A
GUIDE TO FLOOR MAINTENANCE
Floor
maintenance is a vital activity in any building, which has tile
flooring. Floors can either reflect a positive or negative image of a
business, depending on how they appear. First impressions may play a
role in whether a company gets a contract or wins a bid. For an
individual, it may determine if he/she gets a raise. There is no doubt
that making a good first impression is very important. Therefore, for a
business, the way its floors look is highly important.
Floor maintenance may
be thought of as sinkhole of money to some, but to others, it is an
investment in the future of the business. A beautiful plant or building
with bright shiny floors can be an advertisement reflecting that
company's pride and commitment to excellence. A building that has dull
dirty floors may reflect a lack of attention to detail or that the
company is second rate.
FLOOR MAINTENANCE
In floor
care, there are three basic steps one should follow to produce the best
results. These steps are
-
Stripping the floor
-
Applying the finish
-
Maintaining the finish
Stripping the Floor
The
first procedure in the floor maintenance process is stripping.
Stripping removes all the finish and sealer and leaves nothing
but the bare tile.
Maintaining the Finish
After
the fresh coats of finish have been applied, there are different
procedures for sustaining the look and life of the floor. Two such
procedures are dust mopping and buffing.
Dust Mopping
One of
the easiest ways to maintain a floor is by dust mopping. Dust mopping
removes various abrasives like sand, dirt, and dust. Consequently, the
less these particles are on the floor, the longer the shine and finish
will last. As a general rule, dust mopping should be performed at least
once a day. In high traffic areas, it should probably be performed
several times a day.
Buffing
"Buffing is a repair technique used to
clean and restore floor finishes when they are in need of maintenance".
One type of buffing is called as high speed buffing or burnishing. This
process utilizes a high speed buffing machine, which can range anywhere
from 1,000 rpm to 2,500 rpm. However, the most common is the 1,500 rpm
model. These machines use a soft nylon pad made from hogs' hair.
Again, the floor must be dust mopped before buffing to remove as much
dirt as possible. High speed buffing is the fastest way to remove black
marks and restore the shine to a floor. Buffing
techniques abrade the existing finish. It is similar to sanding a piece
of wood to make it smoother. Therefore, it is important to have a good
foundation of finish before buffing. If the floor does not respond to
buffing or becomes slippery, that is a sign that the finish is worn and
it is time to recoat. |
