How to Boost Carpet Cleaning Sales 

For building service contractors (BSC), carpet care is also an important revenue stream. Contracts normally include daily vacuuming and spot cleaning services with deeper cleans added periodically — services that benefit both parties. The client enjoys a burnished reputation bolstered by clean floors, and the BSC gets a valuable contract, with the possibility of winning more work from potential clients impressed with their output.  

And yet, despite all the benefits, budgets remain king when organizations think about their carpet maintenance services.  

“If they can kick a service down the road, they will,” says Quintis Millsaps, president and owner, Q’s Cleaning Services, Inc in South Holland, Illinois.  

So, what’s a BSC to do? Experts offer advice on carpet care fundamentals, sales and education techniques, and how to overcome the occasional, but inevitable, rejections.  

Carpet Care Fundamentals 

Effective carpet care starts before the material is even purchased.  

“It’s important to spec the right carpet for the right location,” insists William Griffin, president of Cleaning Consultant Services, Inc. in Seattle.  “That means choosing the right fiber and pile. Owners also have to make sure the material is installed correctly.”  

Getting any of these components wrong is guaranteed to cause future problems. Griffin points to common sense issues like not installing carpet, “where it doesn’t belong.” This includes locations such as dining areas, around coffee service spaces, and in front of restrooms. These areas are prone to spills, excess soil, and the occasional sharp object, none of which are good for carpeting. 

Building service contractors who have input should also encourage the use of colors and patterns. Steer clear of light colors as they can’t hide soil or wear and tear from foot traffic, and encourage patterns, which can better disguise soils versus a solid color.  

Of course, a BSC is not usually consulted in choosing the type of carpet or where it is installed. Their job is to keep floors clean and fresh looking. This involves different cleaning steps performed on different timetables. According the Millsaps, the most important component of carpet care is daily vacuuming.  

“Vacuuming is the best way to remove loose soils, help with appearance, and extend the life of carpet,” he says, adding that his team vacuums the carpet of his commercial accounts daily. They also practice daily spot removal and spill cleanup. 

“We treat lots of coffee stains on the commercial side. Retail spaces, on the other hand, get it all: coffee, juice, teas, sodas, just about everything,” Millsaps adds.  

It is important to address these stains as soon as possible for the best results, even if carpet fibers have been treated with stain-resistant coatings.  

“Those coatings buy you time, but you still have to remove the spill,” explains Griffin. “The longer you wait the harder it will be to fully get out.” 

Routine vacuuming goes a long way in carpet care. But at some point, the material will need something more. BSCs offer two options for this deeper clean: interim maintenance with low-moisture carpet cleaning technology and deep cleaning with a hot water extraction system.  

Ron Stapleton, account director at Prestige Maintenance USA, in Plano, Texas, further explains low moisture encapsulation (LME): “LME delivers by using a rotary brush with a dry foam shampoo to create a more consistent appearance in a shorter amount of time as compared to extraction.Also, LME uses less moisture, which allows the carpet to dry faster and reduces the potential for ‘wicking’ that can occur when wet extraction processes are performed.Quicker dry time also improves safety especially in retail environments where hard surface flooring is often adjacent carpeted areas. Thoroughly vacuuming after the carpet has dried removes the encapsulated soils.” 

As effective as LME is though, experts say it can never fully replace hot water extraction.  

“Think of low-moisture encapsulation technology like a sponge bath,” says Griffin. “You can’t rely on just that alone.” 

Extraction is required for the deepest clean. This process, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute, returns carpet to a relatively clean condition. The process fully wets the carpet, which means BSCs must build drying time into the schedule. They also must supply natural or mechanical ventilation to speed drying time and prevent mold growth.