Carpet Cleaning SOP Template

1.Purpose

To keep commercial carpet clean and extend its life by following a consistent vacuuming, spot treatment and extraction cleaning process.

2.Scope

Applies to contract cleaning crews vacuuming and periodically deep cleaning carpeted areas in commercial buildings. Hard floor mopping is covered by a separate SOP.

Definitions

Hot water extraction

A deep cleaning method that sprays hot water and solution into the carpet and immediately vacuums it back out.

Traffic lane

A carpet path that gets heavy foot traffic, such as a corridor or the area in front of a reception desk.

Furniture block

A small pad or tab placed under furniture legs after extraction cleaning to stop rust or dye stains while the carpet dries.

3.Responsibilities

Cleaning Technician

Vacuums, spot treats and operates the extraction machine on assigned carpeted areas.

Site Supervisor

Schedules extraction cleaning, checks drying times, and approves stain treatment for delicate carpet.

Facility Manager

Approves the extraction cleaning schedule and reports stains or areas needing attention.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Commercial vacuum with a beater bar
• →Hot water extraction machine
• →Spot and stain treatment solution
• →Approved carpet cleaning solution
• →Furniture blocks or tabs
• →Wet floor and fans for drying
• →Carpet cleaning checklist

Personal protective equipment

• →Non-slip closed shoes
• →Disposable gloves for spot treatment

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Inspect the carpet before starting

   Cleaning Technician

   Walk the area and note heavy traffic lanes, existing stains, and any carpet damage before vacuuming or extraction, and photograph pre-existing damage.

2. 5.2

   Pre-vacuum thoroughly

   Cleaning Technician

   Vacuum the entire area slowly in overlapping passes, going over heavy traffic lanes twice to lift as much dry soil as possible before any liquid is applied.

   Checkpoint: Traffic lanes are vacuumed at least twice before extraction cleaning begins.

3. 5.3

   Identify and pre-treat stains

   Cleaning Technician

   Apply the spot and stain treatment solution to visible stains and let it sit per the manufacturer's instructions before extraction, blotting rather than rubbing.

   Warning: Rubbing a stain can push it deeper into the carpet fibers and damage the pile; always blot instead.

4. 5.4

   Move and protect furniture

   Cleaning Technician

   Move light furniture out of the area where possible, and place foil or plastic protectors under legs of furniture that must stay in place.

5. 5.5

   Fill the extraction machine

   Cleaning Technician

   Fill the hot water extraction machine with water and the approved carpet cleaning solution at the dilution ratio on the product label.

6. 5.6

   Extract the carpet section by section

   Cleaning Technician

   Work in overlapping passes from the far end of the room toward the exit, pulling the wand slowly to allow the machine to extract as much moisture as possible.

7. 5.7

   Make a final dry pass

   Cleaning Technician

   Make a final pass over each section with the water supply off to pull out extra moisture and speed up drying time.

   Checkpoint: The carpet feels only lightly damp, not soaked, after the final dry pass.

8. 5.8

   Set up air movers or fans

   Cleaning Technician

   Position air movers or fans to circulate air across the cleaned area and speed up drying, and open windows if ventilation allows.

9. 5.9

   Place furniture blocks

   Cleaning Technician

   Once the carpet is placed back in use, put furniture blocks or tabs under furniture legs to prevent rust or dye stains while the carpet finishes drying.

10. 5.10

    Post signage until dry

    Cleaning Technician

    Place wet floor or drying signage at entrances and advise the facility manager of the expected drying time before the area can be fully used.

11. 5.11

    Inspect and report remaining spots

    Cleaning Technician

    Once dry, inspect the carpet for any stains that did not fully lift and report them to the site supervisor for a possible follow-up treatment.

6.Quality checks

• →Traffic lanes show no visible soiling difference from the rest of the carpet after cleaning.
• →Carpet is only lightly damp, not soaked, after the final extraction pass.
• →No new rust or dye stains appear under furniture legs after drying.
• →Pre-existing carpet damage is photographed and reported before cleaning starts.

7.Records

• →Carpet cleaning checklist
• →Pre-clean damage and stain photos
• →Extraction cleaning schedule
• →Follow-up stain treatment reports

8.KPIs

• →Average carpet drying time after extraction
• →Percentage of stains fully removed on first treatment
• →Client complaints related to carpet condition
• →Extraction cleaning schedule adherence

9.Common mistakes

• →Rubbing a stain instead of blotting it, which spreads and deepens it.
• →Over-wetting the carpet so it takes too long to dry.
• →Skipping furniture blocks and causing rust or dye stains.
• →Extracting over a stain without pre-treating it first.

10.Revision history