When does it pay to be dirty minded? When you’re a professional cleaner, or course. That’s because if you don’t know how dirt (let’s call it soil) gets into carpet, then you’re hardly in a position to know how to get it out.
Proctor and Gamble labs did the carpet cleaning industry a great service a few years ago when they analyzed soil carpet samples from throughout the U.S. The average sample consisted of 55% particle soil (sand, quartz, clay, carbon, gypsum, and limestone), which has an abrasive effect on carpet fibers.
This tracked soil collects in entry areas and must – repeat, must – receive special attention during cleaning; otherwise, your carpet or rug investment’s life is cut in half – literally.
Next, 12% of the carpet sample consisted of animal fiber. An interesting fact gleaned from dermatologists suggests that the average person sheds about 300 hairs per day. If not removed frequently, this soil can produce a “harried” situation for homeowners. Another 12% of the sample consisted of cellulosic matter; not only in the form of tracked-in grass and leaf fragments from outside, but also cellulosic fiber shed from clothing, fabric furnishings, newspapers, magazines, etc.
“Well,” you say, “I’ll just buy a good vacuum and eliminate the need for cleaning.”
Hang on a minute, we’re not quite through.
Six percent of the sample consisted of gummy soils (sugars, starches, and salts) which bind themselves and some of the particle soil to fiber surfaces. Ten percent consisted of oils and tar-like substances, which also bind themselves to fibers along with particle soils. If not routinely removed, these soils create a yellowed, dingy appearance in traffic areas, and, because of the abrasive soil they attached to the carpet fibers, carpet life is cut in half.
The more professional cleaners know about soil, the better job they can do for their customers. In doing so, they add years of life and increased beauty to their carpet customer’s investment.
