Proper floor care is an essential part of cleaning, sanitization, appearance, and general maintenance. Floor care needs differ depending on the facility, but most commercial spaces, including schools, hospitals, office buildings, and more, require basic floor cleaning supplies and machines for a thorough but efficient job.
For most commercial jobs, you will need the following floor cleaning supplies:
- Large buckets
For most flooring, you can start by cleaning the surface with a microfiber dry mop.
- Microfiber dry mop
- Soft bristle brushes
- Cleaning, Restoring, Stripping, and Finishing solutions
- Auto scrubber
- Wet/Dry vacuum
This article discusses the best methods and floor cleaning supplies for effective floor care for each type of flooring that both cleans and protects the area that gets the most use, and therefore wear and tear.
Type of Floor
Your floor cleaning supplies and process will differ depending on the type of floor that you are cleaning. The most popular types of commercial flooring include hardwood floors, concrete floors, laminate and vinyl floors, tile floors and carpet. Here’s the best process and chemicals for cleaning each type of flooring:
Hardwood floor cleaning
Hardwood floors are vulnerable to scratching if you do not use the correct equipment and chemicals. Bluegrass recommends vacuuming or sweeping with a soft bristle brush and then following that with a microfiber dry mop. Use our Citrus Scrub ‘n Shine floor cleaner for a thorough cleaning that will remove dirt and scuffs while also restoring the shine to your wood floors.
Other products that we recommend for wood floors, especially those in school gyms, are Sport Tack and Sport Kote. Sport Tack is a versatile, dual purpose wood floor cleaner that ensures maximum slip resistances and finish integrity. It provides thorough, low moisture cleaning without an auto-scrubber. Sport Kote is a water-based, urethane wood finish that is ultra long-lasting and fast drying for easy application.
Concrete floor cleaning
This neutral floor cleaner has a mild pH – great for cleaning heavily soiled finished floors.
To clean concrete flooring, begin by vacuuming and/or cleaning the floor of all debris and dust with a soft bristle brush or microfiber dry mop. For a regular cleaning, we carry Centurion CG Contractor-Grade Concrete Cleaner and Densifier, which is ideal for maintaining, cleaning and densifying concrete surfaces.
If you are looking for a more thorough cleaning, Bluegrass offers supplies and equipment to fully strip, clean, and seal your concrete flooring, including Pantheon Concrete Sealer and Imperium Concrete Guard.
Note that Terrazzo is another popular flooring material like concrete that is also used in school gyms. We offer specialized Terrazzo cleaning and sealing products, such as Blue Concentrate SC, no rinse cleaner that is slip resistant and T-Rx, a sealant that provides stain resistance and restores color.
Vinyl and Linoleum floor cleaning
Vinyl and Linoleum are types of flooring that can require the occasional stripping for a thorough, deep clean, especially in high traffic commercial areas like a restaurant, school or hospital. Bluegrass offers Xlerate, which is an ultra-concentrated, high productivity floor stripper.
A wet/dry vac is a versatile vacuum that can pick up liquids as well as dirt and debris of various sizes.
Before applying stripper, clean your linoleum floors with a vacuum or soft bristle brush, and then make sure the area is well ventilated. Use a mop to apply the stripper to the floors, and then scrub the floors with a floor buffer or auto scrubber. You can use brushes or scrapers to reach the baseboards and corners. When you’re done, use a wet/dry vacuum to remove the wax buildup and stripper solution.
Finally, rinse the floor with a floor stripping neutralizer and then allow the floor to completely dry. After the floor is dry, apply one of the following floor finishers:
Commercial carpet cleaning
Regular maintenance is important with commercial carpeting to prevent wear and tear and ensure cleanliness. It’s easy for dirt, dust and more to build up in the carpet fibers, which can track through your business and reduce sanitation over time.
To deep clean your commercial carpeting, we recommend our Extractor Rug Shampoo or Crown Commercial Strength Carpet Cleaner.
Commercial Tile Floor Cleaning
Commercial tile flooring is also known as vinyl composition tile. It is very durable and cost-effective, as well as relatively easy to clean. Just like with other flooring, you want to regularly sweep or vacuum the surface prior to cleaning. Then use a neutral floor cleaner with a mop or automatic scrubber to remove dirt, stains and scuffs. Allow 30 minutes for the floor to dry.
With consistent maintenance and the proper supplies, your commercial flooring can be kept clean and looking new. Please call us anytime to ask about the proper cleaning solutions and equipment for your type of flooring to prevent potential damage or staining. We’re happy to help!
Looking for the best floor cleaning supplies and equipment for your school? Check out our latest blog here: https://bluegrassjanitorial.com/heres-the-best-floor-cleaning-equipment-to-keep-schools-universities-clean/
