Floorcare focus: Vinyl
Some floors are far easier to clean than others, this is why Paul Barratt, Commercial Sales Director for Karndean Designflooring, comments on the practical benefits vinyl flooring offers and how to maintain design flooring to be its best for years to come.
Vinyl flooring is fast becoming the floor covering of choice across commercial, hospitality, leisure, education, healthcare and residential sectors due to the design flexibility, versatility, durability and ease of maintenance it offers.
The setting of the installation of course has an impact on the floor covering chosen and the subsequent cleaning regime required. For instance, hygiene of upmost important to healthcare scenarios, with the need for infection control leading to the specification of easy to clean surfaces to help reduce bacteria. Carpet tends to be a traditional choice for patient relaxation or living areas, but fibres and natural materials can harbour dust and create a breeding ground for bacteria.
As a result, fibrous materials are rapidly becoming a thing of the past as vinyl – otherwise known as design flooring - harbours less dirt and dust. This provides specifiers with the opportunity to still create a ‘comfortable’ atmosphere ensuring the areas are easy to keep clean.
When it comes to education renovations, hygiene is still a consideration but the demands of daily school life will take their toll which is why the durability of design flooring is ideal. The simple to follow yet effective maintenance procedure will ensure that the site staff can keep the floor clean without timely,
or costly, cleaning methods. This is of course dependent on specific site circumstances.
Thanks to the composition of design flooring, it’s guaranteed to withstand daily wear and tear for up to 15 years, dependant on the thickness of the wear layer which provides different levels of durability.
Selecting a hardwearing LVT floor covering with a wear layer depth of between 0.55mm and 0.7mm, will give the assurance that the new flooring will stand the test of time, coupled with an easy to follow maintenance regime using the recommended cleaning procedure.
A guide to care and maintenance By hand or by using mechanical cleaning apparatus, Karndean Designflooring products can be cleaned easily and effectively. Unlike porous natural materials, design flooring does not stain and can be cleaned with 100% biodegradable surfactants.
Furthermore, Karndean’s K Guard + surface protection system provides a barrier against scuff marks, stains and fine scratches. It utilises PU technology to ensure that there is no need to apply an additional surface treatment following installation.
The recommended cleaning method for design flooring begins with the removal of loose debris with a sweeping brush or dust mop, followed by a damp mop and a liberal
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application of Karndean’s Routine Cleaner (now called ‘Clean’) over a manageable area. Stubborn stains can be removed by spot cleaning using this product or Karndean’s Basic Stripper (now called ‘Remove’). Once the cleaning solution is wiped off with a clean mop, it can be left to dry.
To restore the floor should dulling occur – which is to be expected in high traffic areas – the appearance can be refreshed by using Karndean’s Basic Stripper (now called ‘Remove’) solution. This should be left for approximately 10 minutes on the floor before being scrubbed using a mop or the white scrubbing pad fitted to the end of an applicator. When all of the stripper has been cleaned off and no residue remains, Karndean’s Refresh Hard Sealer (now called ‘Refresh’) can then be applied as a thin and even coat using a clean lint free mop. In 30 minutes, this will dry and a second coat can be applied. This process should be repeated when the floor starts to dull to ensure the design floor is well protected.
Applying the appropriate cleaning system is essential for any floor covering, with a need for busy environments with specific demands or high level of footfall leading to the need for maintenance simplicity.
www.karndean.co.uk
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