It’s time for the next instalment of my blog series and this week I am looking at one of my favourite subjects – Floor Care.
You may not realise how important it is to have a clean floor, but it is the starting point of any effective cleaning routine and is one of the first things people see when they enter the building.
Best foot forward
The majority of dirt in a building is brought in on the bottom of shoes onto the floor. Some of it becomes airborne and then ends up everywhere!
Today I am going to talk you through the different types of flooring and my very special three-step approach to a fabulously clean floor.
Know your floor
There are three main types of industry flooring that need cleaning:
- Resilient: vinyl, linoleum and rubber
- Wood: real, composite and cork
- Stone: marble, terrazzo, quarry tile, ceramics
Here are some of the most noteworthy characteristics of each flooring type.
Is Resilient right for you?
Vinyl flooring comes in a wide range of colours and is moderately hard. It is highly resistant to oil, grease and water, has good resistance to common chemicals and is hardwearing. Speciality vinyl floors are available and include safety and conductive flooring.
Linoleum is tough rather than hard and is a fantastic sound insulator. It is warm and doesn’t cause fatigue for people walking or standing on it for long periods.
It also comes in a whole host of colours, patterns and designs. One of the downsides is that it only has limited chemical resistance.
How good is wood?
Wooden flooring, which includes strip and board, wood block, parquet, wood composite and cork, is very attractive in appearance and warm underfoot. It has very poor chemical and water resistance and some of the cheaper laminates become damaged very quickly in high usage areas.
Stepping-stones to success
Marble, terrazzo and naturally occurring stone flooring give a beautiful, professional finish and are extremely durable.
As they are so hard they can be very cold and noisy and they have extremely poor resistance to acid and harsh alkaline powders.
Ceramic tile compositions come in a huge array of colours and designs and they have excellent resistance to chemicals. They are hardwearing and are vermin and rot proof, making them perfect for food preparation areas.
Jangro’s approach for getting more from your floor!
You can extend the life of your floor, and create a fantastic first impression for your business by following my three simple steps.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
First up you need to prepare the floor, remove all contaminants and ensure the surface has a neutral pH.
You will need:
- Warning signs
- Circuit breaker
- Scraper
- Floor machine and appropriate pads
- Edging tool
- Measuring jogs
- Mopping units
- Colour coded cloths and buckets
- Plastic sheeting
- pH indictor paper
- Jangro Floor Polish Remover / Rinse Free Polish Remover
As always, keep health and safety at the forefront of your mind. Make sure you have done all the following:
- Wear the correct safety shoes and clothing
- Gather all the applicable warning signs
- Check the electrical equipment
- Avoid equipment hazards
- Consult the relevant safety data sheets
- Follow product instructions
Simple steps to floor stripping
Once you’re ready and everything is checked and double-checked, you are can get started. Here is a step-by-step guide to floor stripping.
- Clear the area
- Prepare the Jangro Floor Polish remover solution
- Apply lots of the solution to the floor and leave for five minutes (DO NOT let it dry out)
- Agitate the surface with a machine or mop
- Continue this process in overlapping passes
- Leave for a further five minutes
- Remove the resulting slurry with a wet pick up
- Repeat the entire process if any polish remains
- Rinse and check the pH
- Thoroughly dry
Proper protection
Ensuring you properly protect your flooring means you will have a better appearance for longer and maintenance will be a simple and straightforward task.
Gather together your warning signs, Jangro Emulsion Polish, bucket or polish tray and a clean mop or polish applicator and follow these simple instructions.
- Erect warning signs, ventilate and prepare area
- Ensure the floor is clean and dry
- Use the correct protective equipment and pour the Jangro Polish into a polish tray or clean wringer bucket
- Using a specialist applicator or clean mop, apply a think coat, in one direction, leaving a 6”-9” gap from the skirting
- Allow to dry thoroughly and naturally for around 30 minutes
- Apply a second coat, up to the skirting, in the opposite direction
- Again, allow to dry for 30 minutes
- Apply any further coats as required, leaving a 6”-9” gap
- Do not machine clean or burnish for at least 24 hours
- Clean, check and store equipment
Aim to maintain
Proper maintenance will save you time and money and extend the life of your flooring.
There are lots of ways to maintain your flooring including:
- Removing litter
- Control dust
- Buffing
- Damp mopping
- Spray cleaning
- Spray polishing
- Scrubber drying
Your maintenance programme will need to be built around the type of flooring, the location of it, the traffic levels and what type of soiling occurs.
Research is key and if you get things right first time, you will be skipping with joy on your lovely clean floor for a long time to come!
Remember, if you want any more information about floor care, or have any other burning cleaning questions you can visit me on my social media pages.
