Most Expensive Mistakes

The most expensive mistakes with flooring and maintenance and how you can avoid them

James Hyde is Managing Director of Roger Hyde Ltd, a specialist flooring company that has been operating in the leisure, school, community centre and commercial market for many years. In this article he gives a number of tips for those who have floor surfaces to maintain and upkeep.

Some of the common maintenance mistakes are as follows:

1. Over-wetting floor

This will cause damage to most floor surfaces especially wood and Granwood. The correct maintenance procedure will always involve the minimum quantities of water.

2. Not changing water

It is human nature to save time and search for perceived efficient use of time. By not changing water, the operator is "cleaning" with dirty or contaminated water. This is not efficient cleaning. Always use hot or warm water, changing regularly.

3. Using same water from kitchen/toilets to hall floor

These should always be kept separate. It is essential to follow industry standards and use colour coded equipment for the kitchen (blue) and toilet (red) to avoid cross-contamination. This would be assessed during a health and safety visit.

4. Not turning/changing floor machine pads sufficiently

Machine pads get dirty during the cleaning process. If not turned frequently and then changed for clean pads, they become saturated, and surface dirt will not be removed.

5. Using washing up liquid as cleaning fluid

Always use the right product for the job. Washing up liquid is designed for washing up. It is not easy to rinse when used in floor cleaning and leaves a sticky residue. Use low-foaming detergents.

6. Putting too much detergent in water

More is not always better. A too highly concentrated solution of detergent can leave a residue on your floor. This forms a thin barrier on the surface which can be sticky and / or dull, and become dirty very quickly.

7. Putting no detergent in water

Body fats and grease need to be chemically removed from a floor. Without the right chemical, these will remain and affect the floor surface and become unhygienic and slippery.

8. Sweeping instead of using dust attractor

Sweeping in large areas is not only a slow, boring process; it can lead to operator error. Sweeping also releases air borne dust which returns the surface minutes later - after the operator has left. Dust attractors or V-Mops keep air borne dust to a minimum.

9. Allowing even small amounts of playschool sand to remain

Leaving safety sand or playschool sand on the floor surface is destructive. Sand will act as an abrasive, like sand paper, when walked upon and slowly remove your floor surface.

10. Allowing tap dancing and ceroc dancing on unprotected floors

Tap dancing is the single most destructive activity for a wood floor. No floor seal will withstand regular tap dancing. There are specific tap dancing protective and portable floors available. If you have tap, line or ceroc dancing on your wood floor, it must be protected. If not, your floor will become damaged and sanding and sealing may not prove to be sufficient. Repairs may be needed; otherwise constant damage will compromise the strength of the floor.Summary:

Even just one of these ten simple mistakes regarding your flooring, if allowed to continue without check, will eventually cause major problems that affect the safety or cost to maintain your flooring. Simply being aware of them, and publicising their existence to your key staff members will go a long way to delivering a far more cost-effective floor which is truly "fit for use".

Anti-Slip:

Anti-slip vinyl surfaces have been available and installed in many schools where a slip hazard is perceived. These areas include sports areas, dining or serving areas but also in corridors, especially near student entry points from outdoors.

However, due to their open texture, these surfaces can stain easily and are difficult to keep aesthetically clean.

However, anti-slip finishes can now be easily applied to existing vinyl, ceramic and wood floor surfaces. A new water-based, hard wearing and durable finish with low odour during application and quick drying will also extend the life of your existing surface and can be re-applied if required in the future.

Coloured finishes are also to be launched later this year.

Free Guide:

This useful information is contained within 10 pages and is available from Roger Hyde Limited, freephone 0800 1697015 or e-mail, www.rogerhyde.co.uk

Just to whet your appetite and for your copyright reasons, we have included extracts from the last two pages and would urge you to look at this comprehensive FREE information guide.

The list below includes points covered in greater detail within the free guide:

1. Approach and Understanding

2. Inadequate cleaning

3. Type and use of machines

4. Training

5. Choosing the right floor and the right surface

6. Slippery floors

Many of you will know Roger, James and Edward Hyde who succeed in continually progressing this company forward where today floor repair, installation, Tennis Courts and Outdoor Play Areas are very much part of their work too.