Winter is tough on buildings. Freezing temperatures, moisture, wind, and melting snow can create havoc on the exterior and interior of your building(s) that can lead to costly repairs.

One critical area to pay special attention to this winter is your carpets as employees and visitors will track in slush, mud, water, and all kinds of winter debris.

Below are some Mister Kleen tips to help you preserve your carpet during the winter months:

• Make sure that every entrance to the building has a welcome mat outside the door, and a small runner or rug inside. These coverings will take care of most debris that could be tracked onto your carpets.

• Vacuum your carpets frequently. If you create and follow a regular vacuuming schedule you can reduce the amount of dirt collected in the carpet fibers.

• Regulate heat and minimize the use of humidifiers to help preserve the longevity of clean carpets.

• Schedule a carpet cleaning with a trained cleaning technician. When choosing a carpet cleaning company it’s important to select a professional provider, preferably one that is certified. The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is a non-profit organization that certifies and develops standards for inspection, cleaning and restoration among building service contractors. The IICRC also serves as a valuable consumer referral source for certified technicians and firms, of which Mister Kleen is a member.

Another winter issue is flooding. While it may sound counter-intuitive, winter flooding is common as pipes will freeze and burst, which can create a costly expense if a flood occurs. We’ve compiled a few helpful tips below to help you prevent burst pipes that often cause this kind of disaster.

• Make sure to shut off all outside water bib sources.

• If you are going out of town, or your office will be vacant, be sure to turn off your main water source, if possible.

• Keep your heat on at all times to prevent pipes from freezing.

For more helpful tips click here.

If a pipe happens to burst and cause a flood then call a licensed plumber. Below are a couple of web resources to assist you in finding a plumber:

http://www.plumbingnetworks.com/

http://www.findaplumber.com/

If the flood cannot be cleaned up with a mop, bucket and towels then don’t fret – simply place two calls:

1)      Your insurance company to report the flood

2)      A professional maintenance company that specializes in flood restoration work

While we still have six (6) more weeks of winter to go taking these simple precautions will ensure your building is headache free during the winter months. By utilizing our recommended tips your building will be ready for spring!

Mister Kleen is a leading provider of contract cleaning services to Commercial and High Security facilities since 1976. Our primary service area is the DC Metro region. We also provide a variety of interior and exterior specialty services.