“Consideration must be given to the


cleaning equipment


and products that will work best to ensure resin surfaces can remain hygienic.”


Keeping it clean


Jeremy Waterhouse, Flooring Product Manager at Sherwin-Williams, goes back to basics for the best resin flooring performance, providing a thorough assessment of what good practices should be.


Developments in flooring are progressing


at a rapid pace, now delivering anti- microbial benefits which dramatically reduce the risk of bacterial surface growth. However, in the food and beverage industry,


this should be taken as an additional benefit and not as a substitute for good practices, including having a regular cleaning regime.


The correct surface is key


A key part of the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) principles that food businesses must adhere to is cleanability – meaning installing industrial flooring which is balanced between being non-slip and easy to clean.


When planning a cleaning regime and techniques for a manufacturing plant or warehouse, there are key points to consider: from the specification of flooring types at the installation stage through to the chemicals and equipment used in the cleaning process.


Resin floors are formed from a range of base polymers, including epoxy and polyurethane, and are supplied in a wide range of finishes which can be tailored to the needs of the end user. One frequent issue with a resin floor is the balance between slip resistance and cleanability. Some flooring solutions with built-in aggregate, which reduce the potential for slipping, can also require more intensive and


20 | FEATURE


abrasive cleaning techniques. Similarly, a matt finish will require more thorough cleaning than a gloss finish, due to the former’s micro texture.


The appropriate cleaning regime is determined by several factors, and the best practice is to discuss these needs with an applicator and resin manufacturer as part of the specification process, as well as carry out localised cleaning trials in non-visible areas before treating the entire surface.


Recommendations


Similarly, consideration must be given to the cleaning equipment and products that will work best to ensure resin surfaces can remain hygienic. The original scrubbing brush technique or mops and buckets have been left behind by mechanically driven machines with pads or brushes. Think about the choice of bristle rigidity paramount to balancing thorough cleaning with protecting the integrity of the flooring.


At Sherwin-Williams, our experts generally recommend soft to medium bristle brushes, as these work well on most surfaces. However, best practice is to only use brushes which follow the profile of a resin floor. In very coarse systems, the use of a pressure washer and potentially steam cleaning can be an effective and preferable method of removing the soiling. This option should only be used on resin flooring systems which have been suitably specified and installed to withstand such processes.


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