As you glide across your facility’s sparkling floors, your feet crossing over from one surface to the next, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “I’m pleased I have a full arsenal of cleaning chemicals and a profound knowledge of detergents and the exact surfaces to employ them on.”
Understanding floor detergents and their applications.
Or is it just the two of us…? Of course, we’re joking. Even the most experienced and knowledgeable facility personnel can occasionally struggle to select the proper cleaning chemicals for each surface. It’s more difficult when you have a combination of carpeted floors, concrete, hardwood, and laminate flooring — all with differing degrees of traffic.
Here are four questions to ask when deciding which floor cleaning solvent is best for the job.
1. How filthy is the floor?
Regardless of the type of flooring, there are times when something only needs to be cleaned and other times when it requires a thorough cleaning. Floor cleaning liquids are often designated for the latter type.
However, this does not indicate those floor cleaning products should not be used regularly. One of the elements to consider when deciding how badly a certain floor requires a deep clean is the amount of traffic in that area. Some places will require floor cleaning products on a much more frequent basis than others.
2. Is there carpet on the floor?
This one should be rather simple to answer. First, the most popular type of carpet cleaning does not necessitate detergents, as all carpets must be vacuumed regularly. (Recalling question one: For industrial carpets, this may only be a couple of times each week, however for busier facilities like schools or restaurants, it is almost always daily.)
Even carpets that are vacuumed regularly will periodically require a deeper cleaning. When they do, you should use a pre-treating cleaning chemical before utilizing a machine, such as an extractor, to remove all the dirt and grit out of the carpet. These pre-treating solutions are commercially available and are precisely developed to clean carpet fibers as thoroughly as possible without destroying them.
Another factor to consider is the long-term impact of the cleaning solution’s surfactants. Tennant employs biodegradable detergents that are safer for the environment.
3. Does the floor have a coating, or is it uncoated?
The good news is that various light-duty and general-purpose cleaning products are available that will work on both coated and uncoated floors. However, because of the variety that falls inside, the answer to this issue is still significant. And it’s not just about deciding which items to buy. It’s also about knowing how to apply them.
Porous surfaces, such as hardwoods and laminates, can withstand liquid cleaners, but you must work fast because prolonged exposure to liquid can cause harm. Another example: tile flooring may need the use of non-abrasive cleansers.
Considering whether a floor is coated or uncoated and the other variables within can assist you in selecting the best liquid cleaning.
4. Do I need a strong cleaning solution?
Finally, for problems that aren’t causing havoc, we ask how dirty the floor is. Degreasers are the most serious liquid cleanser detergents intended for the dirtiest of messes. Degreasers, unlike many pH-neutral general-purpose cleaners, are designed for vigorous cleaning tasks and may have a high alkaline (or acid) component to aid in their performance.
If you’re wondering that degreasers aren’t appropriate for all flooring, you’re right. On the other hand, Degreasers are capable of removing tire marks, oil and grease stains, and other stains from concrete, stone, ceramic tile, and other surfaces.
Another thing to keep in mind is that your floor cleaning machines may be designed to work with specific liquid cleansers. A little research ahead of time can go a long way toward extending the life of your floors and the machinery that cleans them.