Although carpet on restaurant floors is not as fashionable as it used to be, many Dublin restaurants, hotel dining rooms and bars still use it. It softens noise, adds warmth and suits a more formal dining room. The important thing from the owner’s point of view is to put the right type of carpet down in the first place.
Restaurant carpet takes heavy footfall, food and drink spills and grease tracked in from the kitchen, so it will need regular commercial carpet cleaning. That means there are several things to consider when choosing a carpet.
This became an issue for us when we were asked to quote for a carpet clean in a Chinese restaurant. The carpet was heavily impacted with grease in the walkway area. On examination we discovered it was a ‘Belgian Wilton’ carpet. These are often sold as a true Wilton carpet, which they are not. The fibres are synthetic, usually polypropylene, rather than wool as in a true Wilton.
The problem from a cleaning point of view is that these carpets stain quite easily. To get a satisfactory result it is usually necessary to pre-spray an enzyme cleaner before hot water extraction, and even then the outcome on this type of carpet can be unpredictable.
Hot water extraction is still the most effective way to clean it, as there is no other method that will satisfactorily remove heavy grease. But because of the risks, we would not recommend this type of carpet for high-traffic areas such as restaurants or any busy commercial premises.
Carpet is a large investment, so it needs to last. A wool and synthetic mix is usually best. The wool content gives it a luxurious look and feel, while the synthetic content helps the carpet last much longer. From a cleaning point of view, there are no real risks either.
Carpet tiles can be an attractive option for a restaurant. Depending on the quality, they can look very good indeed.
A feature that appeals to restaurant owners is that spares can be kept, so in theory the most worn or stained tiles can be replaced over time. In practice this doesn’t always work out, as five years later it can be hard to find where the spare tiles were stored, and new tiles may not match the faded originals.
Booths, banquettes and dining chairs collect spills too. Our commercial upholstery cleaning service covers restaurant seating, and a maintenance cleaning contract can keep everything on a regular schedule.
In conclusion, it is smart to consider how your new carpet will clean up after a couple of years of wear and tear.
If you have any questions about cleaning carpets in a restaurant, hotel or bar, please contact us, call us on 01-840 0799 or email info@office.aqua-dry.com.
Read more: our guide to choosing a commercial carpet cleaning company.
