Flooring is a surface that people touch the most in their day to day lives. It’s essential for businesses to maintain clean and hygienic flooring as bacteria like salmonella, E. coli, streptococcus and more can often be found on these floors. Frequent cleaning on commercial flooring can also prevent the buildup of grease and grime especially in areas of your business that are frequently used like washrooms, kitchens and dining areas. Keeping these areas clean prevents the risks of infection and injury to your customers and staff.
Before we explore the different methods of floor cleaning, let’s understand how dirty floors are hazardous and what occurs in your business that causes this to happen.
Floors are often dirtied by spilled foods and liquids and also from people moving throughout the business from one dirty area to a clean one. This means that dirty floors can be a slipping or tripping hazard for employees, visitors and customers when dirty. Floors can also be cross contaminated with bacteria that moves from areas in your business like bathrooms to food preparation areas or visitor waiting rooms.
Different Floor Types and Their Cleaning Needs
The material of your floors can impact the products used for cleaning commercial floors. Chemical cleaners are split into three chemical grades Alkaline, Neutral and Acidic. This is based on pH levels that ranges from 0 to 14 with Acids a pH of under 7, Neutrals a pH of 7 and Alkalines above a pH of 7. These chemicals are applied to the floors by some ratio of dilution with water and a mop. Mops are often made from cotton or microfibre with each also suitable for different things. Each floor material will be best suited to either one of these chemical formulas as some may be too harsh or not harsh enough to remove dirt, grime and bacteria without damaging your floors. These chemicals can be cleaning hazards so it's important you use them the right way.
Tiled Floors
These floors should be cleaned using chemicals with a pH of 9 or above. This can be diluted down to be used daily or, for deep cleaning, a heavy-duty floor cleaner of around 11-13 pH can be used. Kwikmaster Professional’s Heavy Duty Floor Cleaner has a pH level of 13-14 and can be diluted down with a 1:50 ratio for everyday floor cleaning.
Vinyl Floors
As these floors are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which is less durable than the average floor tile, vinyl floors should be cleaned using chemicals with a pH of around 7. Using a chemical at this level will ensure no damage will occur to the finish of the flooring or discolour them. Kwikmaster Professional’s Neutral Floor Cleaner has a pH level of 7-8 and can be diluted at a 1:50 ratio for everyday floor cleaning. This product can also be used for heavy duty cleaning with a dilution ratio of 1:20.
Hardwood Floors
As floors of this material are organic in nature, using chemicals with high pH levels can damage delicate floors. Things like bleach should be avoided. Instead, you should use a chemical cleaner with a pH level of 7. Kwikmaster Professional’s Neutral Floor Cleaner is perfect for hardwood floors as it can be used as a heavy duty cleaner or diluted down for everyday use.
Quick Best Practice Tips
Floors cleaners are only one step in the right direction when it comes to effectively cleaning your commercial floors. There are a range of cleaning practices that need to be adopted when attempting to clean floors the right way.
Identifying Your Floor Type
As discussed, different types of flooring require different methods and materials of cleaning. Before selecting what chemical or method of cleaning to use, make sure you know exactly what kind of floors you are cleaning.
Dry Mopping Your Floors
If your floors are very dirty with dust, crumbs or dirt, a dry microfibre dust mop should be used prior to cleaning the floors with a wet mop. This will remove dirt and dust before chemically cleaning the floors, ensuring an effective clean.
Diluting Your Chemical Floor Cleaners
Undiluted chemicals can damage your floors and be a hazard to you and your staff. Over-dilution can make floors sticky, streaky and attract more dirt. Making sure your chemicals are diluted to the right level will not only save you on money, ensure a proper clean but also keep you and your staff safe.
Use the Right Technique
The best way to ensure every part of your floors are cleaned is by mopping around the edges first and then overlapping passes as you work your way around your floors. Another tip is to change your mop head regularly and soaking with detergent to keep clean. You may also need to change your water and chemical mix regularly.
Keep Safety in Mind
When mopping a floor that is still being used by others, make sure you put up warning signs that aren’t removed until the floors are fully dry. Another way you can ensure safety when cleaning your commercial floors is by protecting the hands. This can be done using thick cleaning gloves which can cover you fingers, wrist and forearms.
Floor Cleaning is an essential part of your business that will not only keep your floors looks brand new but also protect your staff and customers from cross-contamination and injury.
