Clean and maintained floors offer more value to business activity than one might think. Picture walking into any place of business and finding dirty, unkempt floors in poor condition, potentially creating a safety hazard. Would you feel comfortable engaging in business on that premises? The importance of commercial floor maintenance goes beyond the building’s cosmetic appearance. It leaves a lasting impression on customers and can affect how productive employees are in that area. Depending on the material, it could also have risky health and safety implications.
At The Facilities Group, we’re well aware of the difference a clean surface makes and want to spare you the expense of total floor replacement when all they likely need is a thorough cleaning. Learn more about the benefits of floor maintenance and how you can keep your floor sparkling clean no matter the floor type.
First Impressions Might be the Only Impression
The floor of your commercial premises is one of the first and most noticeable features potential and existing customers may see. The floor’s overall condition may leave a positive or negative impression for your customers, defining their experience in that building. For example, it would be unpleasant for customers to be greeted by a dirty, dusty floor. They may detect a foul odor coming from the floor, or it might be uncomfortable to walk on a sticky or slippery surface. All these factors are relevant when a customer is considering how professional you are as a company.
Clean Floors Enhance Productivity
As an owner or manager, you want to provide your team with a safe and hygienic environment to ensure they can put out their best work. Clean workspaces benefit employees and increase productivity and motivation. Workspace condition has the power to psychologically impact those who work on your premises – high levels of productivity are associated with cleaner workplace conditions and low levels of productivity are associated with unhygienic workplace conditions.
Safety and Health Should Be Number One
Safety is always number one and what you may not realize is how much dirt, dust and negligence can damage your flooring. Floor maintenance is important due to the possible safety risks and hazards it imposes. It can be dangerous to allow customers or patrons to walk on a slippery floor or a floor with surface fragments and cracks that make it more likely for someone to get injured and pursue legal action.
Some people have allergies and may be sensitive to dust on the floor, resulting in allergic reactions and breathing difficulties. Dirty floors also make it difficult to locate or fix a safety issue in the floor, leading to an increased risk of people walking on them.
Improved Cleanliness Speaks Volumes About a Business
Commercial buildings bring in high volumes of people, which makes it easier for germs and bacteria to spread. Employees spend a lot of time at work, making them more susceptible to falling ill. Regular floor maintenance minimizes the spread of bacteria and creates a fresh, open space for all who enter the premises.
The state of your professional space represents your business, and floors that are left dirty and damaged say plenty to customers about your consideration of safety and cleanliness and may leave many customers questioning business operations if management won’t even attend to floor maintenance.
Tips for Floor Cleaning and Maintenance
Floor maintenance requires a custom strategy depending on the type of floor requiring servicing. Commercial buildings often have more than one type of material used in the flooring. For example, the same building may have rooms with tiled floors, concrete floors, rubber floors and carpeted floors, requiring specialized cleaning for each surface. The material used determines the necessary maintenance and cleaning and helps prolong the life of the floors.
Let’s dive into how each floor surface differs and how often they require care.
Tile
The main types of tiled floors in commercial buildings are Vinyl Composite Tiles (VCT) and ceramic tiles. VCT tiles remain in their best condition with a thorough maintenance plan and routine cleanings involving a deep machine scrub, rinse, and buff. If VCT tiles look dull, an added layer of finish can be applied to achieve a more refined or glossy appearance.
Ceramic tile maintenance and cleaning are focused on the grouted areas. Grout cleaner is usually recommended to minimize the appearance of darker or dirtier grout lines. This, in addition to a basic sweep, scrub, rinse and dry, will help keep the ceramic tiles spick-and-span.
Carpet
Carpeted floors require frequent cleaning to avoid dirt or debris from embedding into the material. It is recommended to vacuum carpets every week and engage in deep cleaning every few months as per the carpet manufacturer’s suggestion. It’s important to address spills on the carpet immediately and be careful not to pull on any snags.
Concrete
Concrete floors require daily mopping and regular cleaning to retain pristine condition. Professional cleaning crews use specialized equipment for a deep clean and quick dry approach. Sealant can also be applied to enhance the concrete flooring’s appearance and durability.
Rubber
Rubber floors are simple to maintain on a daily basis because daily cleaning requires nothing more than a sweep, mop, and vacuum. If you notice dirt in hard-to-reach areas, professional cleaners usually recommend professional floor stripping, which could tarnish the finish layer of the rubber flooring if misapplied.
TFG Delivers Quality Floor Care, Cleaning and Maintenance Solutions
Here at The Facilities Group, we believe our services create healthy workplaces. We’ve worked with various industries to ensure their floors are safe, hygienic, and inviting for customers to appreciate the quality of a clean and maintained floor. Your floors make a statement about your business, which is why we’ve adapted our processes and work with specialized equipment to get the most out of an existing floor and increase its longevity.
As a business ourselves, we understand the importance of providing a safe, hygienic and clean work environment and wholeheartedly believe in the advantages they provide for employee safety and productivity. Get in touch with one of our trained professionals for all of your janitorial and floor care needs.
