Good morning & Happy Thanksgiving!!

I'm starting to run across a lot of carpet tile in commercial settings...I spoke to a custodian yesterday that works at a college I was trying to get in to clean - he said they clean it themselves, but if there is a permanent stain, they just replace the tile. Do you see this as a possible trend, that companies won't need professional cleaning services because they can just pop a tile and replace it?

Thanks!

Joe

PS It's ironic that my biggest job ever was 30,000 Sqfeet - of carpet tile...!

Joe, I have been watching carpet tile go in commercial bldgs. since 1980. I have not noticed any changes in the cleaning of it or the frequencies of cleanings. The idea is great, like rotating the tile to even out wear, replace stained tile squares when necessary, ability to clean tile at a remote location. Most places that I am familiar with, that does not happen. I do know of one that does work, Example; the Waverly Hotel in Atlanta (very pricy) has 4 elevators, and they change the carpet tile everyday. If you go there today, every elevator floor covering will say "Have a Great Thursday" so tomorrow, they will change it, and carry those carpet tiles to the maintenance area and clean them so they can be re-installed next Thursday. Most of all carpet tiles were designed to be "free layed" but I have seen many that were completly glued in, thus defeating one of the selling points. Lowe's tried selling carpet tile for residential for over a year, but discontinued it for lack of interested.

hi Joe, hope business is booming

with much less experience than Ray, i find what he said to be true in my area as well.

thanx --- Derek.

I've run into quite a bit of carpet tile. Some facilities are concerned that tile edges will lift with rotary or cimex cleaning, however, this has NEVER been the case. One account I do used to have a CRB Milliken style cleaner for 5 years (Milliken carpet tiles) and there was so much powder "sponges" in between the tiles that they were starting to lift from that.

Most facilities do not rotate the tiles, except they may replace them in entry ways or high traffic areas more often. One building has black carpet tiles in all entry areas in place of walk off matts and they replace those a couple of times a year.

These carpets clean up absolutely great with the Cimex and Releasit DS, Punch as a pre-spray for traffic areas. In the high traffic areas.

I love carpet tiles.

I can see where carpet tile replacement could be a problem for cleaners, but as I cleaned a 10K sf area in a major building tue I talked with the maintenance guys and they told me they just dont always have the time to replace them, too many are worn and old and they only do it when it cant be cleaned any more. I also learned that they can be pulled up and put back down, the glue never dries! now that is neat.

Where I used to work we had about 80,000 sq. feet of Milliken carpet tile. Nice stuff to work with, originally we used Milliken carpet cleaning products to maintain, then when procurement contract concluded we switched to encap, used the same CRB machines to maintain. In 10 years rarely saw the tiles rotated. Wear patterns somewhat affect this as well, You can move a burn or stain tile to under some file cabinets but the tiles switched with will sometimes really stick out.
We used W.W. Henry "Peach Glue" adhesive, thin they now have an improved version #630. Check out the WW Henry website for info, pretty informative. Easy to use, we often would bring in temp. labor to do the carpet tile installations, when needing to flip space in a hurry.
Another thought is the "recycling" options offered with Milliken carpet modules might be a bit more "green" to some, to be able to renew older modules.
I don't personally see the cost of cleaning vs. replacement of carpet modules ever being an issue as far as losing business. Personally I think the ease of use, availability, price of CRB's and encap cleaning chemicals to in-house and janitorial/maid sevices might be more of an issue. CRB's are very gender friendly, easy use. Pair those with great encap products/systems, proper training, supervision, and follow up seems attainable low cost carpet care. One can periodically contract in HWE for flushing/rinsing then continue with program, and not have much more in it and esaier to use eqmt. than rotary / bonnets and/or self contained extractora.