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Frequent Carpet and Tile Cleaning is Imperative in Medical Facilities – Particularly during Flu Season! Cincinnati Relies on us!

I recently posted on Social Media how the norovirus can live on a carpet’s uncleaned surface for a month or more.  Now, with flu season upon us and, well, really any time, medical facilities need to clean ALL their surfaces – and oftentimes, carpets and floors are forgotten or neglected when germy surfaces are being cleaned.
Cincinnati Maintenance is frequently asked, “How often should we clean the carpets?”  We covered this in a blog post a couple of months ago, but it bears repeating that certain types of businesses need the carpets cleaned more often than others.  For instance, daycares could benefit from weekly or twice-per-month cleaning because small children are crawling around and constantly put things that have been on the floor in their mouths.  Hopefully no one is putting anything in their mouth that’s been on the doctor’s office floor, but, nevertheless, every one-to-three months is good timing for medical facilities to have a deep floor clean.  During pandemic or a time of especially hard-hitting viruses, obviously more often can only benefit the reduction of germs.
Another area that is often overlooked is tile and grout.  All kinds of germy messes can creep down in the grooves and crevices of tile and grout floors.  Please do not forget that these areas need deep, professional cleaning, too.
Cincinnati Maintenance cares about our customers and our customer’s customers.  We are proud to help medical buildings and offices maintain the highest level of cleanliness available to keep good health a primary focus.
 

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Considering Olefin Carpet or Already Have It? Things to Consider about Maintenance and Cleaning of Olefin Carpet. Be sure to choose the RIGHT carpet cleaner in Cincinnati Ohio.

It is fairly common for commercial offices or businesses to consider installing Olefin carpet, sometimes known as Olefin Berber.  Everyone has heard how this type of synthetic fiber is miraculous at resisting stains.  That IS true; it IS stain resistant.
However, there are some pitfalls to Olefin as well.  Olefin loves….oil.  It is basically an oily fabric that attracts oil.  While the “oiliness” does mean is tends to repels many stains, it – on the other hand – can be difficult regarding oily soil.  Also, high traffic areas can look soiled but that often is the light reflecting differently off of areas where the carpet fabric loops have been crushed.  
A cleaning pre-spray made specifically for Olefin or Berber is highly recommended.  But one must be really careful with the pre-spraying of stains because Olefin is also, unfortunately, known for “wick back.”  This means if too much wet spray is used, it gets to the backing and “wicks up” staining substances to the surface!  
If you have Olefin or Berber in your business or your home, good vacuuming habits are a must.  Don’t over soak or use an overabundance of treatment spray when trying to take care of a stain.  And, most importantly, when you have the carpet professionally cleaned, the encapsulation method – which is low moisture carpet cleaning like Cincinnati Maintenance provides – is practically imperative.

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VCT – or Vinyl Composition Tile – Greatly Benefits from a Regular Cleaning Maintenance Schedule

Many of our business and industrial clients ask us at Cincinnati Maintenance how to best maintain or keep clean their VCT – Vinyl Composition Tile.  With minimal effort, the key to keeping this commercial or institutional flooring looking its best is a regular cleaning schedule.
On a daily basis, we recommend VCT be swept or vacuumed to get rid of dry dirt and gritty soil.  This may be followed by a quick damp mop.  In the higher traffic areas or areas subject to more grit, twice daily sweeping or dry vacuuming may be preferred to keep the area safe as well as nice looking.
Periodically, calling Cincinnati Maintenance to provide deeper machine cleaning ensures that the high traffic area is maintained at a level of consistency.  This deep clean may also include buffing and an application of floor finish or a combination of these.
Lastly, in some cases, a more extreme level of restoration may be required – this could possibly include stripping and refinishing the VCT.  This scenario is reserved for instances where regular maintenance was not sufficient to keep the overall desired level of appearance.
When businesses, commercial and industrial sites have invested in VCT, taking measures to maintain it properly should be part of a daily checklist of cleanliness not only for appearance but for safety’s sake as well. Lastly, having a planned schedule of professional flooring maintenance is just one more step in protecting that investment.

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Entryway Mats Have Multiple Purposes in Keeping Your Office Building Clean and Inviting. Commercial Buildings in Cincinnati need Mat Systems.

