Solutions For Having Your Commercial Tile Floor Cleaned

How important is “first impression” when a person enters your facility?  A large percentage of commercial buildings have some type of hard surface, or tile, installed in the lobby area.  The first area a person sees when they come through the front door.  What do your visitors see?  

We live in an era where cleanliness is not an option.  It’s not something that can be put on the backburner.  It’s a matter of life and death.  It’s a matter of keeping the mental health and wellbeing of our employees and visitors a top priority.  Even prior to the pandemic many companies began to take building cleanliness more seriously.  But oh, how the times have changed!  What about healthcare settings?  The CDC recommends floors in most areas of a healthcare facility be cleaned daily, and in some instances (such as restrooms) twice daily.  This is to prevent Healthcare-associated Infections (HAI’s).  Life and death!  And newsflash: Shiny does not always equal clean.  

For the purpose of this discussion, let’s talk general commercial (non-healthcare) hard surface, tile cleaning and maintenance procedures.  The most heavily trafficked areas are more than likely tile.  Lobby, restrooms, and kitchen/breakroom.  These areas are also most susceptible to slip/fall accidents.  They are also subject to the highest critique visually.  No one wants to see dirty grout joints in the bathroom.  Or grease covered quarry tile in a commercial kitchen (not to mention this can feel like an ice-skating rink).  How about mud covered footprints on your white porcelain lobby tile?  Not the best reflection of your maintenance standards.  

There really are a variety of things to take into consideration when instituting a hard surface maintenance plan.  With tile floors, the areas of heavy traffic must be cleaned more frequently than areas with light foot traffic.  While “dry” dirt can abrade the surface of the tile, “wet” dirt or soiling can change the slip resistance properties.  It is extremely important that both are addressed.  

There are still lingering questions about COVID-19 and its effect in indoor spaces, but we do have plenty of data on the effects of harmful bacteria, mold and mildew can have.  Standing water left on a porous surface will inevitably create unfavorable conditions.  Bathroom floor tiles are especially susceptible to this, as they are heavily used and have a high potential for water to be spilled and/or leaked onto the floor tiles.  Having your bathroom floor tiles professionally cleaned will help protect your investment, alleviate the overwhelming task of maintaining the tile, improve traction underfoot, and increase overall safety of your employees and visitors.  

Kitchen floor tiles are important to businesses as well.  Usually when employees are using the kitchen, they may be on a break or just trying to relax and escape stress for a moment.  The last thing they want is to see a dirty floor or worry about falling on unkempt tile.  In addition, keeping kitchen floor tiles professionally cleaned builds morale and keeps employees healthy and productive.  

Grout needs to be cleaned on a periodic basis as well, this will help remove any surface buildup.  There are also options for sealing grout with the initial installation that provides some protection, and when the grout has gotten stained beyond the point of no return, a grout restoration can be performed by an industry professional.  Corridor Flooring Associates and Corridor Carpet Care can assist with any questions or issues that you have with your floor tile cleaning process.  

With vinyl floor tiles, much like the other types of tile floors, a preventative maintenance plan should be implemented with regular cleanings.  An auto scrubber and neutral cleaner can be used for luxury vinyl tile (LVT).  Vinyl composition tile (VCT) used to be more popular, mostly due to the low up-front cost, but many organizations have switched to LVT for reasons such as ease of cleaning, and no-polish characteristics which results in lower maintenance costs.  Dirt and debris must be removed at a frequent rate, as dirt can be ground into the surface of the vinyl floor tiles.  Of course, any type of spills should be cleaned up immediately to prevent falls or staining.   

Harsh chemicals can damage tile.  Ammonia can discolor grout while acids can damage the grout and glazed surface of tile.  Porcelain can be permanently discolored by certain stains and dyes.  Natural stone must be cleaned with neutral cleaners specifically designed for natural stone tiles.  Natural stone is extremely sensitive to acids, even a mixture of vinegar and water can cause damage. Commercial floor tiles are best cleaned by professionals.  They have the experience to know when and how frequently low and high traffic areas should be cleaned and maintained.  Corridor Flooring Associates is a local expert that has been cleaning commercial floor tiles for decades and we would be happy to help you develop a personalized plan for your facility.