With employees back in the office, how do you maintain your floors?

We might not think about our floors bearing the brunt of the UK’s changeable temperatures.

But, just like you, your commercial property also feels the chill of winter and highs of summer – particularly the flooring.

Luckily, the experts at ServiceMaster Clean are here with a guide to making your commercial floor maintenance easy.

Hard Surfaces

Many types of tile and hardwood commercial floors can require slightly different cleaning techniques.

However, you should always refer to your flooring manufacturer’s manual and test cleaning solutions in a small, inconspicuous area before starting to avoid costly damages.

When cleaning hardwood floors:

• Sweep away visible debris to remove larger particles from the surface.
• Use a semi-acidic floor cleaner or mix vinegar with water to neutralise and dissolve any remaining salt residue.
• Refer to product instructions for dilution ratios.
• Once the salt residue is suspended in the cleaner, use a mop to absorb the liquid.
• If your floor’s finish has been damaged, use a stripper solution to remove it.
• Apply the solution and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Add more as needed.
• Refer to the specific stripping product’s label for exact instructions.

Safety Tip: Use floor fans and open windows to improve ventilation when working with harsh chemicals.

• Use a scrubber to agitate the surface and strip the remaining finish.
• Mop the floor with clean water to remove lingering chemicals from the cleaner and stripping solution.
• Let the floor dry completely.
• Apply two coats of sealing and a few fresh coats of finish for a floor that looks as good as new.

Soft Surfaces

Soft surfaces are equally affected by salt, mud, and melting snow or ice – if not more so.

The salt residue will leave a characteristic white and powdery residue on carpet surfaces, while chemicals can soak deep into the fibres and padding.

If water damage goes untreated, mould and mildew can grow and spread, leading to long-term issues.

How to Clean Commercial Carpets

Add absorbent doormats, umbrella stands and coat racks to your building’s entrance to reduce the amount of water that can reach your carpeted areas during the winter.

In warmer weather, follow these steps to clean your carpets.

• Vacuum visible dirt particles and debris.
• Use water and a residue-removing cleaning solution.
• Let the solution soak into the carpet for approximately 15 minutes. Refer to the specific product for dilution ratios.
• Use a wet vacuum to remove the solution, oils and dissolved residue.
• Rinse with clean water and suction it out with a wet vacuum. You may find that you need to repeat steps 2-4 depending on the amount of damage.
• Use carpet fans to dry the floor.

Need your premises cleaned to a high standard?

The time, energy, and heavy equipment required to clean commercial carpets can burden any business owner.

If you need carpet cleaning or hard floor maintenance, let the experts at ServiceMaster Clean do the work by finding your nearest ServiceMaster Clean business or calling 0800 021 3970.