How to Clean Commercial Carpets: Your Guide to Cleaning Commercial Carpet

Any business with carpeted surfaces needs to make time for cleaning commercial carpet on a regular basis. It’s not just about keeping pristine conditions for clients/customers, although that’s certainly part of it. It also impacts hygiene and carpet longevity. 

Whether you’re in healthcare or education, hospitality or retail, or even managing the janitorial services for an office or corporate building, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll walk you through how to clean commercial carpets in this guide.

From routine maintenance tasks like vacuuming to regular deep cleaning with the best commercial carpet cleaner, these methods make a massive difference in the state of your carpet. 

But, the best way to clean commercial carpet involves setting yourself up for success with the right tools and equipment. That’s where we come in at SweepScrub, your one-stop shop for commercial cleaning machines and supplies.

You can handle one-off messes with a carpet spotter and tackle more intensive cleaning tasks with a self-contained carpet extractor or carpet extractor with wand. All our machines are sourced from the most trusted manufacturers and backed by world-class customer service.

Learn more about how to clean commercial carpets below, or get in touch today for a personalized recommendation on the best way to clean commercial carpet for your specific needs!

Why Regular Carpet Cleaning is So Important

It’s easy to push carpet cleaning to the bottom of the to-do list, especially when the mess isn’t always visible. But just because you don’t see dirt doesn’t mean it’s not there. Trust us - it’s lurking in those fibers whether you know it or not!

Carpet can act like a giant filter, trapping dust, allergens, bacteria, and moisture from every footstep. That filter quickly becomes full without regular cleaning, and that buildup can spread.

Dirty carpets wear out faster, hold on to odors, and impact the air quality in your building. It’s a non-negotiable for client-facing spaces because you don’t want stained or dingy floors to cost you a sale. Soiled carpet sends the wrong impression.

Carpet is expensive, too - and the more you neglect it, the sooner it’ll need to be replaced. Think of cleaning commercial carpets as an investment in preventative maintenance. You’ll save more money in the long run.

Understanding how to clean commercial carpets is especially important in healthcare facilities, schools, retail storefronts, fitness centers, and busy offices. Basically, any business with carpet can benefit from learning the best way to clean commercial carpet!

How to Clean Commercial Carpets: The BEST Way to Clean Commercial Carpet

Cleaning commercial carpets isn’t something you need to do daily, but you will need to regularly make time in your schedule for this task. The right method and machine can make it a fast, seamless process. Or, you could look into outsourcing it. Let’s start there. 

Outsourcing vs Handling Your Own Carpet Cleaning

You’ve got a lot on your plate, and the idea of adding another task to that to-do list sounds like a nightmare. But while outsourcing may seem convenient, it gets really expensive really fast. There are also plenty of coordination headaches that come with outsourcing.

Ultimately, it makes more sense to invest in your own carpet extractor vs carpet cleaner and take this task on yourself. You save a lot of money in the long run, get more control over the results, and enjoy better flexibility in scheduling. You can act fast when accidents happen, too.

Dry Carpet Cleaning Methods

The best way to clean commercial carpet is to make time for regular dry cleaning so messes can’t build up and become a more serious problem. 

A heavy-duty commercial vacuum cleaner is a great investment for this process. It pulls up the dry debris sitting on top of and within the carpet pile: dust, sand, food particles, and other dry soils that act like sandpaper and wear down carpet fibers over time.

But, there are more sophisticated ways you can approach dry cleaning. You’ll want to implement some sort of chemical intervention, like encapsulation cleaning. This involves spraying a cleaning solution that surrounds (or “encapsulates”) dirt particles. THEN you can vacuum up the residue much easier and faster. 

Dry compound cleaning is another method that works well. You’ll use a slightly moist powder that’s brushed into the carpet. The next step is the same - the compound absorbs dirt and is vacuumed out. It’s the better choice for delicate fibers or small areas.

Dry methods are fast, convenient, and great for maintenance, but they don’t replace extraction, especially when you’re dealing with stains and odors.

