Is You Commercial Flooring Getting Old? Here’s How to Keep it Looking Young
Whether you have hard-surface floors, carpet, or both, there are some considerations to take into account as your flooring ages.
In this article, you’ll learn how to keep your hard-surface flooring and carpet looking their best as they age, as well as some important things to keep in mind when the time comes to replace your flooring.
How to Keep Hard-Surfaced Floors Looking Pristine
Hard floors are much more resilient than carpet, but they still require proper care. Follow these steps to keep them looking their best:
1. Ditch the mop bucket.
The traditional mop-and-bucket cleaning method just spreads dirt around your floor instead of actually cleaning it.
Steam mops, on the other hand, use heat to kill bacteria and mold. They don’t require you to use chemicals. And they don’t leave as much water behind as a traditional mop, so they dry quicker.
2. Clean and rinse your floors at the same time.
“More” is not better when it comes to cleaning solution. In fact, too much cleaning solution can leave a sticky residue on your floors, making them more likely to hold dirt and grime.
3. Use walk-off mats.
Walk-off mats can help you catch up to 98% of soil and keep it from landing on your hard-surface flooring.
The more dirt you can keep off of your floors, the better they will look in the long run.
4. Use floor protection on furniture.
Furniture movement is one of the biggest culprits of floor damage. Using protection on furniture feet is a simple solution that can prevent a lot of damage.
How to Get More Life Out of Your Carpet
Carpet, on the other hand, requires a bit more TLC than hard-surface flooring.
With a national average lifespan of seven years, commercial carpets don’t last near as long as hardwood flooring.
But with the right preventative maintenance plan, you can get about 12-15 years out of your carpet. Here are a few things you can do to increase the likelihood your carpet will last longer.
1. Schedule a restorative cleaning.
While it’s not something you want to perform on a regular basis, a restorative cleaning can be a lifesaver for a carpet on its last legs.
2. Create and follow a low-moisture cleaning schedule
We recommend low-moisture cleaning like our DPM Care Method, because it’s less likely to cause damage to your carpet than hot water extraction.
In most cases, a cleaning once per month or once per quarter is sufficient.
3. Implement an aggressive daily and weekly cleaning schedule
As with most cases of cleaning and maintenance, prevention is much easier than cure. In general, this means daily vacuuming.
4. Install a walk-off system
Virtually every facility can benefit from a walk-off mat system. Capturing dirt before it hits your carpet keeps the dirt from working its way into the carpet’s fibers and causing damage.
When Should You Replace Your Carpet?
So how do you know when you should call it quits with your current carpet and install a new one?
In general, there are three situations that warrant replacement:
1. If the carpet if visibly worn-out.
That means there are visible traffic patterns, the color has faded, or there are visible stains on the carpet that cannot be removed with spot cleaning.
2. If the carpet has exceeded its expected life.
If you’ve had your carpet for 10 or more years, it’s wise to begin considering a replacement.
If your carpet still looks healthy, keep it that way while planning for replacement in the near future.
3. If it’s time for a new look.
Shag carpet isn’t cool anymore.
At a certain point, you may want to replace carpet to update decor.
What to Keep in Mind When Replacing Flooring
At a certain point, you’ve done all you can and it’s time to replace. If you’re ready to start over, do these things to protect your new flooring.
1. Design your new flooring with cleanliness in mind.
In general, this means:
- Hard surface at the facility’s entrance
- Hard surfaces in areas like break rooms, the kitchen, and bathrooms
- A defined place to store wet or muddy coats or boots
- Having a defined cleaning closet with necessary cleaning supplies
2. Implement a preventative maintenance plan as soon as the carpet is installed
An effective preventative maintenance plan includes the following 5 elements:
- Walk-off systems & chair mats
- Daily vacuuming
- Spot cleaning
- Preventative cleaning (generally once per month or quarter)
- Restorative cleaning (only when absolutely necessary)
Whatever the age of your flooring, we can help you keep it healthier longer. Just click here to get in touch and learn how we can help.