3 Keys To An Effective Winter Floor Care Program

Winter weather is in full swing across much of the country and it can be a beast on your floors, especially for VCT.   Snow, slush and ice melt are tracked in on shoes and can make resilient floors dull and lifeless.  If you want to keep your floors looking great throughout the winter it’s important to have a solid winter floor care program in place.  The three tips below can help your keep your facility’s floors looking their best during the winter months.           

1.   Matting

The best way to keep your floors looking there best throughout the harsh winter months is to have a high-performance matting program in place for your facility.

  A quality matting system can help minimize the tracking of ice melt, soil and moisture by in your facility by stopping it at the door. Fifteen feet of matting is recommended for best results.  Contact your sanitary supply distributor or janitorial service provider for more information about your matting program.  

2.   Maintenance

Entrances should be mopped as frequently as possible using a neutral floor cleaner to help prevent soil and salt build up.  If possible, heavy traffic entrances should be mopped every two or three hours  during a winter weather event.  It’s important to remember to change out the mop solution after every use and use a clean mop.  Frequent auto scrubbing in lieu of mopping may be used if applicable.  It is also highly recommended to sweep away any remaining ice melt residue from walk ways and entrance areas after the winter event.      

3.   Floor Finish

Despite your cleaning staff’s best efforts, your floor finish is going to take a beating during the winter especially with snow and ice events.  Due to subpar appearance, you may be tempted to strip and refinish your floors but it is highly recommended to avoid doing so.  You should however continue to burnish during the winter months but it’s so important to make sure the floors are thoroughly cleaned and all salt residue is removed.  A good restorer should also be used.  In preparation for winter you should top scrub and apply several coats of finish in all high traffic entrance area to ensure a strong foundation.     

Despite the best planning and efforts winter weather and especially ice melt is going to have an adverse effect on your facility’s floors.  However, the steps above can help you keep your facility’s floors looking their best and save you time and labor when it comes time to strip and refinish.