FLOORCARE & MAINTENANCE
or consumed. Detergent powder is another example. Because it dissolves, it is generally easy to deal with.
Insoluble: This is soil which won’t dissolve in water so will need detergent to remove it. Examples include oil, skin, plastic fragments, wood shavings, glass and fibres. Some of these can be removed at the first stage of cleaning either by sweeping or vacuuming.
Insoluble soil can be greasy or particulate:
Greasy: This is soil which sticks to surfaces and smears when touched, such as oil, fat and grease. It’s often carried into communal areas on shoes.
Particulate: Soil in powder form such as sand, skin, washing powder and broken fibres.
Greasy and particulate soils are often found together as powdery soil sticks to any grease with which it comes into contact.
Abrasive: Soil which may scratch a surface.
Stubborn/tacky: Soil which may stick to a surface such as syrup, wax or glue.
PRECISE PRODUCT
AND POTENCY Having identified the nature of the soiling, you can select the most effective detergent to tackle it. Whichever detergent you choose, it is the dilution ratio that is critical. Not enough detergent means a less effective clean. Too much detergent can leave a film on the flooring that reduces slip-resistance and attracts contaminants, encouraging bacteria growth. It is also a common cause of staining/ discolouration and problems associated with chemical damage such as shrinkage.
The acidic or alkaline properties of the detergent will determine its effectiveness with different types of soiling. Alkaline detergents (measuring above Ph9.5) for example, work by dissolving fat and emulsifying soils. So an alkaline detergent such as AltroClean 44 is ideal for greasy and organic soils. The more alkaline the detergent, the more effective for removing grease but the more corrosive it becomes, meaning it can damage paintwork so thorough rinsing is very important. Acidic detergents (measuring less than Ph5) are good options for inorganic soils such as limescale, and neutral detergents
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(Ph7) are less aggressive and contain fewer chemicals, making them more user friendly, with less environmental impact. Neutral detergents are effective on everyday levels of contamination across a range of surfaces, but will not cope as well with heavy soiling. They are also not as effective for greasy dirt and fats where an alkaline detergent would be more suitable.
Combined disinfectant detergent/ cleaning sanitiser is effective for organic soils such as food or human waste as it reduces bacteria growth.
THE CORRECT KIT Finally, the cleaning equipment and process need to suit the special characteristics of safety flooring, as well as the soil type already identified. In order to prevent accidents, Altro safety flooring is specially designed with a different surface profile to ordinary vinyl flooring. It incorporates surface aggregates which increase grip between the foot and the floor, providing greater slip resistance. As the surface profile of safety flooring cannot be completely smooth if it is to do its job properly, some items of equipment and cleaning processes are more effective than others. For example, cotton mop heads have a tendency to shed tiny fibres during use. These fibres can be left behind on the safety flooring increasing the likelihood of dirt and contaminant build-up on the surface of the flooring, giving a disappointing finish, undermining hygiene standards and reducing slip resistance of floors throughout the site. Our step-by-step cleaning guides at
www.altro.co.uk/cleaning recommend effective mechanical, manual and steam cleaning processes.
Following these guidelines will help to give you a better result, with enhanced standards of hygiene. In addition, it will ensure that the flooring retains its important slip resistant qualities, whilst the most effective selection of process, equipment and (if appropriate) detergent, could provide the opportunity for time and cost savings.
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Tomorrow’s Cleaning November 2015 | 57
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