Large commercial buildings, particularly schools and community halls use vinyl flooring as it is affordable, easy to maintain and durable. All types of vinyl flooring require maintenance occasionally whether it be re-application of the seal to enhance and protect it or polish that protects the flooring from wear and damage. As professional cleaners in the North East, we have put together our recommendations on stripping, cleaning and polishing your vinyl floor.

1. How to strip vinyl flooring?
When applying a new coating of vinyl flooring it is very important to remove any old surface coating beforehand, failure to do so can cause problems in the future. The first step to removing the old polish is mixing a floor polish removing chemical with water and dispersing it over the required area. Allow a minimum of 15 minutes for the mixture to have an effect. You may need to add approximately three coats per application depending on the number of coats of seal that need to be removed. If stripping off the old coatings is something that has been ignored previously, professional floor cleaning companies can help. Ideal Cleaning use the correct products and industrial cleaning equipment to provide a fast, efficient and quality vinyl floor cleaning service.

2. How to clean vinyl flooring?
Once the surface coating has been stripped and removed, next up it’s time for some deep cleaning to remove the soiling that often becomes trapped in the worn surface of the vinyl. Add a cleaning chemical to hot water and mop the floor surface, we recommend using a course nylon scouring pad underneath your mop to provide the agitation needed to loosen the embedded soiling. Mopping the floor several times with fresh water after this process will help to ensure the surface is clean and any chemical is neutralised.

3. How to apply polish to vinyl flooring - How to seal a vinyl floor?
Before applying any floor polish it is important to ensure the floor is dry and free of any surface contaminants. Grab yourself a pair of rubber gloves, some floor polish, a dry flat mop head and a window cleaning bucket! With the polish in the bucket, work left to right across the room ensuring the floor is evenly covered, wait around 30 minutes before giving a second coat and most importantly, make sure you don’t tread on the polish whilst wet!

Need help maintaining your vinyl flooring? With our experience in providing professional cleaning services to multiple commercial clients in Middlesbrough, Stockton, Darlington and Hartlepool we are confident that we can help. For a free quote, get in touch today on 01642 685 321.

What is safety flooring?
Safety flooring is a vinyl, textured floor that provides slip resistance and prevents accidents in many buildings. It is typically found in areas where there is a risk of spillage or wetness such as laboratories, wet rooms and even doctors surgeries. When it comes to cleaning this type of flooring, it is far from easy. Unlike the vinyl floors you find in houses where a simple mop and bucket can be used to clean away the dirt, safety floor cleaning requires much more to achieve the desired results.

As affordable, cleaning specialists in the Teesside area, we have put together a guide to help you achieve fast, efficient results with the cleaning of your safety flooring. Follow our 3 easy steps:

1. Make sure you have the right equipment
Say goodbye to your cotton mop heads! Due to its rough, sandpaper like surface, using a cotton mop results in the small fibres from the mop head snagging on the surface and being left behind which ultimately reduces the slip resistance and increases the likelihood of dirt. Introduce a good quality flat mop with a removable micro-fibre pad to your cleaning kit!

Top tip- Look for a micro-fibre pad that includes agitation strips which will help to scrub your cleaning detergent into the flooring.

2. Understand your dirt
Before starting on anything, we highly advise carrying out a pre-clean of the targeted floor area. To establish the most appropriate cleaning regime try to understand what causes the dirt in the first place. Depending on the type of industry you operate in, dirt can be caused from anything such as food waste to rust and brick dust. Knowing what kind of dirt you’re dealing with can make all the difference in choosing the correct cleaning method.

Tip- For your pre-clean it is important that you have access to as much of the floor surface as possible to either vacuum all loose debris or disinfect ready to apply the cleaning detergent.

3. Use a detergent
A standard micro-fibre mop is not substantial enough to eliminate the dirt alone, meaning a floor cleaning chemical is a must. By using a PH neutral floor cleaner to enable ‘spray and buff’ you won’t need to use an extraction machine. When it comes to technique, spray the detergent directly onto the floor and wipe over using the micro fibre mop, working in areas no larger than 3 square meters at a time. Once the chemical has had time to soak, it is important that the dirt and residues are thoroughly rinsed and allowed to dry before walking over it.
 
Tip- The most crucial factor of using a detergent is the dilution ratio. If using an unmeasured amount you will get a disappointing finish and undermine the floorings slip resistance.

By following our three simple steps you can stop dirt build up once and for all! One final tip- regular cleaning is key. Don’t want the hassle of having to do it yourself? Our dedicated team of skilled cleaning specialists offer unbeatable, safety flooring cleaning results across Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Darlington. Contact us today on 01642 685 321.