Posted by System4 Indy February 4, 2015
The winter months can be tough on floors. In fact, the unpleasant weather conditions that are associated with the season can cause chaos in a facility’s floor-care maintenance program if not properly equipped.
Snow, rain, slush and ice melt are certainties in the winter months. So, too, is the fact that countless individuals track these unwanted dangers onto finished floors every winter day. And if the facility does not have a proper winter floor-care program in place, it is risking damaging their floor, which can lead to costly expenditures in the future.
The best preventative measure any facility can use is a high performance matting system. This will reduce the contaminants such as ice melt, snow and soil from being tracked further than the door. Trapping the largest damaging grit and dirt in the matting at the door leaves only the smaller particles to be picked up by cleaning.
High performance matting systems have three components. You start with scraper mats outside the entryway. This will ensure large debris are removed from shoes and begins the moisture removal process. Follow that up with wiper/scraper mats on the inside of the entryway to remove any residual soil and any remaining moisture. The final mat in the system is the wiper mat. This will remove any remaining contaminants from shoe bottoms so the first steps on your hard surface floor are safe, clean and dry.
Without an effective matting system in the winter, businesses will be faced with higher maintenance costs, due to the difficulty in maintaining the floor finish and other areas will need to be cleaned more often to maintain the level of cleanliness desired.
Maintaining and protecting floors from ice melt, moisture and soil requires more frequent mopping with a neutralizer floor cleaner. This will keep the floor surface clear of salt buildup and prevent damage to the actual flooring. Mopping and the use of an auto- scrubber with a neutralizer floor cleaner is very effective in removing grit and greasy residue left by ice melt.
The best winter floor-care program is to increase the frequency of cleaning and maintaining hard surface floors during the winter months. If your floors are getting dull and there seems to be a salt film that’s the sign to increase mopping frequency. System4 of Indianapolis recommends quarterly scrubs with a re-coat to keep your floors looking shiny and new.
When the winter weather starts to decline, around mid to late March, that’s the time to strip and refinish your hard surface floors. Normal floor care during the spring and summer will keep your floors sparkling and looking their best. The fall is the time to do a deep scrub and build the floor up with a few additional coats of finish to help weather the harsh winter months.
System4 of Indianapolis provides a winter floor-care program that will give you assurance that your finished floor will be maintained throughout the winter.
