No matter what type of material you’re dealing with, proper maintenance is key to keeping it looking clean and prolonging the life of the flooring. As soon as they are noticed, cleaning up spills or messes is important to prevent stains that can soak in. Using the correct chemical cleaners and processes for each of the different flooring types is also very important. Below are basics about some common flooring types found throughout many facilities.
Vinyl:
Vinyl composition tile or VCT Flooring is very common in buildings including hospitals, clinics, schools, offices and many others. It is an affordable floor covering that makes sense to install in many spaces. VCT must, however, go through a specific care process and be on a schedule to keep it looking nice. It must be stripped, waxed, and burnished regularly. When it’s properly maintained it has longevity over other high traffic flooring types. Overall, it serves a reliable and functional purpose, and stays looking nice over time when well taken care of.
Carpet:
Carpet and carpet tiles come in many options and qualities. Carpet used in offices, school classrooms and daycares, hotels, theaters, libraries, and other well used spaces needs to be vacuumed daily or weekly. Higher traffic areas should be given special attention, particularly in the winter when salt is tracked in. At a minimum of once per year, but on an as needed basis depending on the facility, a hot water extract of all carpets will remove harder to get dirt or dirt that may be ground into carpets. This process is a special service that is more labor intensive but will make a big difference in both the life of carpets and the appearance.
Concrete:
Concrete floors are durable and thus are common in factories. They are typically either polished or painted but it’s good to remember that concrete is porous and must be properly cared for. Only with a systematic maintenance process will facilities be able to prevent them from staining and looking ‘grubby’. Dust mopping floors regularly is key to preventing buildup. An automatic floor scrubber with proper solution should be used and sometimes a burnisher will also be necessary to increase the polished look of concrete floors.
Wood:
Wood flooring looks great when well maintained. Common places to find wood floors in commercial facilities include school and church gyms, as well as in the entrances and lobbies to many other buildings. It’s a higher end floor covering that gives a prominent look but can be more expensive to maintain and requires a professional service. The care for the wood flooring depends on the finish but caring for wood floors properly will keep them scratch free and looking their best.
Make the most out of the flooring in your facility by knowing what they floor types are and hiring professionals to care for it with the proper maintenance techniques. It’s another key to keeping your facility clean and safe, plus it will keep it looking top notch!