by Theresa | Oct 9, 2023 | Commercial Cleaning, Floor Maintenance
While the initial cost of floor stripping and waxing may seem like an expense, it's an investment that can yield substantial returns in the long run.
It’s as simple as comparing the cost of replacing your floors every few years to that of stripping and waxing.
The average cost of floor stripping and waxing is $0.40-$2.23 per sq/ft. Replacing vinyl composite (VCT) ranges from $3-$9, not including the time and costs of closing your establishment, preparing the area by moving furniture, and moving back in upon completion of the installation.
But if you’re still not convinced, let’s explore all 12 ways in which regular site maintenance, including floor stripping and waxing, can save you money.
1. Prolongs the Lifespan of Flooring Materials
The porous surface of most flooring acts like a sponge, trapping water and dirt, and as the integrity of the floor diminishes naturally over time it only becomes more porous.
A proper program of regular floor cleaning, especially floor stripping and waxing, can extend the lifespan of your flooring materials.
By removing dirt, debris, and stains that can wear down the surface, you reduce the need for costly replacements or repairs.
2. Prevents Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Clean floors are safer floors.
Routine cleaning helps eliminate slip-and-fall hazards, reducing the risk of accidents and potentially costly liabilities associated with injuries on your premises.
3. Preserves the Aesthetic Appeal
Clean, shiny floors make a great impression for anyone from clients and customers to employees.
When a commercial is well cared for, it conveys a sense of integrity and respect that reflects a commitment to excellence and attention to detail.
This can be particularly beneficial for businesses as it attracts customers and clients, potentially leading to increased revenue.
4. Reduces the Need for Expensive Restoration
Neglecting floor maintenance can result in the need for more extensive and costly restoration work down the line.
As we mentioned, most flooring materials are porous and as such they trap water.
Over time, that water will move down through the flooring and start eating away at the structure below. Floor stripping and waxing can prevent this by keeping your floors sealed against moisture and in good condition.
5. Improves Indoor Air Quality
Allergens, dust, and pollutants will rest on top of hard surfaces until they’re sufficiently cleaned away.
However, without proper cleaning, those allergens will circulate in the environment, contaminating the air quality, and potentially causing reactions and even illness.
Improved indoor air quality, will help to keep everyone in the environment healthier and even increase productivity and reduce stress.
6. Minimizes Downtime
Professional floor cleaning services often use efficient equipment and techniques, minimizing downtime for businesses.
This can prevent revenue loss associated with temporary closures for floor maintenance, or worse, floor replacement.
7. Avoids Costly Cleaning Mistakes
By having professionals clean, strip and wax flooring on a regular basis, commercial space owners and leasers can avoid major pitfalls.
These are some of the pitfalls we look out for when we’re stripping and waxing your floors.
8. Protects Investments in High-Value Floors
Some flooring materials are significant investments. Stripping and waxing is not necessarily the right choice for all types of flooring, as is the case with polished concrete flooring.
Proper cleaning and maintenance, can protect your investment by preventing damage and degradation, so it’s important to work with professionals who understand the needs of different materials.
9. Enhances Workplace Productivity
A clean and well-maintained workspace can boost employee morale and productivity. Happier, healthier employees are more efficient, potentially increasing your bottom line.
10. Contributes to Sustainability
The global trend of green cleaning, is not just an environmentally responsible choice; it can also save you money.
Eco-friendly cleaning products and practices often lead to reduced resource consumption and waste, which can translate to cost savings.
11. Preserves Floor Warranty
Many flooring materials come with warranties.
Proper floor cleaning, including stripping and waxing, can help you preserve warranties, ensuring that any potential issues are addressed by the manufacturer at no additional cost.
12. Prevents Costly Emergency Cleanups
Neglecting regular floor cleaning can cause stubborn stains and damage that may require emergency cleaning services.
This is especially the case when moisture penetrates beneath the flooring. These services can be expensive and are often avoidable through routine maintenance.
Investing in proper floor maintenance is a wise financial decision that can yield substantial savings over time.
From prolonging the lifespan of flooring materials to improving indoor air quality and preventing costly accidents, the benefits of a clean and well-maintained floor extend far beyond aesthetics.
Starting Right from the Ground Up
If you’re looking for a reliable commercial cleaning company to help with your floor maintenance, including floor stripping and waxing, look no further than Metropolitan.
