Maintaining the appearance of your commercial floors is essential. Proper cleaning not only preserves their condition but also extends their lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Fortunately, maintaining your commercial floors doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. With a basic routine and the right equipment and products, you can keep them in excellent shape. In this guide, we will discuss how to care for newly installed commercial floors, handle daily maintenance, and perform ongoing cleaning to ensure they look great for both your employees and customers.
Steps to Clean and Maintain Hard-Surface Floors
It’s essential to thoroughly clean and maintain your hard surface floors to ensure their longevity and appearance. Proper upkeep not only enhances their aesthetic appeal but also ensures a safe environment for your employees and guests. Here are the steps to effectively clean and maintain your hard-surface floors:
Starting with New Commercial Flooring
Before beginning work on your floors, ensure that all furniture sliders and coasters are in good condition to prevent any damage to the new flooring. Consider investing in walk-off mats at entrances; these should match the width of the doorway to effectively trap soil from the outside, preventing stains and minimizing dirt spread throughout the area. Additionally, having clear signage is crucial, as it guides everyone entering the space to be aware of work areas, ensuring their safety.
After installing the flooring, be sure to check for any excess adhesive residue and remove it using mineral spirits and a clean cloth. Following this, you can clean the surface with a neutral pH cleaner. It’s advisable to wait at least five days before using a wet mop or scrubbing device to ensure that the adhesives have properly bonded. Additionally, always cover new floors with protective coverings if any work is being done on them. This precaution will help prevent damage such as scratches and gouges.
After applying polish to your floors, continue with your regular cleaning routine
Create a Multi-Step Maintenance Routine
Begin by dry mopping to remove dust. For tougher dirt, a microfiber dust mop is your best bet. Be sure to replace the mop heads when they become too soiled. Next, transition to wet cleaning. You can use neutral cleaners, but ensure they are properly diluted to 1 oz. per gallon or less. For oily areas, opt for an alkaline cleaner with a pH between 8 and 10. If you’re dealing with hard water or high mineral concentrations, use an acidic cleaner with a pH between 4.5 and 6.5. Remember, never mix acidic cleaners with neutral or high pH cleaners. Here’s a summary of what to do for each type of soil level:
- Light soil:
Use a wet mop with a diluted neutral cleaner. There are several microfiber mops on the market that work great on hard surfaces and with various floor cleaning products. Make sure that the water is changed often, and the mop is wrung out periodically.
- Medium soil or corrective cleaning:
You can use a single disc/square orbital machine. First apply the water or cleaning solution and then scrub the floor in north-south or east-west motion. Next, use a mop to finish the cleaning.
- Heavily soiled areas or larger spaces:
Use an auto scrubber and water as well as a cleaner that has been properly diluted. If you are doing corrective cleaning or the area is very dirty, you may have to use astroturf or a microfiber pad.
Disinfecting Commercial Spaces
To effectively disinfect the space, use a concentration greater than 2 ounces per gallon, and follow up by wet mopping the area with clean water. Always avoid mixing acidic cleaning products with neutral or high pH solutions.
After the floor dries, inspect it carefully. If necessary, repeat the process and adjust the cleaning products and equipment accordingly. Using the correct cleaning solution is crucial, as is using the appropriate equipment, such as the right pressure and pad, to ensure even distribution of the cleaning solution. This practice will help prevent any damage to the flooring.
Maintaining Flooring Seams
To ensure optimal performance of heat-welded seams in high-traffic areas, it is essential to incorporate them into your preventative maintenance and routine cleaning practices. Apply a thin, even layer of seam coater pen regularly. Conducting periodic inspections and reapplications is considered best practice, especially in areas that experience frequent intensive cleaning.
Steps for Cleaning Commercial Flooring
When cleaning the hard surface flooring in your commercial building, it is important to use the right cleaning products and equipment and follow the proper steps for effective cleaning. These tips will help you keep your commercial flooring clean:
Choosing the Proper Hard-Surface Cleaner for your Floors
There are many excellent cleaning solutions suitable for commercial hard-surface flooring. When selecting a cleaner, it’s crucial to consider several factors, including foot traffic, the types of dirt typically found in the area, the time you can allocate for maintenance, and your cleaning budget.
Remember, adding a polish to your floors is a choice, not a requirement.
Choosing a Polish
Before applying a floor finish or polish in your commercial space, it’s essential to understand a few key steps. Begin by thoroughly cleaning the area, as previously mentioned. Follow this with dry mopping, wet cleaning, and drying the surface, and conclude with a careful inspection.
To achieve a smooth and lasting floor finish, proper surface preparation is essential before applying polish. Begin by using a swing machine with a blue pad, which is available in various options on the market. Next, lightly dampen the floor with water and work the pad in an up-and-down and side-to-side motion. Use a mop to remove excess water, repeating the process as necessary. Once the floor is dry, you can apply three to four coats of polish, adjusting the number of coats based on the foot traffic in the area. Always adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions, as factors such as temperature, humidity, and drying time can impact the outcome. Remember, adding a polish to your floors is a choice, not a requirement.
Removing Polish and Reworking Finish
After applying polish to your floors, continue with your regular cleaning routine. When it’s time to remove the polish, always adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions for diluting the stripping chemicals. Use a specialized black pad to apply the solution, moving it up and down as well as side to side. Once applied, remove the solution from the floor and inspect the area; the polish should be completely gone once it dries. After drying and inspection, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to apply the polish correctly. Additionally, be mindful of the traffic volume and the level of soiling in the space to choose the appropriate product.
Follow the Process and You Will Have Success
Always adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions for the specific processes related to each product. Maintaining your space doesn’t have to be overly detailed or complicated, nor should it involve a lengthy multi-step procedure. By following basic protocols and using the appropriate products and equipment, your commercial-grade floors will shine beautifully.
Professional Commercial Floor Cleaning
Pristine hard surface flooring in commercial buildings contributes to the overall comfort and cleanliness of the space and makes a great impression on employees, customers, and visitors. Following the steps outlined above will help you effectively clean and maintain your commercial flooring to improve their appearance and help them last longer.
If your business needs help cleaning and maintaining your hard-surface flooding, our professionals at ServiceMaster S&R Systems can help. We offer a full range of commercial floor cleaning services for businesses in Aurora, IL, and the surrounding areas. Our professionals are highly trained and use the proper cleaning methods and equipment to leave your commercial floors in the best possible shape. Reach out to us today to learn more about our commercial cleaning services by calling (630) 896-0030.
