Walk into any commercial building today; you’re probably not stepping on carpet. You’re stepping on resilient flooring—and that shift has created a tidal wave of maintenance, durability, and cleaning challenges that many professionals still struggle to address. According to Bill Luallen, vice president and technical trainer at XL North, a Textile Rubber and Chemical Co. division, that confusion is costing customers and cleaning contractors alike.
“What are you walking on? That’s the question,” Luallen said. “And if you don’t know the answer, you’re in trouble. We used to be all about carpet. But today, more than 50% of commercial spaces
flooring is resilient—and that number keeps climbing.”
Billions of variables
During the past five years, Luallen estimated that the industry has installed more than 55 billion square feet of vinyl flooring, which eclipses all other categories combined. While vinyl may sound straightforward, the umbrella of “resilient flooring” includes dozens of variations—vinyl composite tile (VCT), luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), stone plastic composite (SPC), wood plastic composite (WPC), linoleum, woven vinyl, cork, and rubber—each with different materials, coatings, moisture sensitivities, and cleaning requirements.
“Every single type of resilient flooring reacts differently to chemistry, agitation, and even moisture,” Luallen explained. “Linoleum is extremely moisture-sensitive. Rubber is pH sensitive. LVT has a factory-applied urethane coating that’s about as thin as a layer of spray paint. You can’t treat these the same—yet people do.”
Misidentification equals costly mistakes
Luallen recounted multiple horror stories from the field when misidentification of a floor type led to irreversible damage—one involving a technician who failed to remove dry soil before scrubbing
an LVT floor and ended up causing US$6,500 in damage thanks to a single sheet metal screw lodged in a red pad.
Another example is melamine pads, which cleaning techs often grab to spot clean. “That melamine pad will take the urethane coating off your LVT like it’s nothing,” Luallen said. “I’ve seen it happen in homes and hospitals. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
What is his golden rule? “Trust but verify,” Luallen advised. He said even if a client is confident of the floor brand and its care instructions, you should double-check. “Manufacturer specs can be outdated on the website,” he explained. “Call the 1-800 number. Get the most current maintenance guidelines.”
The dirt you don’t see
Ask Luallen about the most common causes of premature floor failure, and he won’t hesitate: sand and silica. These common contaminants sit at a 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, while most floor coatings rate just 2.5 to 3.
“Sand wins every time,” he said. “That’s why walk-off mats matter so much. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) recommends 32 to 36 feet of walk-off to remove 98% of soil. Most buildings give you 3 or 4 feet—and they wonder why their floors are scuffing and scratching.”
He urged cleaning professionals to advocate for better matting systems and to coach clients on proper daily maintenance.
When in doubt, stay neutral
With resilient surfaces, pH matters. Luallen said that practically 100% of manufacturers recommend neutral pH cleaners for daily use. Yet most cleaning crews turn to off-the-shelf degreasers or vinegar-based products that erode the floor’s protective layers.
“My No. 1 enemy is vinegar,” he said. “It smells clean, so people think it is clean. But it’s acidic and can ruin finishes.”
Any bump in pH—from an all-purpose cleaner to a degreaser—should only be used when necessary and in strict compliance with the flooring’s maintenance guidelines.
Resilient but not indestructible
Resilient flooring may be marketed as tough and low maintenance, but Luallen insists it’s still highly vulnerable, especially when manufacturers’ instructions are ignored. He detailed the layered construction of LVT, from the transparent wear layer to the photographic layer and backing. “Once you scratch through that wear layer, you’re into the photo,” Luallen said. “And once the photo is damaged, you’re toast.”
Certain rubber flooring types, especially in gyms, also pose issues. The mold release used in the floor’s production is supposed to be removed during the initial cleaning. But if it’s not, dirt
builds up, and the customer blames the floor.
Cleaning is chemistry—and timing
According to Luallen, the right cleaning process has five steps: apply, dwell, agitate, extract, and rinse. Skipping any one of those steps leads to failure and liability.
If you put chemistry down, you must pick it up. Only alcohol and ammonia evaporate effectively. Everything else must be removed, or you’re leaving residue and soil behind.
Brush before pad
Luallen champions using brushes over pads whenever possible, noting that modern brushes now match the abrasiveness of color-coded pads without the risk of embedding grit or damaging
floors.
“Brushes cost more upfront, about $165 each, but they last a year,” he said. “That’s cheaper than replacing a customer’s floor because your pad picked up debris.”
And above all, assess before acting. Identify the floor. Know its limits. Match your tools, chemistry, and methods to that material. Otherwise, you’re just guessing.
Don’t fail your floors
From LVT in facilities and rubber flooring in gyms to resilient sheet goods in cafeterias, success lies in knowing the material, understanding the manufacturer’s specs, and training your team to
clean accordingly.
You want to protect the customer, the floor, and your liability. That starts with education, verification, and knowing what you’re standing on.
“Floors aren’t designed, engineered, or manufactured to fail,” Luallen said. “People fail floors.”