Metropolitan Building Maintenance has been offering commercial cleaning services in the lower mainland for over 40 years, with an average customer retention of 14 years. If you’re interested in our services, contact us today for a free quote!
by Theresa | Oct 7, 2014 | Cleaning Industry, Commercial Cleaning, Floor Maintenance
Linoleum’s Resurgence and Eco-Friendly Charm
Linoleum flooring is making a triumphant return, especially in commercial spaces.
This revival isn’t just a trend; it’s a recognition of linoleum’s eco-friendly qualities, setting it apart from its distant cousin, vinyl flooring.
With this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about linoleum flooring, and how to best care for it to get the maximum longevity from your purchase!
Why Linoleum Flooring Is the Real Deal
Linoleum vs. Vinyl
Before we dive into maintenance tips, let’s clear up a common misconception. Linoleum flooring is not the same as vinyl flooring!
While vinyl flooring has a chemical composition that raises environmental concerns, linoleum flooring can be made sustainably.
Comprised of ground cork dust, rosin, eco-friendly pigments, solidified linseed oil, and limestone, linoleum boasts a roster of eco-friendly ingredients.
There are many flooring types out there, but these are two of the more often used in commercial environments.
Colours That Run Deep
Linoleum colours penetrate all the way through the material, unlike vinyl, where colours and patterns are merely surface-deep, linoleum’s hues evolve and reveal hidden layers of character as it ages gracefully.
As a result, even if there is wear on the surface over time, your floors won’t be left with unsightly spots.
Longevity Matters
Linoleum isn’t just a pretty face; it also has stamina.
In many commercial settings, linoleum floors can last up to 40 years, far outshining their vinyl counterparts.
But this is possible, only with the right care and maintenance program, otherwise, you might find you will not get your money’s worth.
Linoleum Floor Care Do’s and Don’ts
Unveiling the Beauty:
- pH-Neutral Magic: Use pH-neutral cleaning solutions to pamper your linoleum. Avoid high-pH and high-alkaline cleaners like the plague – they can lead to unsightly discolouration and cracks.
- Finish with Finesse: Opt for water-based, polymeric-type finishes recommended by the linoleum manufacturer. These products are like the skincare regimen for your floors, keeping them radiant.
- Buff with Gusto: Keep linoleum’s shine intact with a 175-rpm buffing machine. For stripping, embrace the power of the red pad (or go blue at the heaviest). Remember, balance is key – anything heavier might harm your beloved linoleum.
- Dilute and Dominate: Follow the stripping chemical manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Diluting floor-stripping chemicals with water as directed is the secret sauce for success.
- Daily Dance: Make it a daily ritual to dust mop and damp mop your linoleum floors. They’ll thank you with long-lasting allure.
Pitfalls to Avoid:
- Water Woes: Less is more when it comes to water because excessive moisture can sneak beneath the linoleum’s seams, leading to mildew and trouble.
- Finish Frugality: There’s no need to go overboard with the finish. Two to three coats will do the trick – no need for a floor makeover.
- Small Steps, Big Results: When stripping linoleum, tackle manageable sections at a time. Don’t bite off more than you can buff!
- Timely Triumph: Don’t let the stripping solution dry out completely on your linoleum floor. As we know, timing is everything in the world of linoleum care.
In the world of linoleum, care and attention are your floors’ best friends.
Remember these do’s and don’ts, and your linoleum will reward you with years of timeless beauty.
Keep Your Floors Forever Young with Metropolitan
Linoleum flooring isn’t just an old-timer; it’s a timeless classic; and when it comes to maintaining that youthful charm, trust experts who use sustainable cleaning methods.
Metropolitan has been around for a while – some might even call us old, but we have the secrets to keep your floors looking YOUNG, NEW, & SHINY for a very long time! Check out our services or contact us for a free quote today!
by Theresa | Jun 18, 2013 | Commercial Cleaning, Floor Maintenance, Green Cleaning
When we think of “green cleaning,” many focus on environmentally friendly products, such as green chemicals, recycled paper products, and even chemical-free cleaning methods.
But the greenest approach is to clean properly.
This involves a holistic strategy that combines the right processes, equipment, and chemicals.
Any commercial cleaning service worth its salt will educate you on how best to maintain the appearance of your facility or office and improve the longevity of your floors and carpets.
