Floors are one of the biggest factors when it comes to creating a clean, credible-looking space for your office or other facility. This can be a hardship since new floors are expensive, and yet, depending on how much use they get and other factors, they don’t always look pristine for that long. That’s why we wanted to give some tips on how to best clean and maximize the lifespan of your floors, whether at home or the office.
Laminate Floors
Normally, laminate floors last between 15 and 25 years, depending on how they’re taken care of, the quality of the material and how much use they face. With laminate floors, it’s always important to wipe any spills or other moisture immediately, as they have a negative impact on the floor’s condition and lifespan. Another consideration is that laminate is sensitive to cleaning products that are too strong. Also, laminate can get stained if you apply products directly to it, and the use of excessively wet cleaning products, like mops, steam cleaners or power cleaners, isn’t advisable either. Instead, use cleaning cloths sprayed with gentle cleaning products or mops that are damp instead of wet.
Concrete Flooring
Concrete flooring is about as tough and resilient as it gets, but for aesthetic and other reasons, it’s rarely used in homes. It’s more common for commercial properties because, in addition to its resilience, it’s also easy to maintain. You can use pretty much whatever cleaning product or device you want, as long as you clean periodically to ensure the dirt doesn’t stick. In addition to the basic cleaning, all you need to worry about is having the floor sealed or waxed once every 3 to 9 months. This treatment will maintain the protective layer of the floor, and how often it’s needed depends on the amount and kind of use that your concrete floor gets.
Mosaic Glass Tile Flooring
Mosaic glass tiles are one of the most beautiful, luxurious-looking floors you can have. Sadly, they don’t have the best lifespan, and that’s mainly because they get scratched and broken more easily than most other floors. In terms of cleaning, dirt shows easily on mosaic glass tiles, which means you have to be disciplined about cleaning them regularly and often. You can, however, clean them with almost any product since they are resistant to chemical damage. They aren’t hard to clean since they’re not porous, which means the dirt doesn’t sink into the tile and can be wiped off easily with a damp cloth or a wet mop.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floors are resistant to water, which increases their longevity and makes them popular in commercial spaces, like bars, kitchens and bathrooms. It’s a relatively durable material that often lasts upwards of twenty years, depending on the quality of the vinyl material and the amount of use it gets. The best way to clean vinyl is to first swipe it to remove the dirt, gravel, sand, etc. and then clean it with a damp mop. Make sure to use accepted vinyl floor cleaners, though, as vinyl can be sensitive to some cleaning products.
Rubber Flooring
Rubber is an extremely common material in commercial environments because it is extremely durable, but not as hard a surface as the equally durable concrete. When well maintained, a rubber floor, even in high traffic use, can last up to twenty years or longer. It’s not difficult to take care of, but you do need to occasionally polish the surface with water soluble wax emulsion, as this will make the floor more resistant to damage as well as discoloration. Regular cleaning is easy; you can take care of it with a mop and warm water. You do, however, need to remember to avoid detergents and other strong cleaning products as they will discolor the rubber.
