Weathering Winter's Mess

In the midst of winter, how can facilities weather winter’s mess, stay clean during the day and preserve floor surfaces? Here are some winter maintenance tips to discuss with your cleaning team:

Saturated Entrance Mats

Have a minimum of 15 feet of matting at building entrances to capture dirt, snow, slush and debris. The scraper mat should be placed outside the entrance door to capture dirt, snow, slush, and debris. Next, a scraper/wiper mat made of tough fabrics which contain direct and moisture. Finally, a wiper/absorbent mat made with carpet facing to complement most interiors which leads to the reception area.

Watch for saturation during the day. Use a carpet extractor or wet/dry vac to remove excess moisture. Over-saturated mats should be replaced with dry ones and rotated as needed for maximum performance.

Getting Salt Out of Carpet

Salt not only discolors carpet, but the small particulates are sharp and can break down the fibers and penetrate into the carpet backing.

Unlike most carpet spills and stains which lean toward the more acid end of the pH range, road salt is just the opposite with a higher alkaline content. Therefore, a more acidic pH cleaner should be used to effectively remove salt.

Extra Layers of Finish

It is not too late to apply extra coats of finish on hard surface floors as the finish can become dulled from salt abrasion and friction from boots. Also, cleaning frequencies and scrubbing, buffing and burnishing cycles should be increased, as needed.

Controlling Flu Outbreaks

Flu viruses can survive up to 48 hours on hard surfaces. All high-touch surfaces should be disinfected on a daily basis, including breakrooms, copier buttons, and elevator buttons. Hand sanitizer stations can be erected in areas where people congregate, such as elevator lobbies and cafeteria entrances.