Commercial flooring requires a significant financial investment, so you want it to last. Professional floor care with the right products, equipment, and knowledge can help. Whether your floors are wood, tile, or concrete, keeping them clean and dry can extend their lifespan. Consider putting mats or rugs at entryways to trap dirt and moisture and furniture pads to prevent scratches and dents.
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Protect High-Traffic Areas
As facility managers, it is our job to help our clients extend the lifespan of their commercial flooring. Whether it is carpet or hard surface, if a floor is abused and neglected, it will show signs of wear that can cause damage. These damages may include scratches, scuffs, and stains that can tarnish a company’s image. To keep your facility’s floors looking their best, it is essential to follow manufacturer guidelines and maintain a consistent floor cleaning routine. This includes daily sweeping or vacuuming for carpet and mopping or scrubbing for vinyl or laminate. Addressing spills immediately helps prevent water damage, and promptly addressing stains or spots will limit the time they have to set in. Additionally, using protective mats near exterior entrances can help reduce dirt, grit, and ice that can cause scuff marks or dull the finish of hardwood flooring. Door mats and rugs that can be fastened to the flooring are ideal but choose colorfast rugs that will not discolor the hardwood floors.
Use the Right Cleaning Products
As with any flooring investment, extending the lifespan of your commercial flooring is essential. Using the right office cleaning products helps keep your floors clean and look new. Use a neutral cleaner or an auto scrubber with a neoprene mop pad for hard surface floors. Avoid acidic or high-PH products, as they can cause permanent damage to your commercial floor coatings. If you have tile floors, daily dust mopping will help free your tiles from dirt and grit that can cause abrasions and scratches. Placing rugs by entranceways and using mats with anti-static properties reduces the amount of dirt brought into your flooring, and prompt removal of spills and stains keeps them from settling into the grout and damaging your tiles. Putting floor pads under furniture and other heavy equipment that will be moved around frequently is also a good idea. These pads prevent scratching and abrasions to your epoxy or urethane coatings.
Sweep and Vacuum Daily
The lifespan of your commercial flooring is heavily dependent on the type and amount of foot traffic it receives. Even the most durable materials will wear down if not regularly and thoroughly cleaned. Sweeping and vacuuming help keep grit and dirt to a minimum. This will help minimize abrasions and scratching to hard flooring materials like vinyl, tile, and stone. In the winter, sweeping is especially important to help minimize rock salt and slushy snow, which can damage floors. In high-traffic areas, it’s recommended that you sweep and vacuum your commercial carpet daily or weekly. For sweeping, you should use a soft-bristled broom or vacuum with a brush attachment for maximum effectiveness. Hardwood floors are an increasingly popular choice for commercial spaces. They add a warm, inviting atmosphere and are easy to maintain. However, hardwood can also be susceptible to stains and scratches if not cleaned properly. Vacuum and sweep your floors frequently to remove dirt, debris, and allergens. Mop your floors with a mild detergent and water mix, then rinse and dry them thoroughly.
Address Spills and Stains Promptly
Spills and stains must be addressed immediately, no matter what type of flooring you have. Otherwise, they will become profoundly set and challenging to remove. This removes the appearance of your floors and can reduce their lifespan. Depending on the material, different types of commercial flooring require a variety of maintenance practices. For example, vinyl composite tile (VCT) requires routine sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping with a manufacturer-recommended neutral cleaner. Concrete floors are also popular in the commercial facilities sector because of their durability and slip resistance. They should be swept and vacuumed daily to eliminate dirt, rock salt, and slushy snow. Cleaning frequencies should be based on the type and use of each area, with high-traffic areas getting more frequent cleanings. Other ways to extend the lifespan of your commercial floors include:
- Using entrance mats.
- Putting furniture pads under desks and tables.
- Blocking excessive sunlight that can fade floors over time.
When in doubt, enlist the help of professionals with experience cleaning and maintaining commercial floors. They have the knowledge and specialized equipment to clean even the most challenging floor materials.