At least “80 percent of all the soil, dust, contaminants, and moisture entering a facility are tracked in on the shoes of building staff and visitors,” according to ISSA experts in the cleaning industry.  Entryway or entrance mats can stop a tremendous amount of dirt and debris from coming further into your office and wreaking havoc on your polished floors, hardwood, rugs and carpets.  
A small investment in entrance mats will protect your larger investment of the flooring in your building.  The carpet and floors of the office will have a much longer life and will stay cleaner and less worn when the entryway has quality matting.
Particularly in wet or snowy weather, good quality mats in the foyer or vestibule prevent dangerous slip-and-fall accidents which can lead to unwanted and unnecessary headaches for the owner should someone get hurt.
Lastly, entrance mats create a visually pleasing and inviting, professional look as customers and clients enter the building.  It’s always a bonus to give people a wonderful first look into your building and your business.
Office building and business owners should consider nice-looking, highly functional mats to protect their flooring investment and prevent harmful accidents.

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Is Microfiber the Next Wonder Cleaning Tool?

Cincinnati Maintenance is a “green” company always looking for the best recommendations for cleaning products which have no harsh chemicals and are effective, safe, non-toxic and environmentally friendly.  Microfiber is one of our favorite and trusted cleaning tools that we ask our friends and clients to use.
So, what is microfiber?  It is a blend of fibers (polyester and polyamide) that gives you the best polishing and cleaning while at the same time being super absorbent and very quick to dry.
The fiber “hooks” remove a ton of dust, dirt and contaminants from a surface.  We recommend using microfiber material to clean most surfaces such as stainless steel, aluminum, mirrors, carpets, plastic, polished surfaces, fiberglass, granite, painted surfaces, brass, porcelain, marble, upholstery, appliances, and a lot more.  They can also help remove soap scum, food, fingerprints and other sticky, grimy residues.
Microfiber is easy to take care of, too!  You can wash it in cool or warm water, then hang to dry or tumble on low.  A couple of things to remember: do NOT wash it with other laundry, especially not with terry cloth towels (if you do, the lint will be next to impossible to pick out of the microfiber); never use bleach or fabric softener; and never iron microfiber.
Now, why is microfiber considered “green?”  The main thing is that it greatly reduces the need to use chemicals in the cleaning process.  Secondly, they last a long time – much longer than traditional cloths and mops.  Lastly, they are lightweight and compact – you can wash more of them in one cycle at a time.
If you’re looking for ways to reduce the use of cleaning chemicals in your home or office and also be environmentally conscious, give microfiber a try!

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How Often Should You Have Your Carpets Cleaned? Cincinnati requires more cleaning due to wet winter months.

One question we get asked almost every day is, “How often should I have my carpets cleaned?”  We at Cincinnati Maintenance know that the answer can vary from business to business and from home to home, and we are prepared with expert knowledge to help you make informed decisions.
Being IICRC-certified, we look to the highest level of expertise to answer cleaning frequency questions.   A good rule of thumb for homes with pets and families is to have your carpets cleaned every 6-to-12 months.  Office buildings (particularly, ground floor offices), the same 6-to-12 months.  
Other, more specific service-oriented institutions require more frequent cleaning, due to health and sensitivity concerns:  daycares, once per week; nursing homes, once per month; restaurants, once per month; and, schools, every 3-to-6 months.
Obviously, other factors can affect the recommended frequency of professional carpet cleaning:

  • Particles from the outside that are easily tracked or blown in
  • Temperature, humidity and season
  • Types of activities taking place indoors
  • The specific type of carpet fiber
  • The type of indoor environment (for example, office building versus daycare facility)
  • The number and health status of inhabitants
  • Smoking habits of inhabitants
  • The number of children and pets
  • The thoroughness of routine housekeeping performed

Because all of Cincinnati Maintenance’s staff are IICRC certified, we can identify appropriate cleaning frequency to ensure your home or business receives the best possible cleaning care.

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Because We Care, Cincinnati Maintenance Uses Plant-Based, Soap-Free, Odor-Free Procyon to Clean Your Carpet and Upholstery

Cincinnati Maintenance knows you want clean carpets and upholstery but are also concerned about toxic chemicals around your family, pets, employees and clients.  That’s why we use plant-based, non-toxic, soap-free Procyon to take care of your cleaning needs.
Determined to be the leading “green” carpet cleaning company in Cincinnati, we are proud to be able to tell our clients that the products we use are:

  • Safe for children and pets to be around
  • Have no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and create no harmful airborne molecules
  • Made with all natural ingredients that are hypo-allergenic, soap-free and odor-free
  • And, provide a powerful, satisfying clean

Additionally, the encapsulation cleaning we provide emulsifies contaminants and soil, which creates an incredibly fast drying time – usually 45 minutes to 1 hour! – and leaves absolutely no soapy, sticky residue.  
Why do we at Cincinnati Maintenance work with the cutting edge of “green,” non-toxic products like Procyon?  Because we want to give you the best cleaning technology available that is safe for you and your loved ones – for your peace of mind and ours.

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