Maintaining a floor’s shine is about more than just overall appearance. By properly taking care of flooring, business operations can be enhanced to their fullest potential and the workplace will maintain high quality safety control standards.
Sometimes floor issues require more than weekly deep cleaning, daily mopping and instant spot cleaning. They need solutions to specific floor challenges that are inherent to certain industries. Let’s look at some of these:
Dust
Whether hardwood, tile, vinyl or laminate, all flooring needs to be safe and slip-free for customers and employees. However, some industries simply generate more dust than others. To solve this problem, be proactive and use a product designed to control dust as much as possible.
WorldwideJanitor.com carries two products called Dust Mist Floor Treatment and Floor Mist that help keep dust off merchandise while sweeping as well as the floor. They work by attracting dust to the mop surface so it doesn’t fly into the air. Both treatments are perfect for concrete, wood, vinyl and tile surfaces.
Scarred surfaces
Hardwood, concrete and laminate floors are designed to be durable, but sometimes they do fall prey to scratches, divots and gouges. To minimize the effect of these floor scars, try carefully sanding out scratches with a floor sander appropriate for the type of flooring you have.
You could also try filling in any deep gouges or substantial chips with wood putty. Press the putty into the affected area, scrape to smooth the surface and allow to harden overnight.
Another option to prolong the life of the floor and protect a wood finish is to apply a floor oil that will cover marred surfaces while preventing future damage.
Adhesives
Sometimes it is necessary for businesses to apply adhesive materials such as tape or stickers to the floor. To remove them, grab a janitorial floor scraper with both a long and short option. Choose a scraper that is gentle and flexible and apply pressure to loosen and remove sticky substances off the floor. Remember to use the scraper with caution to prevent possible damage.
While this is the most mess-free method, you can also use some household items to soften the adhesives. Some examples are baby oil, vinegar and cleaners that are designed specifically to remove price tags and other adhesives from hard surfaces. Just make sure to test a small area of the floor first for discoloration and follow manufacturer instructions on any products you plan to apply.
Paint
Even by taking the best precautions, sometimes paint can splatter or drip onto the floor. Many times this problem isn’t even noticed until the paint is already dry. How to remove dried paint depends on the type of floor surface.
For vinyl flooring, scrape away as much of the paint as possible with a floor scraper or even a spoon. Take great care not to damage the surface. Then apply a moistening agent like mineral spirits to lift up the remaining paint.
With laminate flooring, try diluting a small amount of rubbing alcohol or vinegar with water to clean the surface and wipe away.
For concrete floors, trying scraping away the paint or applying a chemical paint stripper. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions.
With hardwood floors, try applying a heat with a source like a hairdryer to loosen up the paint. If that doesn’t work, try a floor scraper or putty knife to gently pry the paint off the floor or use a professional paint remover product.
Scuff marks
Just running a wet mop over floors doesn’t always remove annoying scuff marks. If these marks are left behind after your daily cleaning, try this simple trick: Carefully cut a hole in an old tennis ball and stick it on the end of a broom stick. Rub the tennis ball over the surface. The tennis ball works as an eraser to instantly remove these dark marks.
If you don’t have a worn-out tennis ball around, try spraying the area with light mist of professional floor cleaner directly on the spot. Gingerly rub with a soft, microfiber cloth and buff dry with a separate cloth.
