INTRODUCING CORK & PARQUETRY SPECIALISTS

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It is clearly false economy having a newly refurbished floor if poor maintenance procedures are in place as the surface will be damaged within a short space of time. Preventing a floor from becoming dirty or damaged is as important as cleaning it. If the level of soiling can be reduced then so can the level of cleaning and similarly if a floor is not physically damaged it will remain in good condition for longer thus reducing costs for repairs etc.

Initially the matting available should be examined. Ideally matting should be as large as possible and consist of two separate areas. The first area removes and allows the grit etc to drop away from the surface whilst the second area absorbs and removes any moisture and fine dust which remains. Work by 3M has shown that a 2 metre matting system will remove 42% of all dirt from shoes entering a building. Clearly if this is removed and retained then it does not have to be cleaned from the floors later by the maintenance procedures in place.

It is important to remember that dirt and grit can be tracked in from service entrances as well as the ‘front door’. For instance the movement of goods on trolleys, etc into kitchens or storage areas can bring dirt into the building which can then be tracked into the restaurant from these areas.

In addition to matting protective feet on furniture should be in place on all stools, chairs, tables, etc. Scratches and marks from patrons moving furniture is often an issue as these are dragged rather than being lifted. Similarly if other items, such as PA equipment, are being used on a regular basis then it is beneficial to try to introduce measures to reduce any physical damage which may occur.

Cleaning

The following points should be considered with regard to the ongoing maintenance process. It should be noted that a good standard of cleaning must be maintained to preserve the slip resistance characteristics of the timber floor finish:

• All spillage etc should be cleaned up as soon as possible and a general cleaning be carried out by staff to remove excess material from the floor, if cleaning staff are not to clean properly until the morning. It is of particular importance that glass / crockery fragments are removed from the floor.

• Dust and grit should be removed from all floors on a daily basis. On larger floors this may be achieved using a scissor mop or vacuum cleaner. Dirt and grit will potentially cause scratches if trafficked across a floor and surface dust can significantly affect the slip resistance of a floor, particularly when the floor is new or has been recently finished.

• All finishes will cut and scratch if a sharp object comes in contact with the floor. The presence on the floor of glass or crockery particles will both cut the finish / the wood and often ‘planes’ the finish from the surface. It is important therefore that spillage is removed quickly and care taken to collect all hard sharp pieces of debris. 

• Cleaning should be carried out wherever possible using a machine based system i.e. buffing machine etc with a tan pad. 

It is difficult to clean effectively in high use areas with a mop and bucket. If this method is used the cleaning water should be changed frequently and the mop kept as dry as possible. It is possible to use this method after low traffic periods or where ‘spot’ cleaning is required.

• On heavily used floors where normal cleaning seems unable to remove all of the dirt or marks it is possible to clean using a more aggressive pad i.e. a red pad or equivalent. Excessive continuous use of aggressive pads may dull or physically damage the surface of the floor. 

• Cleaning should be carried out only using a neutral detergent, such as Bona Cleaner , so as to prevent the deposit of materials from the cleaner on to the floor. 

• Regular maintenance should also include cleaning of the feet of furniture, wheeled trolleys, etc to ensure that glass, grit and other materials are not trapped beneath them which could damage the floor. 

• Floors where spillage of food etc occurs may need to be cleaned occasionally using Bona Remover to remove stubborn deposits and the build-up of grease and other deposits. Deposition of such materials may cause the surface of the floor to become slippery. The removal process usually would only be required infrequently, perhaps 3 – 6 month intervals, dependent upon the use of the floor and the efficiency of the cleaning / maintenance process.

Maintenance / Refurbishment

Over time the nature and level of traffic may cause deterioration in the appearance of the floor. It is likely, given the need for an R10 rated level of slip resistance within commercial areas subject to spillage, that Bona Traffic Anti Slip or Bona Naturale will have been used to coat the timber flooring. It is not possible to use a maintenance product, other than a cleaner, and retain the slip resistance characteristics of the floor. Such products, like Bona Freshen Up or wax polishes, work by leaving a thin layer of material across the surface of the floor and therefore contact is ‘lost’ with the slip resistant floor finish. In addition to this the use of such products will increase the sheen level of the finish surface changing the appearance.

Ideally a refurbishment programme should be put into place with all floors finished with Bona products. This is built around regular cleaning to remove normal soiling, and the application of additional coats of Bona Traffic Anti Slip or Bona Naturale, as required, to maintain the performance and appearance of the surface of the floor.

The floor should be examined frequently initially to determine whether maintenance levels are sufficiently high and keeping the floor in a good condition with refurbishment planned as required dependent upon traffic levels. The frequency of the addition of applications of finish is directly related to the traffic levels and the efficacy of the maintenance procedures in place.