Winter tends to be the most costly season for floor maintenance because of four key reasons: rain, snow, salt, and sand. In fact, it costs the average business $1,000-1,200 to remove one pound of dirt! Depending on the flooring material, floor repair costs can actually be much higher. These three tips are easy to implement and will help prolong your facility floor life.
1. The most important and cost effective step is preparation for preventative measures. Having cleaning resources readily available to immediately clean up any damage and immediately identifying critical areas will help save money in the long run. Stagnant water from melted snow or rain is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold. It is also a safety hazard where employees or even visitors can slip on. Having a mop or cleaning tool available on short notice will prevent further damage to flooring.
2. Thoroughly scrub the floors and let them fully dry. Then coat the floors with floor finish to seal. The application of a single protective coat of floor finish or wax will help protect floors & vinyl surfaces from most of the winter damage. There’s also the 20/40 rule of thumb to floor finishing. If a coat of finish dries in less than 20 minutes, the application layer is too thin. On the flip-side, if a coat of finish takes more than 40 minutes to dry, the application layer is too thick. Request a customized comprehensive floor care plan for your facility’s unique needs here.
3. Don’t forget to place commercial floor mats on the inside and outside of entry ways. Corrosive particles of snow and salt can eat away at flooring and protective layers easily. The small particles can even become lodged in the wax or finish and cause further damage. Floor mats are designed to trap and hold dirt, particles, and moisture before it spreads through the floors It is also vital to replace floor mats frequently, depending on the severity of rain and snowfall. Patrons should be able to take 6-10 steps on scraping and absorbing mats before reaching the floor surface.
While these tips may work for most floors, every facility has different floor types and environments. Learn more about what floor care works best for your facility by checking out our archive of handpicked resources below:
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