The summer is a great time to clean your hard surface floors. Events and foot traffic are less frequent, giving time to apply waxing and other cleaning techniques and giving them time to dry. As you prepare your summer cleaning schedule, this blog will provide some considerations as you get ready to clean and make sure it’s done right.
Preparing: Assess Your Floors and Initial Cleaning
Before you begin, you’ll need to determine what kind of floor you have. The cleaning products and routine you’ll use differ from material to material, so make sure you are using the proper cleaners. Some floor types in your school might include:
VCT (vinyl composite tile) - A thin and lower-cost type of flooring material for schools, VCT is made up of floor tiles that can resemble a variety of other materials and come in different colors and patterns. These are usually located in high-traffic areas and made up of a variety of materials.
LVT (luxury vinyl tile) - Compared to VCT, LVT is usually thicker, more durable, and comes in a larger variety of colors and material mimicry. LVT is entirely made of vinyl and is easier to clean and maintain.
Porcelain - These are usually tiles for areas that often get wet, including bathrooms and pools. They’re typically scratch and stain-resistant and come in a variety of colors and styles.
Rubber - Compared to the other materials, rubber floors are often quieter, slip-resistant, and can incorporate visual designs well. They also need to be more microbial resistant as well.
Hardwood - This is generally the floor type for gymnasiums for its durability, traction, and shock absorption. If your gym floor isn’t wood, it may be a synthetic material, such as rubber or vinyl.
Determining your flooring is crucial. You traditionally don’t wax a porcelain or rubber floor, as you would make the surface too slippery or break down the material. Once you have the floors you want cleaned, take the time to research what cleaners and methods will work best for you. Generally, if the floor is not already glossy and you can feel the original material, it hasn’t been waxed or specially finished.
Regardless of the floor type, remove all furniture and pre-clean the area to be ready to go when it’s time to deep clean. Dust mopping or sweeping using a microfiber mop will help collect the first round of debris and dust. Vacuum in areas that are heavy in dirt and grime, and if you have a good auto cleaner, even better. You don’t want to seal any dirt under a new layer of wax, so cleaning debris now can save a lot of money in the future. This phase of cleaning is also helpful in determining if any section of the floor needs to be repaired or replaced.
Applying: Choosing the Right Cleaners and Practices
For a deep cleaning of any floor, use recommended cleaning solutions based on the type of floor you have. Generally, a neutral pH cleaner with a damp mop or auto scrubber works best, with a special wood-safe cleaner for your gym floor. Degreasers and grout cleaners can work well on buildup for your ceramic and porcelain floors. As you would expect, avoid cleaners that can be harmful to your youngest students if ingested, and reach out to a professional if you need recommendations for your particular floor.
If waxing, you want to strip away the old wax before applying a new layer. If you or your custodial staff make sure they are using a proper tool, such as an auto scrubber, to remove the wax properly. Your wax stripper solution will also be needed, but ensure you use proper safety clothing and equipment, such as a plastic liner, to prevent the solution from getting anywhere it shouldn’t. After following the cleaning directions, properly rinse the floor a couple of times and check that your floor is pH neutral before proceeding.
The waxing process will require a floor sealer to provide a base for the wax, along with multiple coats of floor wax as needed for your situation, and more layers for high-traffic areas. This will take some time, as you’ll want each layer of wax to dry for several hours before applying the next. After all the waxing, there will probably need to be a final buff to make the floor shine and clean up excess material, which will need more time to dry.
Maintaining: Creating Care Routines and Spot Cleaning
After the deep cleaning, you’ll want to maintain the new shine for as long as possible. Establishing a routine will help keep the hard floors clean for the days and weeks to come. Using the pre-cleaning mentioned above with your microfiber or machine cleaners will help keep debris away and should be done daily, if possible. If a larger mess appears, mop or scrub that area as soon as possible. You can also consider buffing an area of the floor if desired, if the shine fades quicker than the other parts of the floor, but use your best discretion to determine if specialized floor treatment is necessary.
If possible, keep a maintenance log to track what and when floors are cleaned, waxed, and repaired. You’ll be able to determine how much care each floor gets and determine solutions, such as floor repair or replacement, based on the data you’ve collected. With a proper routine, your floor should stay in the best condition possible and last you a long time.
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Properly maintaining your floors during the summer months is a great way to keep your floors lasting better for longer while avoiding scheduling conflicts. Through cleaning responsibly, you are showing all your students, visitors, taxpayers, and more that you care about maintaining the building and serving your community for years to come. Once you plan a schedule for these types of deep cleaning, you can make the return to school even more rewarding with a clean floor.
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