TIDY TIPS. The Importance of Cleanliness.

Question: What is the best way of getting hair dye out of carpets?

Carpets help create a familiar and comfortable feeling to care homes, hotels and guesthouses. Although they provide a good guest experience, the practicalities of keeping carpets clean can sometimes be difficult, especially when accidents by guests are out of your control.

If there has been a spillage with a liquid such as hair dye that could potentially create a permanent stain on a carpet, follow these removal tips:

• Mix a tablespoon of dishwashing detergent (such as Fairy Professional Washing Up Liquid) and white vinegar with two cups of warm water. With a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the solution you just created, blotting frequently with a dry cloth until the stain fades. Sponge the stain with cold water until the liquid is absorbed and then sponge with rubbing alcohol. Finish the process off by sponging with cold water again.

• If the stain is still there, create a new solution including one teaspoon of detergent, one tablespoon of ammonia and two cups of warm water. With this solution, sponge the stain and blot with a clean cloth every five minutes. After 30 minutes, sponge the stain with cold water and blot dry one final time.

• In the unlikely case that this has not removed the stain, for this next step it is a good idea to try this on a piece of hidden carpet first to ensure the process will not remove the colour of your carpet. For this, you will need hydrogen peroxide and using an eye dropper, apply a small drop on the stain and leave for 24 hours. If necessary, repeat this step. If there is a situation where a sticky substance such as chewing gum is stuck to your carpet, simply freeze the gum with ice and remove with a spoon.

While keeping floors clean is paramount, it is also just as important to ensure other parts of your establishment are presentable. Starting a guest’s experience on a positive note sets the tone for the rest of their stay, so the cleanliness of a lobby or reception area should always be impeccable. Research by P&G Professional has proved that 91 per cent agree that high standards of cleanliness is the mark of a good food or hospitality business.

Conversely, the top turn offs noticed by customers immediately when entering a hotel are unpleasant odours (56 per cent) and dirty or sticky carpets (27 per cent). To ensure a great first impression, use cleaning products such as Flash Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner on hard surfaces to leave a lasting shine and fresh smell.

Ensuring staff are trained to notice and act on spillages and accidents such as chewing gum or stains on the carpet, will contribute to maintaining a spotless reputation. It is also just as important to make sure attention to detail is applied to all other areas of your business from the dining room to the bathroom, to achieve the ultimate goal of overall customer satisfaction.

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If you have a question or problem relating to housekeeping or laundry that you would like Liz to answer, please email info@housekeepingtoday.co.uk or reach out to Housekeeping Today UK on Twitter @HkeepingToday. If your question is featured in a future column, you will receive a gift basket with P&G Professional products to make your life a little cleaner.

To learn more about P&G Professional and professional cleaning systems please visit www.pgpro.co.uk or call 0800 716 854.