Snow and ice; freezing rain and slush; salt, sand and other ice-melt products. During winter, daily foot traffic can bring these and other outdoor elements indoors, which often causes significant damage to commercial carpeting and can dull and scratch the surface of even the most durable hard-surface floors. This makes regularly scheduled commercial floor cleaning crucial for any company wanting to maintain and protect their flooring investment throughout the harsh winter season.
In winter, normal daily wear and tear on floors is compounded by the presence of seasonal debris and ice-melt chemicals that can strip protective finishes and leave unsightly residue behind. To preserve and extend the life of your carpets and hard flooring, rely on professional commercial floor cleaning and implement preventative maintenance measures to protect your floors from winter weather damage. The following are some simple yet effective practices you can follow to help reduce deterioration of floors and carpeting at your business facility during the cold weather months.
PREVENTATIVE FLOOR CARE MAINTENANCE FOR WINTER
Use Protective Mats
Place protective mats and runners in high-traffic areas and entry points to trap moisture, salt, ice-melt compounds and other winter debris before they cause damage to floor coatings, carpet fibres and underpadding. Installing protective mats in strategic locations at your facility will significantly reduce the risk of damage to your commercial carpeting and hard-surface floors over winter. Protective mats also provide traction, thereby helping to prevent slip and fall accidents and injuries often caused by wet, slippery floors.
Use Proper Cleaning Products and Techniques
There are many types of hard-surface commercial flooring, including luxury vinyl tile (LVT), concrete, marble, tile and grout and wood, and they all require slightly different cleaning techniques. Make sure your commercial cleaning providers are using the proper cleaning products, equipment, techniques and processes that are suitable for your floor type to effectively remove salt, sand, mud and ice-melt residue.
The salt used on roads and sidewalks to combat icy surfaces poses a particular challenge for wood floors. The hard crystalline structure of salt can scratch and damage hardwood finishes, and this becomes particularly noticeable in high-traffic areas. Routine floor care plus regular re-application of protective coatings is necessary to prevent the degradation of wood floors over winter.
Protect Your Carpets
For commercial carpeting, the same precautions must be taken. Ensure that your professional cleaners use your carpet manufacturer’s recommended cleaning products, equipment and procedures to clean your commercial carpet during winter. Using the wrong products, equipment or procedures can contribute to mold and mildew problems as well as to pre-mature wear and damage to carpet fibres.
Carpeted flooring is a significant investment for any business facility, so you want it to look its best, prolong its use and avoid costly replacement. To help your carpets survive winter, place absorbent doormats, boot trays and umbrella stands at entrances to reduce the amount of moisture and debris tracked indoors over the winter season.
Conduct Regular Inspections
Early detection of floor and carpet damage allows for fast intervention that can prevent what initially may appear to be minor issues from escalating to long-term and costly repairs or replacement. Inspect your flooring regularly for signs of deterioration, and ask your commercial cleaners to address any areas of concern as soon as possible.
Invest in Professional Winter Commercial Floor Cleaning Services
Preserve the appearance and lifespan of your commercial carpet and hard-surface flooring by investing in reliable and professional commercial cleaning services throughout winter.
With over 70 years’ experience, the commercial cleaning experts at ServiceMaster Clean have the knowledge, equipment and experience to address the unique challenges posed by winter weather and to give your floors the care they need. We will design a custom winter floor and carpet maintenance program to meet your facility’s specific needs, scheduling requirements and budget. Contact us today for a complimentary assessment.