Tips for Fast, Effective Floor Cleaning

Floor Scrubbing

Floor scrubber are ideal for restoring or deep cleaning your floor. It is important to understand that there are different types of floor scrubbers including, automated, manual, and floor buffers and polishers.  All of these tools are designed and made of different materials to give you the results you need. It can take a bit of practice to master the correct usage of this heavy, bulky equipment but it is well worth it to get the best cleaning. 

• Remove Debris Prior to Scrubbing. If operating a cylindrical floor scrubber, this step can usually be avoided. Being able skip pre-sweeping is one of the time saving benefits of using a cylindrical machine. When utilizing the force of a disc configured floor scrubber, it is important to first remove excess debris from the area being scrubbed. It will also cut down on the time it takes to scrub the floors. 
• When filling the solution tank, add the detergentafter you fill the tank with water in order to cut down on excess foam. Be sure to follow the manufacturer recommended ratios when using cleaning chemicals.
• Operators should scrub in straight, parallel lines with a slight overlap to help ensure that no spots are missed. Starting the scrub path opposite the exit door can save time by allowing the operator to leave without having to go back over previously scrubbed floors.
• Most autoscrubbers cannot reach edges, corners, clean under obstructions such as drinking fountains, and cannot fit into alcoves. Therefore, mopping is needed to clean areas where the autoscrubber cannot reach.
• Operators should use protective gear as needed. Comfortable, non-slip footwear is suitable. If the machine operates above 85 dB, it is recommended to wear ear protection. Gloves may be used if handling harsh chemicals or pre-treatments, though they are not necessary during normal operation.

Floor Polishing

Floor polishers are ideal for restoring a beautiful, shiny appearance to a floor. It can take a bit of practice to master the correct usage of this heavy, bulky equipment.

• Clean the floor before using a floor polisher. You should use a vacuum cleaner with strong suction to remove all debris and particles from the floor.
• You should have a spray bottle with floor polish close at hand. If you have a work belt, you can attach it to that. Wear rugged work gloves for better handling of the equipment. Protect your feet by wearing closed-toed, sturdy shoes or work boots.
• Check the pad of the floor polisher. It should be clean, and there should be no bits missing. Adjust the handle to the proper height.
• Start the machine at the farthest point away from the exit. Double-check that the power cord will reach all the way across the room, and then plug in the floor polisher.
• Apply floor polish directly to the pad or to the floor, depending on the instructions for the model you’re using.
• Overlap your rows and guide it across the room as in straight lines. Each time you start a new row, overlap the previous row by about one-third to ensure even coverage. Avoid walking on the areas you’ve already polished.

Floor Burnishing

Remember the only purpose of a burnisher is to smooth out scratches in floor finish. They are not intended to clean or scrub floors.

It is important to know a few universal rules before attempting to burnish floor finish.

• Always Clean The Floor First. With the thermal action that occurs with burnishing, any soils on the floor will be melted into the finish. The only way to remove burnished in soil is to scrub the finish, grinding off finish until it the contaminated layers are gone.
• Always dust mop prior to burnishing floor finish. This removes any large particles that can become trapped in the pad and damage the finish or even the floor. Also objects such as rocks, pencils and even hard candy can become a dangerous projectile when flung from the high speeds of a floor burnisher.
• Keep moving. Unlike buffing floors with a low-speed machine, burnishers need to keep moving. Holding the burnisher is one spot will literally burn the floor. There is no reason to do anything but walk at a regular pace when using a burnisher to polish floors. Moving in a simple back and forth motion similar to cutting grass will give you even and effective results.
• Change your pad often. Floor burnishing with a clean pad is essential to floor polishing success. When too much dirt accumulates on the pad, it begins to be melted into the floor. It is always a good idea to inspect the pad often. This is to assure there hasn’t been any debris picked up and held in the pad.
• Dust Mop After Burnishing. During the process, microscopic floor finish dust particles are sanded away. These will become airborne and can be inhaled. Even if your burnisher has a dust control system, it is always a good idea to vacuum or dust mop after burnishing to prevent dust from being spread throughout the facility.

Concrete Grinding

Grinders come in different sizes, weights, and features such as power requirements, motor size and direction of abrasives rotation. Depending on your needs, it is essential to find the one that suits you best. It is worth noting that for polishing purposes, you need grinders that have over 800 grits.

Check out our videos and ready guides on how to grind concrete floor and this task shouldn’t be as daunting as it seems for beginners. Effective cement floor grinding offers impressive results to property owners, which is definitely worth the time, cost and effort.

To get the most out of your concrete grinder, you can regularly make use of the ‘rotate’ button. This button reverses the direction in which the abrasives spin. This helps in cooling the pads and also re-opens the diamond tooling, which prevents inconsistent wear patterns, especially when grinding soft concrete.

Pre-soaking not only helps in temperature regulation, but it also aids in minimizing the surface tension, which pushes dust and small aggregates to the surface. These aggregates provide the diamond tooling with necessary debris to ensure that it is constantly in top working condition, and they also act as additional abrasives.