Types of Floor Coverings and Basic Floor Care Tips
Copyright (c) 2007 The Janitorial Store
There are so many different types of hard floor coverings
these days, it's hard to keep up with learning how to care
for each of the different kinds. And if you're a cleaning
contractor, you don't want to make a costly mistake by
using something on a floor that could be harmful or damage
the floor.
Listed below are some of the common floor coverings and
basic floor care tips:
1. Resilient Floors, especially VCT (vinyl composition
tile) flooring is used commercially on high traffic floors
such as retail or grocery stores. VCT tile is durable and
holds up to heavy traffic. However there is a lot of
maintenance involved in keeping these floors looking good.
They should have a sealer or finish applied to them, which
gives the floor a high-gloss look. The floor also needs to
be swept and mopped with a neutral pH cleaner on a regular
maintenance schedule to keep the floor looking shiny and
clean. The floors may also need interim maintenance with
slow speed or high speed floor machines and occasional
stripping and re-coating of floor finish.
2. Stone products include marble, granite, and limestone.
There has been a dramatic increase in the use of stone
flooring in the past 10 years, even though it is some of
the most costly flooring available. You must be very
careful when caring for stone floors because you could
easily damage the surface permanently if using the wrong
chemicals. Use of entry mats and daily sweeping and mopping
is key to keeping stone flooring looking like good. Mop the
floor with a neutral pH floor cleaner or a stone soap, and
never flood mop stone flooring. Never use alkaline or acid
cleaners for daily maintenance, as this can damage the
floor over time.
3. Masonry products include ceramic tile, clay tile, and
concrete. Ceramic and clay tiles come in a variety of
styles and textures, so this may determine the type of
maintenance needed. Ceramic tile will either be glazed or
unglazed. Glazed tile are shiny and have a non-porous
surface layer and are more stain and moisture resistant,
whereas unglazed ceramic tile is more slip resistant.
Concrete flooring is now more fashionable with the use of
color additives and texture. Concrete floors can be sealed
and finished like a VCT tile floor, and will require
similar daily maintenance using a neutral pH floor cleaner.
Daily maintenance of ceramic tile floors include sweeping
and mopping with a neutral pH cleaner. Do not use acid or
alkaline cleaners for daily maintenance as it can damage
the tile and grout over time. Grout may need periodic
cleaning with the use of a slow speed floor machine and a
nylo grit brush, which can get into the grout lines where
soil accumulates.
4. Wood Floors are being widely used in residential homes.
To keep the floor looking good, protection from abuse,
stains, soil and moisture is very important. Basic
maintenance of wood floors is similar to other floors,
however wood is very sensitive to water, and scratches much
more easily than other types of flooring. Extreme care must
be used, so avoid dragging anything across a wood floor,
and never use excessive water when cleaning. It's best to
use a well wrung out mop or microfiber flat mop, which uses
less water than conventional mops. Use a commercial wood
cleaner, but avoid using oil-based soaps or furniture
polish on wood floors, as they can make the floor slippery
and leave a residue.
5. Laminate Floors are also being widely used in
residential homes. Laminate floors are made of a
combination of wood and cellulose products (mostly wood).
Melamine (clear resin) is applied to the surface to make a
strong outer layer. Manufacturers say that little or no
maintenance is needed on laminate floors. They recommend
regular sweeping and damp mopping using a laminate floor
cleaner. As with wood floors, laminate floors are sensitive
to moisture, so never use excessive water when cleaning.
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Steve Hanson is co-founder of TheJanitorialStore.com, an
online community for owners of cleaning companies. Sign up
for Trash Talk:Tip of the Week at
http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com . Read success stories at
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