Written by: Jim Flieler, Vice President, Brand Development & Training
Maintaining pristine floors in the janitorial industry goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about safety, longevity, and a commitment to creating a healthy environment.
Floors are among the first things people notice when they enter a building, and their condition speaks volumes about the overall cleanliness of the space.
Enviro-Solutions® offers a comprehensive approach to floor care, encapsulated in its “5 Critical Elements of Floor Care.” Here’s a breakdown of each element, along with the benefits and recommended best practices.
Understanding Enviro-Solutions® The Foundation of Effective Floor Care
Enviro-Solutions® is a trusted name in the janitorial industry, known for its commitment to sustainability and high-performance cleaning solutions. Our approach to floor care is grounded in five critical elements that ensure both environmental responsibility and exceptional results.
Selecting the appropriate cleaning products is the first step in maintaining beautiful, resilient floors. Not all floors are created equal, and different materials require specific treatments to preserve their appearance and integrity.
When choosing floor care products, consider the type of flooring, the level of foot traffic, and any unique challenges presented by environmental factors. Enviro-Solutions® offers a range of specialized products designed to tackle even the toughest floor care challenges.
1. Pre-Routine: Minimizing Outdoor Soils
Pre-Routine focuses on preventing soil from entering the facility, significantly reducing the need for extensive cleaning. 80% of indoor soil is tracked in by foot traffic. Implementing outdoor maintenance and entrance matting can cut this down by up to 66%, enhancing indoor air quality and minimizing wear on floor surfaces.
Pre-Routine Best Practices:
- Removing dirt & debris from immediate entrance ways.
- Regular sweeping of parking lots, sidewalks, and entryways.
- Installing high-quality matting systems to capture soil at entrances.
- Proper outdoor cleaning equipment, like sweepers and pressure washers, helps manage debris effectively.
2. Routine Maintenance: Daily Soil and Debris Control
Routine Maintenance cleaning is essential for maintaining an attractive appearance and extending the life of floor finishes. Regular maintenance not only enhances the appearance of floors but also extends their lifespan, reducing the need for costly replacements. This element focuses on regular dust mopping and damp mopping, which prevent debris from embedding in the floor surface, prevents scratches and wear that can dull the finish of your floors and reduce the risk of slips and falls.
Routine Maintenance Best Practices:
- Frequent dust mopping, especially in high-traffic areas, to remove grit and debris.
- Damp mopping with an Enviro-Solutions® Neutral Floor Cleaner
- Use of high-quality microfiber mops and cleaning solutions to ensure a thorough clean.
3. Interim Maintenance: Prolonging Appearance with Minimal Effort
Interim maintenance addresses embedded soils, discoloration, and minor scratches on floor surfaces. Techniques like spray buffing and burnishing help restore the floor’s shine and protect against wear, offering a high ROI by minimizing the frequency of deep restorative procedures.
Using the right equipment is essential for achieving thorough and efficient floor care. From vacuum cleaners to scrubbers and buffers, each tool plays a specific role in maintaining different types of flooring.
Invest in high-quality equipment that suits your specific needs. Ensure regular maintenance of your tools to maximize their effectiveness and longevity. Well-maintained equipment not only saves time but also delivers superior cleaning results.
Interim Maintenance Best Practices:
- Spray buffing is performed using a 175-300 rpm swing floor machine with a red pad and Enviro-Solutions® ES86+ Spray Buff solution.
- The detergency and polymer of the solution cleans and repairs by filling in minor scratches, providing a uniform surface.
- Burnishing is a combination of higher RPM equipment with higher pad pressure. We recommend using a 1500 – 3000 rpm Burnisher with Natural Hair Pad for best results
- Using the proper Burnisher, Natural Hair Pad and Enviro-Solutions® ES94+ Burnishing Cream the process removes scratches and scuffs in finish, imbedded dirt and discolouration. The detergency and polymer of the solution makeup also repairs high traffic areas and improves surface traction, immediately leaving a brilliant shine.
- Routine use of ES95+ Traction/Restoration instantly improves the coefficient of friction improving slip resistance and helps reduce the risk of slip and falls.
4. Partial Restorative Maintenance: Top Scrubbing and Re-Coating
When interim steps aren’t sufficient, partial restorative maintenance comes into play. This step involves removing the top layer of the floor finish and applying a new coat, which preserves the floor’s integrity without requiring complete stripping.
By removing the top layers of the floor surface with imperfections and applying a few coats of finish, will extend the life of the coating and maintains a clean, shiny and safe floor.
Implementing this program will prolong the life of your current floor care program and reduce labour costs by approximately 50% over deep stripping procedures.
Partial Restorative Best Practices:
- Dust mopping before top scrubbing to remove grit and debris and to prevent damage.
- Use Enviro-Solutions® ES91 Deep Scrub at 1:40 to eliminate embedded soils.
- We recommend using a Blue Floor Pad for normal scrubbing and Black Pad for more aggressive preparation of severely worn areas.
- Applying 1–2 coats of an Enviro-Solutions® high-quality Floor Finish, extending the life of the floor and enhancing its appearance.
5. Complete Restorative Maintenance: Deep Stripping and Refinishing
Complete restorative is necessary as a last resort when Interim and Partial Restorative maintenance are not effective. Complete restorative care is the most labor-intensive and costly but ensures floors are brought back to their original state. This involves stripping away old finishes, sealing, and applying new layers, which protect against staining and extend the life of flooring substrates.
Complete Restorative Best Practices:
- Properly strip floors using an Enviro-Solutions® Floor Stripper, with careful adherence to dilution ratios.
- Sealing floors with an Enviro-Solutions® High-Quality Sealer to fill pores and prevent stains.
- Applying an Enviro-Solutions® Floor Finish for added protection, slip resistance, and a polished look.
Why Follow Enviro-Solutions® 5 Critical Elements of Floor Care?
A structured floor care program is essential for facility cleanliness, safety, and sustainability. Following these five elements ensures floors are well-maintained, reduces labor costs, and protects against health hazards like slips and falls. Additionally, each element contributes to a cleaner indoor environment, improving air quality and reinforcing the facility’s commitment to safety and wellness. By implementing a proper floor care program that meets the specific needs of your facility, you can help reduce the cost of labor. Remember, 90% of every budget dollar is spent on labor, less than 10% is the cost of the supplies!
For a janitorial team looking to maximize their floor care investment, the 5 Critical Elements of Floor Care from Enviro-Solutions® provides an efficient, high-return approach that keeps floors looking their best while protecting both facility occupants and the cleaning crew.
Have questions? Contact our experts at experts@charlotteproducts.com