Post on 21-Aug-2015
FLOOR CLEANING & MAINTENANCE TIPS
AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This definitely applies to your
flooring, where dust and grit can act as an abrasive on hard and soft surfaces alike.
Regular cleaning and maintenance can extend the life and look of your floors.
Click this icon on each slide to learn more about products related to the maintenance tips!
Here are tips for preserving your VCT, ceramic, terrazzo, concrete, carpet floors and matting.
As always, pay special attention to high-traffic areas like entrances, lobbies and busy hallways.
VCT (Vinyl Composition Tile)As Needed• Remove finish (if any). • Dust mop and clean with a
4:1 emulsifier solution. • Apply to floor and allow to
dwell for 15 minutes. • Agitate with floor machine and
black pad, remove with wet vac. • Check floor thoroughly for any
missed spots.
HELPFUL TIP: For new floor, check with installer for appropriate cure times before applying excess cleaning solutions or floor strippers.
DailyKeep free of debris and dust, using a dust mop.
DailyCleanse concrete with a low suds cleaner and an automatic scrubber, the most productive and economical choice for cleaning concrete floors.
Concrete
HELPFUL TIP: Automatic scrubbers are sized to the total area of the facility, and the width of any areas needed to be cleaned. Larger units may be used for open areas and rider scrubbers increase productivity.
TerrazzoDailyDust mop or broom sweep. Use a good matting program to keep most dirt localized at the door and prevent it from grinding down the coating. Dust/mop up dirt that does get inside.
WeeklyWet mop with all-purpose cleaner.
Quarterly Reseal floors with a water-based sealer.
Terrazzo (CONTINUED)
Annually or Biannually Undergo a gloss restoration. Floor surface must be clean, dry, and have all previous finish materials removed.
Dust mop floor with a dust mop system to remove all debris.
Strip all finish from the floor with a rinse-free stripper.
Prepare the clean floor surface with the recommended floor pad.
Apply a stone floor coating per label directions.
Ceramic Tile & GroutDailyClean with a traditional wet mop system, deck brush or automatic scrubber that utilizes cylindrical brushes. Avoid acidic cleaners.
BiweeklyDeep scrub grout with all-purpose cleaner.
AnnuallyReseal grout and apply according to label directions to a clean floor.
HELPFUL TIP: Seal tile upon installation before any other maintenance. This should be the only time you have to do this if the floor is maintained properly.
CarpetDaily to WeeklyDepending on traffic... vacuum with a fresh filter bag for maximum airflow and effectiveness.
As Needed/QuarterlyRemove residue (if any) with an extraction cleaner. Increase dilution ratios to compensate for the soil loading.
Carpet (CONTINUED)
Encapsulation • The encapsulating Chemical is brushed in, distributing it
throughout the carpet pile, and allowed to dry. As it dries it crystallizes around the sticky, oily soils adhered to the carpet fibers causing them to release from the fiber.
• In 20 minutes when they are dry (or at the next scheduled vacuuming) they can be vacuumed out.
Drying After encapsulation utilize several carpet fans to dry the area before re-opening to foot traffic.
HELPFUL TIP: High soil load areas need to be vacuumed with upright vacuums with brush bar agitation.
As Needed/Quarterly
Matting
Seasonally (winter/early spring)If you can see that tell-tale whitish haze after vacuuming, this means the matting is full of ice melt residues that need to be removed.
Daily Vacuum to remove any dirt and debris trapped by matting.
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Matting (CONTINUED)
• Dilute an all-purpose cleaner at 1-2 ounces per gallon.
• Work it into the surface with the brush.
Extractor Process
• Use an extractor with an encapsulating chemical to flood the matting. Wait about 10-15 minutes of dwell time, and then extract the solution.
• Check the water in the recovery tank. If it’s still dark and dirty, repeat until the extracted water is clear.
Seasonally
HELPFUL TIP: When extracting, allow the cleaning solution to flood the matting by using your extractor without the vacuum engaged. This gives ample time to dissolve the salt residues and to break up and suspend oily soils.
Manual Process
Note: there will be a dry time of the matting before it can be placed back into service.
A COUPLE MORE TIPS!
Consider using floor mats for high traffic areas of all flooring types. They will be your first line of defense against soils and substances
tracked inside of your building.
Be on the lookout for buildup from soaps and cleaners that can make the floor slippery. Rinse problem areas with water as needed.
Contact HP Products today! Don’t worry if you have a few questions about your specific flooring type, we’ll be happy to help.
(800) 382-5326 Contact us
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