CLEANING GETTING THE GRADE Ensuring the durability of a hard, previously polished floor is no easy task.
Here, The Preparation Group looks at sustainable methods for transforming tarnished floors back into the shiny surfaces they once were.
There is a broad range of hard floors that need to be cleaned and maintained to ensure they are safe and in good working order. Stone, concrete, marble, terrazzo, vinyl, linoleum and epoxy resin floors all fall under this category. Heavily trafficked and worn surfaces that have become scratched, stained and contaminated where mopping, scrubbing and vacuuming has failed to work, can easily be transformed by deep restorative cleaning with the right equipment.
For FMs looking to sustainable methods, there are products that do away with the need for harsh chemicals and to ‘recoat’ floors with environmentally unsound waxes or polishes. The solution comes in the form of diamond pads that fit standard cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, burnishing and STG machines to create a hygienic and shiny floor by adding water; a floor that will help to resist the build-up of future residues. As well as the eco benefits, the eradication of these chemicals saves costs too.
Cleaning pads, such as Storm Diamond Pads, are infused with billions of microscopic diamonds and come in a range of sizes to fit a variety of machine widths and in grades to suit different floor conditions. They can leave a soft sheen
or high gloss finish depending on the grades selected. The coarsest pads effectively refurbish surfaces by removing the build-up of grime, light scratches and staining. This can then be followed by working up through the finer grit sizes in a staged polishing system, to achieve a deep clean and high shine polish. The finer grade pads can also be used to clean vinyl.
The pads are very simple to use. The first step is to ensure that the designated surface is swept clean and that any loose contaminants, such as dust, sand or gravel has been removed to avoid damage to the pad. The pad is then fit to the machine in the same way as any other conventional cleaning pad. For example, with an STG machine, the pad is just placed under the machine with no tools required, the weight of the machine holding it in place.
Storm Diamond Pads can be used ‘wet’ or ‘dry’. With the application of water, the floor can be cleaned quicker, the pad will last longer and an enhanced shine can be achieved. When the machine is in action, the rotating operation, pad pressure and speed will affect the cleaning and polishing process.
Storm Diamond Pads come in four grades and each one covers up to 60,000m²:
How to use Storm Diamond Pads 1. Before you start 1
Ensure that the surface is swept clean and any loose material removed (to avoid damage to the Storm Pad). 2. Attach the Storm Pad
2
All machines differ. Some have central locking devices, some rely on the pad slotting onto a central mounting and some have no securing device at all.
Fit your Storm Pad in the same way as you would any other conventional cleaning pad.
3. Use ‘dry’ or just add water 3
Excellent results can be achieved by using the Storm Pad ‘dry’. However, with the application of water, the floor can be cleaned quicker, the pad will last longer and you will achieve enhanced shine.
4. Start your machine 4
You can now begin cleaning. The rotating operation of your scrubber/dryer, pad pressure and speed will affect the cleaning and polishing process.
5. Wash your Storm Pad after use. 5
400 (red) – For heavy duty floor cleaning and renovation of extremely soiled, stained, old floors. These can also be used for the deep cleaning of damaged or lightly scratched floors and for removing surface contaminants to leave a soft sheen, ready to be polished.
800 (white) - For the general cleaning of soiled floors and removing light staining from areas of heavy traffic and restoring the floor back to its original condition, leaving a light gloss finish.
1500 (yellow) – For the general cleaning and maintenance of lightly soiled floors. It is the most popular pad for quick, effective maintenance and results in a gloss finish.
3000 (green) - For areas of light traffic. It can be used for the daily maintenance of a ‘sound’ floor where the ultimate shine is desired and needs to be maintained. It leaves a high gloss/mirror finish which will resist dirt.
The Preparation Group offers a one-day course on ‘Floor Refurbishment & Cleaning’ at its Training Hub, where delegates can learn the skills to keep flooring in top condition, focusing on eco-friendly methods of refurbishing and maintaining a range of surface finishes including terrazzo, resin, vinyl and polished concrete. Dates issued until June 2018 are; 8th March, 5th April, 24th May and 12th June, although bespoke training is also available to suit customers’ specific equipment and cleaning needs.
26 | TOMORROW’S FM
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