The usual practice of cleaning carpets at Beckett House at New Concord in Ohio, wasn’t working for Mark Richards, the facility’s administrator. With nursing homes typically being high traffic areas with elevated cleaning and maintenance, keeping carpets looking their best can be difficult. With the combination of the carpet taking several hours to dry, and the health and safety risks wet carpet poses, Richards started to seek solutions. Between staff, residents and visitors, the 100-bed dual certified nursing home sees more than 200 people on a daily basis. The carpet in the nursing home, which covers the hallways, dinning room and lobby, takes a daily beating, according to Richards.
Like in many nursing homes, the carpet in Beckett House at New Concord was being cleaned using a wet extractor machine and shampoo, but the results and safety issues were not to Richard’s liking. “When you clean with wet extractors, you experience out of service carpeted areas, and the possibility of mold and allergens due to the high moisture level,” he said. “We take health and safety issues very seriously and when we had to close down certain areas and use industrial fans to dry the carpet, we encountered several safety challenges including: the possibility of residents and staff walking on the wet carpet and slipping on the vinyl composition tile, tripping on fan cords and, of course, the mold and allergens being released into the air.”
These challenges prompted Richards to seek alternatives. While attending a demonstration at a sister facility, he was introduced to the HOST Dry Extraction Cleaning System. “I was very impressed with the results it had on the carpet,” he said, referring to the system’s ability to clean effectively while pile lifting and restoring the carpet’s look. Richards also liked the fact that the machine–in this case a HOST Liberator–was a pile lifter, vacuum and extractor in one, and that the system was so easy to use. “I thought the learning curve was minimal and that the system overall was user friendly.”
Carpet at Its Finest
Richards decided to give the HOST System a try and purchased aLiberator along with HOSTDry Carpet Cleaner and the HOSTSpot Remover. As he put the system to use, he and his staff began to notice a change. The system successfully removed stubborn spots such as cranberry and grape juice, milk of magnesia and food, while lifting the carpet pile. “I received compliments from the staff that the carpet looked like new,” Richards said. The more positive feedback he received, the more Richards incorporated the HOSTSystem into the nursing home’s cleaning regimen. His staff was pleased with how fast it worked, which allowed them to clean carpets more quickly and move on to other projects.
Not only was the HOST System helping to make the nursing home cleaner, but it also had a financial benefit. While the up front cost of using the HOST System is comparable to other systems, the total cost of using it is much less. “The HOST System was a great investment,” explained Richards. “More bang for the buck.” The most obvious cost savings is in labor. Instead of carpet cleaning being a three-week process that includes moving furniture, setting up drying equipment and replacing furniture, carpets are cleaned quickly, and can be cleaned any time–even during hours of business. The usefulness of the HOST System has allowed the Beckett House at New Concord to get more out of its initial investment. Typically, wet extractor machines sit idle for most of the year, whereas the HOST machine can be used year-round.
Environmental Benefits of HOST
Finally, Richards appreciates the fact that the HOST System is environmentally friendly. Racine Industries, the manufacturer of the HOSTSystem, continues to be committed to making the most environmentally friendly products possible. The HOST System is a proven method for achieving clean and dry carpet that looks its best every day, while contributing to a healthier, cleaner environment inside and out. With no water to heat and no need to run blowers, air conditioners or dehumidifiers to dry carpets after cleaning, the HOSTSystem uses only a fraction of the water and energy that wet extractor systems use. HOSTis the only dry carpet cleaner, to be both Green Seal Certified and tested as biobased by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Beckett House at New Concord takes great pride in implementing the HOST green cleaning process,” said Richards.
