Commercial properties — from office buildings to restaurants and schools — spend a lot of money on updating and upkeeping interior spaces and design aesthetics. But nothing can make a space look worse than dingy, dirty floors. Take the time to understand your current flooring materials and how clean, maintain, and restore them — or use our guide below to choose a new option.
- Hardwood floors are made from a single type of wood and offer a beautiful lustre over the course of their long life. This beauty comes with a maintenance price: In addition to normal sweeping and light mopping, you will have to buff it with polish to maintain the sheen. To remove scratches, dents, warping due to humidity, and other damage, they will need to be sanded, refinished, and possibly replaced.
- Engineered wood floors have a layer of hardwood on top of plywood planks, giving them the expensive look of hardwood with extra moisture and humidity resistance. One drawback is that these floors cannot be sanded down and refinished as easily as hardwood flooring because the layer of real hardwood on top is too thin. Is it a cost-effective alternative, though, and requires the same sweeping, mopping, and buffing care.
- Bamboo flooring is a sustainable solution that offers a similar look (and cost) to hardwoods but with a more environmentally friendly footprint, as it’s a grass. It requires similar maintenance and restoration efforts as hardwood flooring, including polishing, sanding, and conditioning. As an extra level of protection, place felt pads on the bottoms of all furniture to prevent floor scratches.
- Laminate is a budget-friendly alternative to hardwood, as it features a plywood base and a sealed plastic top with photo-realistic representations of wood grain, tile, ceramic, and other finishes. It doesn’t quite match the beauty of real hardwood or bamboo, but its maintenance is much simpler: a simple combination of sweeping and mopping, with built-in resistance to fading and stains for about 10 years.
- Cork flooring is made from the bark of trees and is known for its insulation, soundproofing, and anti-allergen properties. It’s construction is similar to laminate flooring, and it requires a sealant every 3-5 years to protect against moisture and stains. For normal maintenance, sweep, mop, and air dry; restoring is a bit more work and requires either replacing an entire section or mixing cork dust with polyurethane and applying it to damaged areas.
- Stone floors offer elegance and beauty with durability and heat resistance. They are also loud and can cause echoes. They are the most expensive option and require sealant every few years to maintain their durability and resistance to staining. Normal sweeping is enough for daily maintenance; to restore dirty or dingy stone, scrub their surfaces with clean warm water, then towel dry and apply sealant.
- Linoleum is made of cork wood dust, limestone, recycled wood flour, and linseed oil — a durable combination that is easy to maintain and resists dents and damage. It’s made in big sheets that glue down, and you can further seal it with protectant to resist staining and wear. Water-and-ammonia solutions applied with scrub brushes can clear away most old dirt and wax, but since it is relatively inexpensive, replacement is always an option.
- Vinyl is a budget-friendly synthetic option with many varieties, colors, grains, etc. It’s easy to clean and maintain and resist impacts and scratches because of its layers of felt, foam, and plastic. The best way to keep it clean is to resist getting it dirty in the first place; dirt, stone, and water can abrade the surface, making it lose its shine. If needed, you can lightly mop it, but additional wax is not often needed.
- Ceramic tiles can come in a variety of finishes and are made durable from their clay and shale base. They can be slippery, though anti-slip sealants are available for high-traffic areas; glazes can also be applied to reduce staining. Cleaning solutions are available to wash away dirt, but it’s a labor-intensive process that requires multiple rinses and dries until the rinse comes away clean.
- Carpet might not be trendy, but it’s easy to clean using vacuums and cleaning solutions. It is also soft underfoot, offers great soundproofing, and can be durable and long-lasting, depending on the fiber density count of the chosen material.
- Polished concrete is a modern option that requires professional installation. The smooth surface is the ultimate in durability, but it’s also tricky to clean and maintain. Microfiber dust mopping is best. Damp mopping is OK for dirty areas, but chemical cleaners, even “wet-jet” mopping solutions, are a hard no; they can damage the surface and cause costly repairs.
No matter what type of flooring your property has, the commercial cleaning experts at Integrity Services have you covered with professional green cleaning solutions that will keep your floors looking great no matter what material they are. Contact us to get started with Integrity Services today.