Giving More Care To Your Hard Surface Floor
You want your floor sparkling and shining like those in airports and shopping malls, right? Well, while you can’t technically keep buffing your floors every night as these large commercial establishments do, there are measures you can put in place to ensure yours remains in top condition. Besides, their intensive maintenance processes are tied to the high levels of traffic they witness. So even in homes and small businesses, it is still possible to keep your floors sparkling all through – without overextending your budget. Here are some tips that you can put in place:
- An upgrade from the traditional mop-bucket system
Hauling a bucket around while dipping the yarn mop in it during the floor cleaning is increasingly getting phased out. For starters, the string mops being used here have a lower absorbency compared to new alternatives like microfibre mops, and there is always the issue of spreading the dirt and grime around each time the mop is dipped into the dirty bucket water. This is especially a problem when you’re dealing with installations like the tiled floors, where the grout will readily soak up that soiled water. Microfibre mops come with high absorbency, due to the electrostatic forces of attraction generated between the tiny pieces of fibre and dirt particles as they pass over the surface. In fact, this approach is so effective that it drastically reduces the amount of water needed for the floor cleaning. The dust mopping with this approach is also highly effective.
Innovations like the spray mop system kick things up a notch – adding to the efficiency of the floor cleaning process. Here, a cartridge on the mop holds the cleaning solution. The operator then squeezes a trigger on the mop that releases a mist of the solution on the surface. This is fresh cleaning product, and only a little is produced at a time. Not only is this a more economical mode of using the cleaning products, but it is also particularly handy for the floor cleaning on surfaces that are sensitive to the amount of liquids used on them – such as when working on hardwood floors.
- Be thorough with the rinsing
While that detergent or cleaning chemical is intended to get rid of dirt, when residue is left behind on the surface, it becomes a cause for faster soiling. This is because the residue is sticky, trapping more dirt particles on the surface of the floor. This creates more work for you during the next round of floor cleaning. Rinsing the floor breaks down that build up of detergent that had been used. Note that you should be careful with the amount of liquid here, especially if the underlying installation will be at risk of damage when excess water is used. There are also some products that have been formulated for use without rinsing, especially in the niche of wood cleaners – though for this it will be expressly stated on the product label.
- Reducing the rate of dirt build up
Prevention is always better than cure – and this also applies to floor cleaning. The more dirt that is prevented from getting to the hard surface floor in the first place, the less the risks of damage, and the less the workload that will be involved during the maintenance. Keeping the dirt off your floors will help in preserving the beauty and structural integrity of the installation. This can be achieved in different ways. One of the most popular is having welcome mats at the entrance of the building. In fact, you can position two mats – one just outside the door, and the other immediately inside the house after the door is opened. That way, the bulk of the dirt gets scraped off people’s shoes, preventing it from getting to the rest of the floor. Walk-off mats are beneficial as well, as these stretch into the building, enabling even more dirt to be captured.
For homes, you can go ahead and ban the wearing of outdoor shoes in the house. After all, those shoes carry the bulk of the grime that is responsible for the wearing down of the installation. Having the family members and guests switch to footwear that is particularly designated for the indoors will add more years to your floor, and make the routine floor cleaning and maintenance a breeze.
- Crank up the floor protection
The threats to the floor expand beyond the soiling that gets tracked into the building. Take heavy furniture for instance It is a contributor to the wear that is witnessed, such as by causing dents on hardwood floors. Here, having felt pads for the furniture will go a long way in protecting your floor. This also applies to the furniture items that get moved around frequently – such as the dining table and chairs. Additional protection when it comes to desk and chairs can be provided by using clear sleeves, chair caster covers, swivel protectors or even sled base clips.
They have the personnel and equipment needed to deliver a thorough deep clean for your floor. This includes getting rid of those stains that have stubbornly adhered to the surface, defying the conventional floor cleaning products and processes that you may have used. Moreover, you can take advantage of this by having additional restoration being carried out on your floor, such as polishing the surface to give it a new shine. Note that there will be cases where even the most thorough floor cleaning will not reverse the damage on the floor – such as years of wear from abrasive action caused by heavy foot traffic. Here the restoration measures that will be put in place depend on the particular type of floors in question. For instance, with solid hardwood and engineered wood floors, a round of floor sanding and refinishing can be carried out. Getting professional help for these restoration projects is highly recommended, since these are laborious jobs and require specialised equipment and skilled teams to carry out the task effectively.
