5 Winter Floor Care Tips

With the first day of winter right around the corner, it is time for facilities to ready their floors for the snow, ice, salt, and sand commonly tracked throughout buildings during cold-weather months.

“It is important for businesses to protect their investment in floors which can impact the perception of a business,” said John Engel, Cintas Corp. director of marketing. “Keeping dirt and debris from entering a facility and being vigilant with your floor care program is critical for keeping floors in top shape throughout the winter.”

To help businesses protect floors during the harsh winter months, Cintas offers these five essential tips:

1.Implement a comprehensive matting program: Without adequate matting, 42% of a floor’s finish can be removed within the first six feet of an entrance after only 1,500 people have entered a facility. Implement a dual-mat system that includes scraper mats and carpet mats. Scraper mats feature active blades of various heights that scrape grime and debris off shoes outside front entryways and carpet mats pick up excess debris.

2. Clean floors frequently: A staff member should regularly mop entryways and other floor surfaces throughout a facility. This can remove salt lines from ice melt and reduce water accumulation from snow and freezing rain. Use heavy-duty wet mops and microfiber mops that capture and remove moisture from floors. For spot cleaning or picking up small spills, consider a pulse mop that doesn’t require prepping a mop bucket.

3. Conduct periodic deep cleaning: Conducting regular deep cleans, especially during the winter months, can minimize the burden of daily cleaning and extend the life of floors. Deep cleaning can also restore facility floors to “like new” condition, resulting in a favorable customer perception.

4. Keep facilities stocked and employees trained: In addition to implementing mat and floorcare programs, keep all maintenance items in an adequate supply. Staff members should receive proper training and understand the correct floor cleaning procedures.

5. Work with an experienced services provider: Ensure mats are installed and maintained correctly by partnering with a qualified service professional that offers freshly cleaned carpet mats while removing the dirty ones. Service providers can also ensure cleaning supplies are adequately stocked and perform periodic deep cleans to help protect a business’s investment in its floors.

“Floors experience the most wear and tear within a building and are the first asset visitors notice when they walk in,” Engel added. “It is important to implement a comprehensive matting program to prevent winter debris from entering a facility and a floorcare program that includes frequent cleanings and deep cleans to enhance the appearance of floors.”

Find other floor care tips in Engel’s recent articles on CMM: Winter Floor Care Tips for Facility Managers and Facility Mat Selection, Placement, and Care Tips.