Maintaining a clean and healthy facility in a green way requires a structured cleaning program that keeps the premises looking professional, extends the life of your flooring, and reduces costs.
Addressing the Root Problem
Using green chemicals and low-impact cleaning methods may seem like a solution, but these approaches often only address the symptoms rather than the cause.
To truly reduce cleaning needs, it’s critical to adopt an “outside-in” approach to your cleaning program.
This strategy focuses on preventing soil from entering the facility in the first place.
The Cost of Soil
To understand how soil drives cleaning requirements, consider these industry statistics:
- 80–94% of soil in a facility is brought in via foot traffic.
- 1,000 people in 20 days track in 24 pounds of soil.
- $700 is the average cost to remove one pound of soil.
- Every visitor costs approximately 84 cents in soil removal expenses.
- A single grain of sand has 32 abrasive edges, which wear away at surfaces.
- 1,500 visitors can remove 42% of the floor finish within the first six feet of an entrance if no matting is present.
These figures illustrate the profound impact that tracked-in soil has on maintenance procedures, chemical usage, and budget. Without proper interventions, such as matting systems and routine cleaning, these costs will continue to climb.
The Four Phases of Maintenance
To combat the effects of soil ingress effectively, a comprehensive commercial cleaning services program must incorporate the following phases:
- Preventative Maintenance: Stop soils at the door through removal or containment.
- Daily Maintenance: Remove soils promptly to minimize their impact on indoor surfaces and air quality.
- Interim Maintenance: Maintain a high level of cleanliness with minimal labour, chemical, and water usage.
- Restorative Maintenance: Conduct intensive cleaning to restore surfaces as close as possible to their original state.
1. Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is the cornerstone of an effective cleaning program, especially in a green cleaning context. The primary goal here is simple: stop soils from entering the building.
By preventing dirt and debris from reaching your interior surfaces, you reduce the need for intensive cleaning and mitigate the wear and tear on your floors and carpets.
Key Strategies for Preventive Maintenance
Matting Systems:
A matting system serves as your facility’s first line of defence against dirt.
Proper matting captures soil at the entrance, preventing it from spreading indoors.
However, the effectiveness of matting depends on its length:
- 6 feet of matting traps only 40% of incoming soil.
- 36 feet of matting captures 99% of soil before it enters.
Carpets act as “unofficial mats,” absorbing dirt and wearing out prematurely without sufficient matting.
Most facilities already feature 36 feet of textile surfaces—leverage this with proper matting systems to reduce soil intrusion and protect carpets.
Sweeping Programs:
Sweeping is another powerful preventative measure.
A study by Windsor demonstrated that sweeping walkways, entryways, and parking lots can significantly reduce soil ingress:
- Sweeping walkways and entryways daily and parking lots twice weekly (up to 80 feet from the entrance) reduced soil by 66%.
Combining sweeping with matting creates an efficient barrier against dirt, saving cleaning costs and protecting your floors.
Does Cleaning Prevention Matter?
Preventing soil from entering your facility isn’t just about cleanliness—it’s about cost control and sustainability.
Removing soil that has entered the building costs $700 per pound, a significant expense driven by labour, water, and chemical use.
Furthermore, soils accelerate wear on hard floors and carpet fibres, leading to higher maintenance and replacement costs.
2. Daily Maintenance
While preventative measures focus on stopping dirt at the door, daily maintenance tackles the soils that make it inside.
This phase is essential for reducing the damage caused by dirt and ensuring your facility remains clean and appealing.
Key Strategies for Daily Maintenance
Hard Floors:
- Dry soils: Regular sweeping and mopping removes loose dirt, preventing it from grinding into the floor finish.
- Sticky, oily soils: Scrubbing removes residues that can discolour finishes, avoiding costly stripping procedures.
Failure to address these soils can lead to losing the glossiness of hard floors and the yellowing of wax, while also becoming a fine grit that will grind into the flooring itself.
Good maintenance prevents more labour-intensive restoration efforts and replacement.
Carpets:
- Frequent vacuuming: Removing dry soils promptly minimizes their abrasive effect on carpet fibres.
- Extraction Carpet cleaning: Accumulated dirt scratches and dulls carpet fibres, creating unsightly “traffic lanes” that cannot be restored through vacuuming alone.
