In the Midwest it can be hard to tell that the season has changed when it snows on the first day of spring (and then melts away before the day’s end!). But, spring is here and the ice melt that was so important to put out at your facility during those cold winter days is now making floors look dirty. Ice melt is clearly a necessary product to prevents slick, hazardous situations in the winter but when the weather changes, it presents its own challenges. It leaves a sticky, salty residue on indoor flooring.
While you can care for the mats and extra rugs that were placed in entryways, what about the tile and carpet that have been saturated with slush, moisture, and ice melt during the winter months?
Public facilities, particularly high usage buildings like schools and offices, have a challenge ahead of them in the spring. Ice melt can saturate flooring beyond entryways and while those extra mats did help keep it from spreading, it tends to get tracked in everywhere. That white, crystalized, dried up slop is very noticeable. Not only does it make floors look worn and dirty, it is tough on the surfaces. If it’s not removed at the right times and done properly, the life of the flooring will be diminished. In short, ice melt residue has to go.
Now, It can seem like a daunting task for facility managers to get rid of it. Every spring, it is a chore to get a building’s flooring clean and looking nice again. However, with the right products, process, and team of professionals doing a deep clean on flooring to remove winter wear, it can be done!
A seasonal cleaning plan is key and will help get a routine that works for your building. Hallways will likely need a full strip and wax done to get them looking new again. For a full explanation on how to clean carpets, check out this step-by-step guide from HP Products. It explains how to remove ice residue. There are different ways to tackle different types of flooring. Ask your service provider for a quote on a thorough spring floor cleaning.