MAKING AN ENTRANCE Winter’s arrival poses some serious challenges for floor cleaning and maintenance.
James White of Denis Rawlins outlines some simple steps to manage the risks and guard against damage.
At the time of writing, we’re having a sharp reminder of the powers of Mother Nature. But then heavy rain, ice and snow are to be expected in this season.
As if the waves of moisture and dirt weren’t challenging enough, the grit and salt on people’s footwear at this time of year are also serious foes for flooring.
So there are multiple threats. Keeping floors looking clean is more difficult than ever. Wet and slippery patches in foyers and on other hard floors pose a slip risk to customers and employees. That moisture may also lead to mould, while salt can wreak havoc, stripping the protective coating on wood, tile and other hard floors.
Prudent facilities managers will have inspected their condition beforehand, and invested in refinishing where there is evidence of wearing. Higher cleaning frequencies should also be part of the winter cleaning plan. But what else can and should be done?
The first line of defence is entrance matting. A bi-level design is crucial. Dirt falls to the bottom and a good surface material soaks up water and wicks it away into the bottom of the mat so that the surface dries quickly.
It’s estimated that 85% of floor dirt arrives via feet, and it costs around £700 per kilo to find and remove it through cleaning. So it pays to have an effective barrier. These figures are cited by the makers of the Waterhog
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mat that is designed with grooved recesses to trap water and grit, significantly limiting pick-up.
Often when we audit matting in buildings, we find that mats are prone to become saturated with soils and water because of their construction and/or insufficient cleaning. Mats may also be under-sized in relation to the intensity of foot traffic. And if frequent re-cleaning is impractical, then spare mats are needed for swapping to minimise the soils and slush tracked onto interior floors.
Some water and dirt inevitably will get through, along with droplets from clothes, umbrellas and baggage. Which is why cleaning of surrounding areas has to be appropriate – in both frequency and approach.
It shouldn’t have to be said that mopping exacerbates the slip risks as well as being self-defeating for soil removal. The application of clean solution and brushing needs to be combined with wet suction. Low- cost alternatives to scrubber dryers, like the Omniflex Autovac, automate this process and make it easy to keep the moisture threat at bay. Rapid responsive cleaning causes minimal disruption.
Traditional cleaning tools like mops and standard chemicals are not fit for the challenge presented by salts and de-icers. They stain and abrade, and are hard to remove. Most road salts
have a high pH, just like a floor stripper, that breaks down the finish and leaves the floor underneath vulnerable.
Sodium chloride (aka rock salt) leaves a white powdery residue behind, while calcium chloride and magnesium chloride leave an oily one. If left in place too long wood floors can dry out and splinter, tiles and other hard surfaces may discolour and carpets lose their lustre.
Traditional cleaning supplies will just smear it, leaving a sticky surface that attracts more dirt and grit. When cleaning, neutralize the alkaline salt residue with an acidic pH neutralizer and vacuum dry to remove the liquid completely. Do not air-dry as the residue will remain behind.
At this time of year the elements and heavy footfall can also take their toll on escalators and travelators, especially where they’re close to entrances. Again, more frequent and reactive cleaning is the best response. This is why, apart from the excellent results achieved at low cost, we endorse a manual yet rapid cleaning system. REN Clean uses an engineered pad that combs the dirt from the oncoming escalator treads.
Whatever the surface underfoot, these innovative and simple cleaning methods can keep our floors in tip-top condition, ready for the new year ahead.
www.rawlins.co.uk twitter.com/TomoCleaning
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