What does the maintenance chart say?
This is the commercial cleaning frequency chart from Interface's Carpet Tile Maintenance Guidelines (revised March 9, 2026), which notes it is the "recommended frequency guide per IICRC S100". Foot traffic means people crossing the carpet per day.
| Traffic | Vacuuming | Interim cleaning | Restorative (deep) cleaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light, under 500 a day | 1 to 2 times a week | 1 to 3 times a year | 1 to 2 times a year |
| Medium, 500 to 1,000 | Daily in traffic areas; 3 to 4 times a week overall | 3 to 6 times a year | 2 to 4 times a year |
| Heavy, 1,001 to 2,500 | Daily in traffic areas; 4 to 7 times a week overall | 6 to 12 times a year | 3 to 6 times a year |
| Very heavy, over 2,500 | 1 to 2 times daily in traffic areas; 7 times a week overall | 12 to 52 times a year | 6 to 24 times a year |
Spot cleaning is "daily or as soon as spots are noticed" at every level.
What is the difference between interim and restorative cleaning?
Interim cleaning is a quick, low-moisture surface clean that keeps the carpet presentable; restorative cleaning is the deep clean that removes trapped soil. Interface describes restorative cleaning as "deep cleaning designed to remove trapped soils" and says "hot water extraction is the most effective method and the only restorative method recommended by Interface". Interim methods include encapsulation. In Interface's words, "regularly scheduled interim cleaning can prolong the need for restorative cleaning", but it does not replace it.
Does the whole office need the same schedule?
No, and paying for that is the common mistake. Interface's guidelines say entrances and corridors "require more frequent vacuuming and cleaning", areas "around vending machines and desks need daily attention to spills and stains", and a good program "should have a chart or diagram of the building's floor space outlining proper cleaning frequency rates". In practice a typical office has three zones.
- Entrances, reception and the route to the kitchen: heavy or very heavy.
- Main corridors and open-plan aisles: medium.
- Private offices and meeting rooms: light.
That zoning is our reading of how most offices in Hamilton and Burlington are used; count your own doors and desks.
How do I estimate foot traffic?
Roughly: the number of people in the building, times the trips each makes past a point in a day. Thirty staff who each pass reception four times, plus twenty visitors, is about 140 crossings there; the hallway to the kitchen may see more. Most small offices are light traffic overall with one or two medium or heavy zones at the door and the kitchen. Matting at the entrance cuts the soil reaching all of them; see how much entrance matting a building needs.
What does it cost to keep to the schedule?
At Klein's, commercial carpet is about 30 cents a square foot, confirmed in writing before any work starts, with a $200 minimum (about 650 square feet of commercial carpet). Because the heavy zones are cleaned more often than the rest, a zoned schedule usually costs less a year than cleaning the whole floor on the heavy-traffic interval. See commercial carpet cleaning and prices.
Get a commercial carpet quote
Tell us the type of space, the rough square footage of carpet, and when the building is empty. We reply within one business day and can look at a larger floor before quoting.