Regular Hard Floor Maintenance is the Key to Keeping Costs Low

Good hard flooring is a major investment in any building construction. Material and installation costs can easily amount to between 4 and 10 percent of your total building cost. However, hard floors take up the daily brunt of office traffic so the investment is a necessity. Cost to repair hard floors can be huge so it is important to implement a strict hard floor maintenance regimen to make sure they last as long as possible.

There are different types of hard flooring but two of the more common types are stone and hardwood. It is important to be familiar with each type not only because costs can vary widely but also because hard floor maintenance and cleaning requirements are very different.

Stone Floors

Stone floors are the preferred type of hard floor surfaces for offices and businesses because they are very sturdy and easily complement the building design. Marble, granite, slate, travertine, ceramic tile and sandstone are the most common stone floors because they come in various shades of natural colors that add character to a building. However, while stone floors may be very resilient and architecturally pleasing, some of them can be expensive to maintain.

Hard floor maintenance of stone floors largely depends on the type and texture of the stone.

Because stone flooring easily absorbs liquids they are usually sealed to prevent damage and staining. Regular hard floor maintenance is important to keep the proper level of sealant on the floor. This may include machine scrubbing & recoating or stripping & refinishing. It is important to be cautious when using cleaning products on stone floors. Because stones are natural materials, they are mostly alkaline and using acid cleaning products can cause serious damage. Good janitorial service providers know which products should be used for each of the different types of stone surfaces.

Maintenance of stone floors is also important because molds easily form on natural stone. Molds can cause different types of infections that are harmful to health.

Hardwood Floors

Hardwoods are most prominent in residential buildings but are also increasingly being used in offices and commercial buildings because of their homey feel and natural colors that bring a warm, comfortable feel to rooms. Just like stone flooring, hardwood floors use natural materials so cautious cleaning is also critical. Good hardwood maintenance generally consist of routine general cleaning which involve daily dusting using a microfiber mop to remove dust and dirt.

Vacuum cleaning is also important and should be done twice a week or even every day to remove grit that may scratch the word surfacing. When vacuuming, it is important to use a soft brush attachment on the vacuum cleaner to avoid abrasions on the floor. Deep-cleaning is necessary about every three months to keep the hardwoods natural finished look. This requires specialized cleaning products made for hardwoods. Note that hardwood floors are easily damaged by standing water so be careful not to leave any cleaning cloth or mop on the floor for long periods. You will also want to be careful with any potted plants by making sure they have a liner underneath to catch excess water.

A good commercial cleaning service knows the best hard floor maintenance products for each of the different types of floors and can provide regularly scheduled service to keep your floors looking their very best.