Why the floor material decides the cleaning method
Floor cleaning does not run on a single method. Carpet, PVC and linoleum behave differently with moisture, dirt and cleaning chemicals. Use the wrong product or too much water and the result can be worse than before the cleaning.
Business premises often have several coverings at once. Carpet at the entrance, PVC in the corridors and something else again in the kitchen. So it makes sense to write down which coverings the building has and to tie each one to its own method and product. Otherwise the whole floor gets the same treatment from one mop.
Carpet needs regular vacuuming
Carpet collects dirt between the fibres, which is why it needs vacuuming on a regular basis. Entrances and walkways get dirty fastest, because grit comes in on shoes. Fresh stains should be dealt with straight away. Rubbing can push the dirt deeper into the fibres.
Grit is the biggest problem for a carpet. It works down under the fibres and cuts them with every step. That is why the carpet in a walkway goes dull before the rest of the room, even with no stains on it. Regular vacuuming protects a carpet more than any later cleaning does.
PVC and linoleum do not take strong chemicals
PVC and linoleum need different care. For daily cleaning a barely damp microfibre mop and a product suited to the material are usually enough. Too much water can damage the joints and the subfloor. Linoleum is more sensitive to cleaning chemicals than many PVC coverings.
If the surface is washed with too strong a product time after time, the protective layer wears away before the material itself. The floor starts to go dull and dirt stays behind after washing, because it grips the worn surface. From that point on, usually only deep floor cleaning helps.
The right product saves the floor
Choose the cleaning product from what the manufacturer of the floor covering recommends. A neutral product suits most daily cleaning, while stronger chemicals are meant for a particular kind of soiling on a particular surface.
If the manufacturer’s instructions have been lost, try a new product first on a small and less visible spot. A corner behind a cupboard or the area beside a door gives you the answer before the whole floor has been gone over.
A barrier mat cuts the need for cleaning
A barrier mat lowers the cleaning load, because most of the grit and dirt coming in from outside stays on the mat before it reaches the floor. The mat has to be big enough and it needs cleaning too. Once a mat is full, it no longer holds dirt as well.
Big enough here means that a person coming in takes several steps on the mat. A small mat by the door usually gets stepped over and the dirt carries on into the building.
When a floor needs deep cleaning
Deep cleaning is needed when the usual care no longer gives the result you want. On carpet the signs are darker walkways and a general loss of colour. On a hard floor the sign can be a worn protective layer and dirt that stays behind after mopping.
Lux Puhastus is a cleaning company in Tallinn that provides cleaning services to business clients in Tallinn, Viimsi, Maardu and the Saue area. We carry out deep floor cleaning and carpet cleaning, and a free site survey helps to judge what is worth doing. Ask for a quote.