Great floor care tips can save you money… and headaches
Labor is the single greatest expense facing facility managers and building service contractors. And in an era of ever-tightening budgets, custodial supervisors and managers are being asked to “do more with less” – maintaining larger floor areas with diminishing staffs.
Part of the solution is new technology and neat “tips” that get the job done faster, but more importantly, correctly.
Floor care equipment manufacturers have introduced machines that harness technology to improve productivity and reduce labor costs. Plus, they have advice that help you to train your crews so your floor care personnel aren’t idling on “automatic pilot”, finding themselves in a rut, performing floor care techniques that are outdated—or, that aren’t effective any longer because of the technology-driven era we live in.
Three ways to make maintenance simpler
Floors are a major investment, and having the right combination of products, procedures, and personnel will help extend the life of the floor and simplify the maintenance process. A thorough training program using written and interactive resources is critical for all floor care technicians. This promotes consistency and safety and insures that the proper products and procedures are being utilized.
It’s important to select the right floor finish. Floor finishes are designed to respond differently based on the type of equipment being used and frequency of maintenance. Manufacturer recommendations will help guide you to the right choice.
The floor maintenance process can be simplified into three procedural categories: Routine, interim and restorative.
Routine maintenance includes daily removal of damaging soil and debris.
The first line of defense in any building entrance is adequate floor matting, which can prevent up to 90% of soils from entering your facility. To remain effective, matting should be regularly vacuumed and periodically extracted.
Damp mopping or automatic scrubbing with a neutral floor cleaner will remove soils without dulling or damaging the finish.
Interim maintenance comes into play when routine maintenance no longer produces the desired results. The concept is to replace the top soiled layers of finish with new finish.
The best way to accomplish this is by using a top scrub cleaner specially designed for this purpose. The procedure also extends the time between stripping procedures, reducing labor and product costs.
Restorative maintenance is performed when routine and interim procedures no longer produce the desired result.
Utilizing a no-rinse, low-odor floor stripper makes this procedure easier and more comfortable to perform. Specially-designed orbital stripping machines substantially reduce the time the job takes.
Unlimited Building Maintenance specializes in TOTAL VCT floor care. UBM serves the business community in the Kansas City Metro Area
