Why you need to keep your hotel tip top clean

As anyone who runs a busy hotel or B&B will tell you, keeping the place clean is an ongoing chore. Most guests are respectful, and keep rooms tidy and reasonably clean, but there will always be the odd guest who leaves their room in a state or simply has an accident with a cup of coffee or glass of red wine.

Emergency measures can help to get rid of the majority of stains on the spot, even if it’s just a make-do job until the room is vacant for a deep professional clean. Sometimes, when the job is left a little bit too long, as it was in the failing Blackpool hotel The Vidella, it’s down to experts like The Hotel Inspector and Chemdry to get everything spic and span and turn things around.

Watch the episode here

So, it’s vital that you keep on top of spot removal and zap the little spills and stains that make your business premises look drab.

Stain removal emergencies

Stains are all par for the course in the hospitality business, so knowing how to remove some of the most common problems before they bed in is a useful skill! Of course, we recommend Chem-Dry professional home care products and also pre-treating with Chem-Dry Protectant, which combined will give you a head start on successful stain removal.

Have you ever been faced with a chocolate trodden into a carpet or on a table cloth? Of course you have. The problem with getting a chocolate stain out is that it’s a combination of greasy and non-greasy substances that makes removal that much harder. Expert advice is to remove the greasy part of the stain first with cool water and detergent, and allow the stain to dry. Once dried off, sponge the greasy part with stain removal products. Chem Dry Grease and Oil Remover also works for butter and oil stains so is ideal if you prepare and serve food in your establishment.

Another tricky stain to fully remove is blood – even just a shaving nick can produce a surprising amount of it, and spots on the bedding or carpet really don’t look good! If the spots are fresh, try hydrogen peroxide on the affected area, and an unusual tip from one house keeper is that using shaving foam will remove blood stains on pillows, rugs and upholstered furniture. Chem Dry Stain Extinguisher is the perfect product we recommend to expertly remove blood stains, though.

 What about red wine stains? There is a multitude of advice around on how to get a Merlot (or any other red wine) spillage out of a carpet. The famous treatment for that particular accident is a dose of white wine, and it does seem to work if applied quickly enough.  Alternatively, try Stain Extinguisher and watch that wine disappear!

How long should a carpet last?

There are so many different types of carpet available that it can be a bit of a minefield deciding which type is best for your home. Things like the fabric, the grading and the cost all come into play when you’re making that decision.

Two major factors in a carpet’s lifespan are the pile (the way the fibres are woven into the carpet) and the fabric.

• A deep pile (shag-pile) is lovely, soft and luxurious but the pile can flatten in busy areas and it wears out faster than some other types.
• Twist pile carpets are woven with tightly twisted yarn, and generally suit most rooms.
• Looped or Berber carpets are very durable and good in areas that are busy, like hallways.
• Axminster and Wilton carpets are very high quality, log lasting carpets known for their longevity.

Fabric-wise, wool is well-known for being durable, especially when it’s blended with man-made fibres. It’s more water repellent than other fibres, which makes it pretty good at resisting stains, and gives you more time to treat them before they sink in. A wool carpet could potentially last for 20 years, so you’d better make sure you really like it!

Synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon are very popular, and although they aren’t as durable as wool, they can still last well if properly cleaned and cared-for.  Polyester isn’t as long-lasting as nylon, so it’s not usually recommended for high traffic areas. Polyester carpet can last from 5 to 7 years and nylon carpet a bit longer, with a 15 to 20 year life expectancy if looked after.

Keeping your carpets clean

If you’ve paid a lot for your carpet, getting it treated and professionally cleaned are ways to keep it looking great for longer, and extend its lifespan.  If you buy a carpet that’s already been treated for stain resistance, make sure that having another professional stain resistant treatment doesn’t invalidate any warranty you’ve got.

Nylon is a very absorbent fibre which means that stains and spills will damage the fibres. Most already have a pre-treatment when you buy them, but regular professional carpet cleaning will ensure that any accidents are dealt with and the pile looks fresher for longer.

Polyester carpets are reasonably water repellent and easy to look after. Keep them regularly vacuumed and invest in professional carpet cleaning to keep them looking spruced up. Another tip for polyester carpets is move your furniture around every now and again as polyester carpets do have a tendency to flatten out over time.

Accidents happen, but treating stains as soon as they occur is vital if you want to keep your carpets in good condition. Invest in some professional stain removal products from Chem Dry and you’ll always have something on hand to help!

For advice about professional carpet cleaning, contact the team at 1st Choice Chem Dry.