DECEMBER

\
A Shampoo Twice a Year Adds Life
And Beauty to Theatre Carpeting
Floor Care Manual ... V
The ''On Location" Method: Step-by-Step
by DAVE E. SMALLEY
I HE BIGGEST FLOOR maintenance
problem of the theatre is the care of the
carpeting. Bare floors can be mopped daily
and thereby liept relatively clean, but the
carpeting can be washed only at extended enough to
intervals. At the same time the carpeting
in your foyer, on the stairs and even in the
lounge is subjected to more severe strain
and abuse than carpeting in almost any
other building.
Carpeting does have one advantage over
other kinds of flooring. It absorbs dust and
fine litter. Even a goodly portion of such
accumulations as mud dries on the pile and
is trampled down out of sight into the
backing. Therefore, a carpet can still look
clean when actually it is very dirty. Even
soil on the surface, which has more or less
stained the ends of the pile, can be so uniform
in appearance as to escape notice.
Quick Magazine's Sept. 8tii
SHAMPOO BRINGS OUT PATTERN
report, lieaded, "Popcorn:
It is only when the carpeting is being
shampooed that the accumulated soil on
Big Business in ttie Balcony"
the surface becomes glaringly apparent.
Almost like magic the faded pattern and
spotlights the advantage of half-forgotten colors become distinct and This process is
vivid again.
noiseless bags.
In the care of your carpeting, the first
line of defense is to keep as much dirt off as
possible, and this is best accomplished
with corrugated rubber mats or runners
through the lobby.
has no other choice
Naturally, the best daily routine for
maintaining carpeting is with a vacuum
is
the cleaner, especially with one of the larger
m^'[f
industrial machines. The latter is much
more powerful than the household type
and has a greater capacity. Usually the
mflfl"
theatre carpeting is heavier, deeper than
that of the household and requires stronger
suction to draw the imbedded dust and
grit out of the carpet backing.
GRIT IS INJURIOUS
POPCORN
This daily removal of grit from your carpeting
is something more important than
.iust a sanitary measure. The grit consists
carpeting.
of tiny bits of cement, sand and other hard,
sharp particles carried in on the shoe soles.
Settling on the carpet backing at the base
of the pile, and under the pressure and
shifting of traffic, this grit cuts the pile in
WtH» in for catalogue of our complete
two at
line of concession bags.
the base, causing the gradual disintegration
of the carpeting.
Rex Specialty Bag Corp. Also, dust allowed to remain in the backing
of the carpet tends to promote 101 Ondardonk Av«nue • Brooklyn 37, N. Y. decay.
A thorough cleaning each day with a
vacuum cleaner will do more to preserve
your carpeting than anything else you can
do. But vacuum cleaning alone is not
keep your carpeting both clear
and healthy.
That overcast of traffic stain, previously
mentioned, which dims the design and
colors of the covering should be removed
at least twice a year, partly for the sake
of appearances and partly for the furthei
preservation of the carpet.
SHAMPOO TWICE A YEAR
As has just been said, dust left in the
carpet backing promotes decay. The traffic
stain on the pile also promotes decomposi-;
tion. For these reasons, along with thel
equally essential need for sanitation, thecarpeting
must have a good shampooing
no less frequently than twice a year, preferably
in the fall and in the spring.
Since the carpeting in theatres is nearlsj
always tacked down, wall-to-wall, the ex'
ception being the aisle runners, there is nc
choice but to shampoo it on the floor
known as the "on location'
method and consists of scrubbing the carpeting
with a floor machine and picking up;
the dirty lather with an industrial typ(|
'
vacuum cleaner.
We have just said the theatre operatoi:
than the on location
method if we wants his carpeting shampooed,
for certainly he would not consider
removing the carpeting for plan
cleaning. Not only would plant cleaniiu
be very expensive but the show would havi
to shut down for several days while tht
renovating job was being consummated.
PROFESSIONAL CLEANING AVAILABLE
There are professional on location car
pet cleaners and some of the plant cleaner
employ the process as an adjunct to thei
regular business, since it is the only prac
tical way to clean larger areas of installe*
There is no reason, however, wh;
you cannot shampoo your carpeting your
self as we shall describe in the followini
paragraphs.
Even though you call in
professionals t
clean your carpeting by the on locatloi
method it is well to know how the worl
should be done. Too frequently it is beim
Continued on page I
J
*.f
16
The MODERN THEATRE SECTIOl
M