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

  • 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.

  • California K–12 District Completes Elementary School Campus Replacement

    The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) in Richmond, Calif., recently announced the completion of a replacement campus for Lake Elementary School, according to a news release. The school has capacity for 470 students between Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and sixth grade.

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

Digital Edition