Friday, September 14, 2012

How to Maintain a Floor

Floors Maintenance 101

Maintaining your floor is the most important step to have beautiful long lasting floors and to save you money. There are several very simple steps. By following these you can decrease your strip and wax schedule and put money in your pocket.

Materials Required
- Broom or Vacuum
- Mop and Bucket
- Autoscrubber (for larger areas or if budget allows)
- Polisher
- White or Blue-Ice pad
- Neutral soap

Procedure
- First and most important procedure sweep or vacuum the floor. By doing this first you will remove any debris and avoid grinding it into the floor.
- Using Cold water fill bucket and add detergent. Detergent should be PH7 or Neutral and diluted according to manufacturers directions.
- If using autoscrubber wash mains area with machine. Then wash edges with mop and bucket
- If not using autoscrubber wash or spot mop soiled floors
- Weekly wash floors with a floor restorer.
- Depending on traffic, buff floors with polisher and white or blue-ice pad. Floors should be buffed at least once a week.
- Floors should be scrubbed and waxed quarterly or bi-yearly
- Floors should be stripped as required

Tips
- An effective entrance mat system will cut down on dirt and debris. Try and have 15' of matting at all entrances
- Dilute chemical as recommended as this will avoid leaving residue on the floor
- When choosing a polisher, the higher the RPM the more effective the buff
- If no other option available use a low speed buffer to polish floors. Something is better than nothing.
- This procedure can be used on most waxed floors, stone floors, and marmoleum (except the final step of stripping the floor)

Phil-T
"Nothings too filthy for Phil-T"

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1 comment:

  1. Phil-T,
    Good start on the training manual. Since you asked for comments, here are mine: Include microfiber dust mops in the preparation of the floors for finishing, buffing or burnishing. Offer the alternative of utilizing the 3M Easy Trap system to insure a dust and lint free floor. Rethink the use of floor restorers on a floor that has not been pre cleaned, as floor restorerers will emulsify the finish slightly and capture any surface dirt in the film causing a yellowing of the floor. Floor pad choice is dependent upon the type and condition of the finish, speed of the floor polisher and intent and skill of the user. The RPM of the machine used must be matched to the chemistry of the finish, not the availability of equipment. I have prepared many training manuals for the industry and have found that the ones that are used the most are the simplest, utilize graphics for the materials list, cover one topic or procedure per section, list the safety issues and direct the reader to other topics or procedures for completing a the total task . Hope these comments are helpful and that you continue your efforts. A better trained workforce elevates the standards of our industry and inspires continued excellence.

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