Though it is often overlooked, floor maintenance has an important role in keeping your house fresh and in the best condition. Luckily, we’re here to explain how to do this job and keep your home looking its best.
Floor cleaning & maintenance is the key to having a clean-looking interior at all times. You may not wish to accept this, but it is the truth. If you want a pristine home, you should dedicate some time to floor cleaning.
So, wait no more and learn everything you need to know about floor care from this article. And if you need professional help, contact Triad Flooring and Bath, and we’ll assist you with any kind of flooring job you have.
The Importance of Flooring Maintenance
Regardless of which type of flooring you have, its regular cleaning & maintenance will be the key to a good look. Using the correct cleaning products will be essential for achieving attractive and clean floors after regular maintenance.
Try the methods below if you wish to perform flooring maintenance by the book.
Prevention – Floor Matting Program
First things first – without proper matting, we can’t keep moisture and grit off the floor, so it’s crucial we start with this step.
Outdoor matting is used for gross soil and moister knock-off—foyer for further soil knock-off, and indoor matting for final moisture removal.
Daily Floor Maintenance Routine
Dust Mopping
The second step of flooring maintenance might be the most important one – dust mopping. Dirt particles can diminish the shine of even the highest-quality floors and damage the look of their finish.
Regular dust mopping will keep the floor grit-free, and the damage can be avoided.
Daily floor care should include a dust mopping session if you want your home in its best condition at all times. These are the most significant benefits of regular dust mopping:
- It removes larger debris.
- Damp mopping becomes more effective.
There are a few rules you should remember, though. Always mop the dust before the damp mopping. Using a clean dust mop is a must. Also, avoid oil-based solutions at all costs.
Damp Mopping or Auto-Scrubbing
To remove oily and particulate soil from the surface of your flooring, perform damp mopping regularly. This will stop your floor finish from yellowing or darkening.
If the soil load is quite heavy, performing this job daily is your best option.
So, use a damp mop to clean the area every day, but make sure to change the water when dirty. Damp mopping takes care of particulate soil, which causes the biggest damage to flooring finishes.
Of course, when damp mopping, follow the basic rules of floor maintenance:
- Follow the label for the dilution
- Make sure the mop is clean
- Start with water, then adjust the dilution when necessary
If you have access to an auto-scrubber, you should use it. This method is more effective than damp mopping, so you’ll be able to cut the amount of floor cleaner in half. This comes from two main reasons:
- Pads or brushes have a more aggressive agitation.
- The vacuum helps with the pick up of soil and cleaning solution. This is the most valuable benefit of auto-scrubbers and their biggest advantage over damp mopping.
And, of course, don’t forget to clean up all spills on the spot. Regular floor care is the key to maintaining a good-looking finish. So, there shouldn’t be any puddles on the flooring for too long since that will damage the finish and ruin the floor’s look.
Low-Speed Buffing
Floor maintenance includes keeping a fresh, flat surface with little-to-no scratches. This is accomplished with the help of low-speed buffing. After performing this job, the surface of the floor will reflect light evenly and present a glow shinier than before.
Also, buffing will grant you a much smoother shine and delay any future recoating jobs you had planned.
Still, remember that floor cleaning requires you to follow its specific rules:
- Always remember to clean the floor before low-speed buffing.
- Use the following list to help you achieve a finish that will last longer:
- A spray buff to help repair and fill in the scratches. This will allow the machine to create the smooth surface you once had.
- A mop-on maintainer does the same job but more efficiently.
- Find an appropriate pad for the required work.
High-Speed Burnishing
High-speed burnishing is the last part of daily floor cleaning & maintenance obligations. It’s used for the same job as low-speed buffing but performs it much more efficiently.
This type of work will give your floor a smoother finish and push the planned recoat even further. But remember these facts before starting the job:
- Cleaning the floor first is a must.
- Match the burnish frequency to the requirements of the floor finish.
- Choose a pad appropriate for the result you’re trying to reach.
Interim Maintenance
Scrub and Recoat
Regular floor cleaning, like buffing and burnishing, won’t be enough to bring a new finish to your floors. These are the top considerations worth noting when talking about top scrubs:
- Pad selection plays a vital role.
- Cleaner selection and dilution – deep scrub with 2-4X cleaner.
- Always rinse with clean water before applying the finish.
Recoating
After the existing finish has been scrubbed off, along with the dirt and light scratches, you’ll need to apply a third coat to provide your floor with more gloss than ever before.
There are a few things to keep in mind when doing this:
- The selection of the finish
- How the finish matches the burnishing frequency
- Number of finish coats
- Dry time
Restorative Floor Care
Strip and Refinish
Those whose house floors have darkened or yellowed from embedded dirt know that sometimes a scrub and recoat won’t be enough. In those cases, a strip and refinish is the step to take.
Remember these strip and finish considerations if you ever decide to do this job.
Strip Considerations
- Avoid long-term risks by using a safe stripper.
- Check the label for dilution specifics.
- Let the stripper dwell.
- Rinse with clean water immediately after using the stripper.
- Before applying the new finish, make sure the old has been stripped entirely.
Finish Considerations
- Consider the maintenance frequency when choosing the new finish.
- Only apply finishing to a clean, dry floor.
- Maximum gloss requires at least four coats of finish
- Dry time shouldn’t be overlooked if you want high-quality results.
- Apply finish in the right amount of thickness.
- Consider the conditions of the facility (temperature, airflow, humidity, etc.) when applying the condition.
Contact Triad Flooring & Bath
If you’re in need of a floor installation service, contact Triad Flooring & Bath. Don’t leave such an important task in the hands of amateurs, and make sure your floors are getting the best treatment.
Our team has years of experience with this type of work, and we’ll be more than happy to help with all of your flooring needs.
