University Improves Carpet Care

UC Riverside

The University of California, Riverside, has reduced costs and improved the care and maintenance of its carpeting, protecting its investment, by switching to carpet encapsulation cleaning.

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) is one of 10 general campuses of the University of California system. With an average undergraduate enrollment of around 20,000, UCR’s foot traffic increases each year.

When UCR hired new Assistant Director of Custodial and Housekeeping Services Aaron Uresti, he brought along his experience using the carpet encapsulation cleaning method from another university and showed his team the benefits of using this process, rather than the carpet bonnet machines and method they had traditionally been using.

In June 2018, UCR ordered six Whittaker Smart Care® TRIO systems for interim maintenance. The TRIO features three counter-rotating brushes for greater mechanical action, and is available in various widths to accommodate cleaning requirements. With a low-fatigue machine-mounted solution tank and lite-touch control, the ergonomic and easy-to-use TRIO helps staff maintain carpet in a safer, more productive, and cost-effective way.

“Using a Whittaker machine is as simple as vacuuming, and our staff really appreciates that,” says Ray Varela, custodial supervisor, UCR. “The machines are well built and easy to maintain.”

The machines also arrived with the chemistry needed to perform interim cleaning, deep cleaning, and spot and stain removal.

UCR experienced numerous benefits after switching to Whittaker’s carpet cleaning system, including increased productivity, improved carpet appearance, cost savings, and peace of mind.

“From its incredible customer service to its well-made machines, we’ve had a great experience with Whittaker so far and look forward to working with them more,” adds Varela.

whittakersystem.com

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management July/August 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.