Using a Carpet Extractor or Spotter

These machines inject cleaning solution into the carpet, agitate the fibers, and then extract the dirty water back out - all in one motion. They’re the best way to clean commercial carpet periodically. You’ll probably want two different machines in your arsenal:

• Full-sized extractors clean deeper and faster but do require a bit more setup. They’re ideal for large areas. 
• Spotters are compact units perfect for quick jobs and isolated stains. Great for offices, waiting rooms, or high-traffic corners.

Use the right extractor for the job, and always vacuum before using it. Pre-spraying heavy-traffic zones before running the machine also helps loosen soils and oils that extractors alone may struggle with. Speaking of which…

Choose the Right Chemicals

The chemical cleaning agent you pair with your extractor or spotter can make or break the end result. Not all carpet cleaners are created equal, though. The last thing you want is to cause more harm than good to the fibers, so you need to do your research before choosing one.

We recommend Professional Carpet Cleaning Chemicalsbecause they’re professional-grade, residue-free, and designed for both spot and full extraction.

• Use a traffic lane cleaner for buildup near entrances.
• Rely on a neutral pH rinse in your extractor to leave carpets soft and fresh.
• Go with a formula that targets organic waste for odor control rather than simply masking the smell.

The full lineup is a few clicks away at SweepScrub, and remember, we’re always on standby to help you choose the right solution if you're unsure. Just reach out!

Dry Times and Airflow

Leaving carpet too wet can lead to odors, mildew, and customer complaints, ultimately having the opposite intended effect when cleaning commercial carpets. 

We always advocate for cleaning commercial carpets with windows open and fans blowing for this reason. You should schedule tasks that leave the carpet wet for non-peak hours as well. Our water restoration equipment is a great choice for drying carpets fast. 

Post-Cleaning Practices

There you have it, how to clean commercial carpets! Now it’s a matter of keeping them that way. Apply carpet protectant after deep cleaning to shield fibers from future stains and wear. You should also leave behind booties or signs to prevent foot traffic while the carpet is drying.

Establish a Consistent Routine

The more often you clean, the less intensive the task becomes. So how often should you make time for cleaning commercial carpets? It all comes down to foot traffic. Here’s a brief breakdown:

• High-traffic zones (entryways, hallways): Deep clean every 1-3 months
• Medium traffic areas (offices, lounges): Every 3-6 months
• Low-traffic spots (storage, corners): Every 6-12 months

Don’t wait until the carpet looks bad to clean it. You should also supplement these deep cleans with regular vacuuming, spot treatment as needed, and at least one professional-level extraction annually if you're outsourcing.

Start Cleaning Commercial Carpets Like a Pro With Our Equipment

The equipment you use for cleaning commercial carpets can make or break both results and operational efficiency. So invest in the best the industry has to offer at SweepScrub. 

We have a lineup of reliable machines from the most trusted brands, backed by exceptional customer service from A to Z. Here are a few of our personal favorites:

• SweepScrub Pull Back Extractor: A compact, self-contained unit with a 16” cleaning path and 9-gallon tank. Includes a foot-operated stand, ergonomic handle, and drain hose.
• Advance ET610: A powerful box extractor with 12.5-gallon capacity and hot/cold water cleaning. Features a 3-stage vac motor and comes with tools for carpet and upholstery.
• Sandia Carpet Spotter: A 55 PSI, 3-gallon spotter that supports hot water for the fastest pick-up with high CFM airflow. You can extract with a 200-degree Fahrenheit solution.

Don’t forget we have the chemicals you need to make the most of your new machine, either! This is truly your one-stop shop for cleaning commercial carpets - whether you’re trying to improve your school floor cleaning processes or approach for warehouse floor cleaning. We even support cleaning concrete floors with the best selection of sweepers and scrubbers online!

Get in touch with our team today, and we’ll talk one-on-one about your cleaning needs in order to match you with the right machine. The best way to clean commercial carpet is with our guidance at SweepScrub!

Wrapping Up Our Guide on How to Clean Commercial Carpet

That does it for our guide on how to clean commercial carpets. Beyond maintaining impeccable conditions for customers and employees, this is a matter of health, safety, and longevity. Vacuuming, extraction, and smart chemical choices all play a role in getting results that last.

So what are you waiting for? Now that you know the best way to clean commercial carpet, take the next step at Sweep Scrub. Invest in the right machine and stock up on pro-grade carpet care chemicals!