Visualizing Carpet Damage
To understand the long-term impact of inadequate maintenance, imagine replacing your carpet with plexiglass.
Over months of use, even after cleaning, the plexiglass would show permanent scratches and dullness.
Carpets, made of similar plastic materials, undergo the same irreversible damage when dirt isn’t removed promptly.
3. Interim Maintenance
Interim maintenance ensures a high level of cleanliness while conserving labour, chemicals, and water.
It bridges the gap between daily upkeep and intensive restorative cleaning, focusing on maintaining appearance and reducing long-term wear.
Hard Floors
- Burnishing or spray buffing: Restores gloss and protects the finish without the need for extensive stripping and refinishing.
- Light scrubbing: Removes surface dirt and minor scuffs efficiently.
- Application of wax: by adding additional layers of wax after a thorough mopping, the gloss is improved and the extra layer provides protection against soil.
These methods require less water, fewer chemicals, and reduced labour expenses compared to restorative cleaning and replacement.
Carpets
- Encapsulation cleaning: Uses low-moisture detergents that crystallize soils, which can then be easily vacuumed.
- Spot cleaning: Targets localized stains and high-traffic areas, preventing them from becoming permanent.
Regular interim maintenance keeps carpets looking fresh and reduces wear without excessive water or chemical use.
By incorporating these methods, interim maintenance keeps commercial spaces clean and professional while minimizing environmental impact and operational costs.
4. Restorative Maintenance
Restorative maintenance is a detailed process aimed at revitalizing surfaces to their near-original condition.
It involves specialized procedures and equipment for hard floors and carpets and might require extended periods of work that might impact employees in the space.
Hard Floors
- Deep scrubbing: Targets ingrained soils and scuff marks to restore the surface’s original appearance.
- Stripping and refinishing: Removes worn or damaged floor finish and applies fresh coats of wax for renewed shine and protection.
Carpets
- Deep shampooing: Breaks down tough grime and revitalizes the carpet’s texture and colour.
- Hot water extraction (steam cleaning): Penetrates deep into carpet fibres to remove embedded soils, stains, and odours.
By conducting restorative maintenance, facilities can extend the lifespan of floors and carpets, maintain their aesthetic appeal, and ensure a healthier indoor environment.
Regular upkeep and interim maintenance help minimize the frequency and intensity of restorative procedures.
Budget and Environmental Impact
Proper preventative and daily maintenance have financial and environmental benefits:
- Cost Savings: Preventive measures and regular upkeep reduce the need for intensive cleaning, extending the life of your flooring and lowering overall expenses.
- Resource Conservation: Fewer chemicals and less water are required, supporting sustainability goals.
Remember, a robust commercial cleaning services program is an investment in your facility’s longevity, much like routine maintenance for a car.
By protecting your floors and carpets, you safeguard their value and reduce the need for premature replacements.
Carpets
Carpets that are not maintained on a routine schedule require significant water and chemical usage during deep cleaning to achieve an acceptable appearance.
Over time, carpets that cannot be effectively cleaned must be replaced, contributing to environmental waste.
The EPA estimates that 4.7 billion pounds of carpet are thrown away annually in the U.S. alone. Since most carpets are 98% synthetic, they take up to 1,000 years to degrade in landfills.
Hard Floors
Scrubbing and burnishing, top scrubbing and recoating, stripping and refinishing processes are labour-intensive and require significant water and chemical inputs.
Additionally, dust mopping and burnishing can stir settled soils into the air, affecting indoor air quality if soils are not adequately captured.
The environmental cost is considerable:
- Chemicals and scrubbing pads used during restorative procedures must be disposed of, often ending up in landfills.
- Water usage in these processes adds to resource consumption.
Replacing hard floors is usually a substantial cost for a given facility.
Are You Happy with Your Cleaners?
Understanding the relationship between soil ingress, cleaning demands, and environmental impact is key to developing a cost-effective and sustainable cleaning program.
By prioritizing preventative and daily maintenance, facilities can reduce their reliance on labour-intensive and resource-heavy restorative processes, protecting both their budget and the environment. Have your commercial cleaning services informed you of any of the details in this blog post?
If you’re interested in learning more about our commercial cleaning services, or if you are interested in having healthier cleaning options for your commercial space, contact Metropolitan today!
