE'd with the local top cleaners, and still have problems.

I know some of you cleaners will say you never had a problem with tiles, but like I say....go back the next day and check on moisture content. I know you will find some.....unless your living in some arid, dry desert area, or have an extreme A/C system to dehumidify the air in the tiled room. I've cleaned for 35 years, and these tiles have been the most problem I've had in all those years. I also see a problem in drying carpet laid ontop of the new moisture proof "pet" padding.

 

[ACE]

Brush Pro Encap is not going to cut it at the greasy spoon. Cimex will work fine. The issues I have seen with carpet tiles is caused buy a wand clamping down and moving tiles. Use a gilded wand if you HWE.

 

[RGH269]

I had a commercial account a few years ago and I brokered a 10,000 SF sale and install of tiles for them when time came to clean them it turned into a nightmare with coffee spills and the like. I don't have that account anymore I miss the $$$$ but not those tiles. I think they are a poor choice in a food service area, at that time the mill specified encap for them.

 

[steve frasier]

from the warranties I have read none of them allow bonnet cleaning, general it is only crb brush or hwe

 

[Mardie]

from the warranties I have read none of them allow bonnet cleaning, general it is only crb brush or hwe

Carpet tile mills clearly state that low moisture is recommended.
Also clearly state no rotary machines.
I personally love carpet tile.

 

[rwcarpet]

from the warranties I have read none of them allow bonnet cleaning, general it is only crb brush or hwe

Would occilating pad be considered a "rotary'??

 

[Mardie]

from the warranties I have read none of them allow bonnet cleaning, general it is only crb brush or hwe

Would occilating pad be considered a "rotary'??

I wouldn't think so? From what i understand the reason carpet tile dosn't like rotary tools is because of the risk of grabbing on to the edges of the tile and causing damage, (however small that may be). I personally do not see O/P having that same effect seeing that it works on the carpet in a completely different way than a typical rotary tool. I use a Cimex on well laid good condition carpet tile. Some carpet tile i do has curled edges through out the job and loose floating tiles along the walls which is a symptom of years of HWE. I do not use the cimex on this. The way i see it is the best risk is no risk.

 

[Larry B]

In a bar and gets HWE every 3 to 4 weeks and never a problem.

 

[CasinoCarpetCare]

We have been maintaining a whole casino full of Milliken carpet tiles for the last 11 years-we love them. shiteatinggrin Hot water extraction (burning hot truck mounts!!!) and RX's every 3-4 months, a walk behind unit and yes-we bonnet buffed with 175 for daily spotting ( up until 2 years ago-when my father retired they pulled the carpet contract in-house). They replace the carpet every 5 or so years here- and both times it still looked brand new. Our last batch was installed last fall-so we are staying within the warrantee guidelines (within reason) until it is up-just to be safe. This last batch is a wool blend-I don't think it holds up under heavy traffic as well as the non-wool blend stuff. No drying issues here- we post-pad and put out lots of air movers and keep moving them around. We are using Chemspec's One Clean (Woolsafe) and their textile rinse, and Chemspec's Formula 90 for the tough stuff-with a 360i, and CFX with a pod and portable waste water tank. I would like to hear from anyone out there who is managing to maintain huge commercial applications with either a Host or other CRB program. :roll: