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

  • Washington State University Debuts New Engineering Hall

    Washington State University recently celebrated a dedication ceremony for the new Schweitzer Engineering Hall on its Pullman campus in Pullman, Wash., according to university news. The facility measures 66,288 square feet, and its completion marks the first milestone in a larger university effort to modernize the engineering and design district.

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.

  • Lawrence Group Announces Three New Hires

    Integrated planning and design firm Lawrence Group, based in St. Louis, Mo., recently welcomed three new staff members, according to a news release.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.