As a company that specializes in business and industrial cleaning, we need to be choosy about the products and solutions we use. Take floors. We may choose a particular solution for an industrial floor but something entirely different in a restaurant setting. Perhaps this is why so many customers ask us what kinds of solutions are best for office building floors.
Office buildings are known to have a variety of floor types throughout larger spaces. On the other hand, restaurant and industrial floors tend to be pretty static. With each different floor surface there are unique needs from a cleaning perspective.
Our priority is to select a cleaning solution that is effective, safe, and appropriate for the material being cleaned. The right cleaning solution does the job without harming either workers or the floor itself.
All-Purpose Cleaners
The starting place for coming up with a floor cleaning solution is the all-purpose cleaner. As its name implies, this is a general cleaning solution that works well on a variety of floor types, including:
- Vinyl
- Linoleum
- Sealed concrete
- Sealed wood
All-purpose cleaners tend to be pH neutral, which is good for getting floors clean without damaging the finish. The only downside is that the all-purpose cleaner may not be powerful enough to handle an especially dirty floor with significant staining.
Also note that pH-neutral cleaning solutions are an excellent choice for natural stone floors. Materials like granite and marble, despite being highly porous, face very little risk from pH-neutral solutions.
Disinfectant Cleaners
Some office environments require disinfection along with surface cleaning. Think of high traffic areas during the flu season. A disinfectant cleaner should be EPA-registered to guarantee the most effective cleaning and disinfection.
The beauty of a disinfectant cleaner is that it is not exclusively for floors. Any surface prone to a broad spectrum of pathogens can be cleaned with a disinfectant cleaner, as long as the product is deemed safe for the surface at hand. Product labels make clear which surfaces are appropriate and which are not.
Solutions for Specific Floor Types
Most office cleaning scenarios dictate using all purpose or disinfectant cleaners. Yet there are times when floors demand certain types of cleaning solutions designed exclusively for them. Material-specific cleaners minimize the risk of damage while still getting floors clean.
As you might expect, there are specialized cleaning solutions for:
- Wood – Cleaners specifically formulated for wood often include components designed to nourish and protect the wood.
- Stone – Cleaning solutions for stone materials tend to be non-acidic. This is important because acidic cleaners can etch stone surfaces.
- Tile – Although ceramic tile tends to be easy to clean, a specially designed cleaning solution can also help maintain the integrity of the surface.
- Carpet – Carpets require a special cleaning solution when it is time to shampoo. A good cleaning solution will loosen even the deepest dirt so that the cleaning machine can pick it up.
It’s not unusual for large office buildings to boast all four types of floor surfaces. Wood or natural stone in the lobby and hallways is complemented by ceramic tile in the restrooms and carpet in the actual offices. A commercial cleaning company needs to be prepared to address all of them.
If you would like to know more about how All Pro Cleaning Systems handles floors, don’t be afraid to ask. Our team can answer all your questions and help you get a better idea of our cleaning services in general. We are here to help keep your office building as clean as can be.
