Floor care has long been considered an essential service for nearly every building service contractor. Most film and television depictions of cleaning employees, after all, show a janitor with a mop and bucket.
Of course, the mop-and-bucket method won’t work for every flooring surface. There is no one-size-fits-all procedure or chemical.
The key to maintaining a variety of floor surfaces is to keep abreast of the trends, know what covering and what finish you’re dealing with, and make sure you have the right procedure for the right material.
Here’s a rundown of what cleaning contractors need to know about the most common flooring types.
Resilient
Chances are, the stereotypical janitor seen on television is mopping a resilient, or vinyl composite tile (VCT), floor. These floors have been popular for years, and for good reason, says Donna Ward, marketing communications manager for flooring manufacturer Mannington Commercial, Salem, N.J. Vinyl has a proven track record when it comes to stain resistance, affordability, and ease of maintenance.