The Importance of Floor Care

…$.30 per square foot or $4.00 per square foot to replace

Most facility or office managers know the importance of floor cleaning, insisting their workspaces receive regular sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming as a part of their regular janitorial services. However, many organizations overlook the importance of more technical floor care processes. This can be a costly oversight in terms of both appearance and cost. Whether an office possesses a soft, carpeted floor or a harder floor material like vinyl or terrazzo, methods for deeper cleaning and protection of those surfaces both exist and should be utilized at least twice per year.

Carpet Cleaning – Hot Water Extraction

In the case of carpets, steaming the material, also referred to as hot water extraction, is an essential part of the process. Hot water extraction is a method by which hot water and a properly diluted carpet cleaning solution are injected into the fibers of the carpet using relatively high-pressure. This form of cleaning yields several desirable results.

First, this method dislodges debris, dirt, and dander from carpeted materials. The same debris which causes foul odors can contribute to sinus or allergy issues by contaminating the air, or simply render the carpet’s aesthetic unpleasant to the eye.

Hot water extraction also allows for agitation of the chemical application that further cleans the carpeted material, all before being vacuumed up by a high-power suction hose attached to the equipment. While some organizations use truck-mounted carpet cleaning techniques, hot water extraction works at a lower pressure level which, in turn, keeps the liquid and chemical from overly pressurizing the important adhesive material used to attach carpet to the subfloor.

Hard Floor Cleaning – Strip and Refinish

When it comes to cleaning hard floors, more rigorous applications for cleaning and protecting floors also exist. Notably, a service called “stripping and refinishing”, or “stripping and waxing”, stands out as the gold standard for floor protection and maintenance of aesthetics.

Typically, when a floor is installed, a layer of floor finish, or sealant, coats the top surface of the raw floor. This provides protection from wear and tear by creating an in-between layer of sealant. As the sealant is worn down by typical traffic and other use, the floor becomes increasingly prone to scrapes, scuffs, or cuts into the actual flooring. Unfortunately, this could lead to a costly replacement process.

Moreover, debris, dust, and dirt usually begin to seep into eroding sealant. As this happens, the “deep, wet” desirable look turns dull, giving the floor the appearance of being unclean and unattractive. The remedy for these phenomena is to remove the sealant with a cleaning chemical called a “stripper”. Essentially, this is the commercial cleaning version of fingernail polish. Once the sealant is removed and the floor material is exposed, janitorial service providers can begin coating the floor with a floor finish or “wax”.

Stripping and waxing not only protects the floor as it dries “hard”; the acrylic in the compound also provides the floor with the wet look that gives it that much-desired sparkle and shine. Of course, the reapplied finish also builds back up a protective layer, which mitigates the potential for damage. The strip and refinish process will not only save the unfortunate cost of ultimately having to completely replace the flooring, it will also restore it to its former, shiny glory.

Considering the cleaning and sanitary benefits of hot water extraction carpet cleaning or stripping and refinishing, pursuing a floor program seems like an easy decision. However, further comparing the relative prices of floor replacement – $3 – $6 per square foot – against service cost – $0.10 – $0.35 per square foot, the choice becomes a no brainer.

Corvus Janitorial Systems

With over two decades of experience, Corvus Janitorial Systems has perfected floor care. We use a wide range of techniques and tools to maintain facilities of all types. Reach out to us today for a free quote for your floor care, cleaning, disinfecting, and/or sanitizing needs.