Floorcare guides

How to clean a Safety floor

The ultimate guide to Cleaning and Polishing a Safety Floor

Keeping safety floors clean is crucial, but it can be a challenge. The textured, non-slip surface that makes safety flooring safe also traps dirt and debris. Without proper cleaning, grime builds up in the crevices and microscopic pores of the flooring, creating a breeding ground for germs. In addition, accumulated dirt diminishes the critical slip-resistance that this specialty flooring provides.

Fortunately, with the right techniques and cleaning solutions, you can keep safety floors sparkling clean and functional.

Cleaning Methods

There are 2 main cleaning methods for cleaning Safety Floors: Traditional cleaning methods; using a Mop, Deck Scrubber and Squeegee or Wet Vacuum, alternatively you can use a more efficient mechanical route by using an oscillating floor machine.

Manual Cleaning

Using Mop, Deck Scrubber, and Squeegee or Wet Vacuum:

For those preferring a traditional approach, a combination of mop, deck scrubber, and squeegee or wet vacuum offers an effective alternative for both regular maintenance and deep cleaning.

Procedure

• Mop Cleaning

  Begin with a thorough mop cleaning using a neutral pH cleaner suitable for safety floors.

• Deck Scrubbing

  Employ a deck scrubber for more extensive coverage, ensuring even application of the cleaning solution.

• Remove the Dirt

  Complete the traditional cleaning method by using a squeegee or wet and dry vacuum cleaner. This step removes excess water, promoting a quicker drying process and ensuring a spotless finish.

  Manual cleaning is quite labour intensive and depending on the skill of the operative will have less desired results than mechanical cleaning.

Mechanical cleaning

Options for mechanical cleaning of Safety flooring would include oscillating and rotary machines.

Although either machine would be suitable for deep cleaning safety flooring, and provider better results than deck scrubbing and mopping, we would recommend an oscillating machine for optimum results.

Why Oscillation?

Oscillating floorcare machines are incredibly effective at maintaining floors. Compared to traditional rotary scrubbers that rotate circular pads between 175 and 300 revolutions per minute, oscillating floor machines oscillate the typically rectangular-shaped pad driver offer 3000 rounds of 7mm cleaning action per minute. The quicker revolutions allow operatives to make light work of cleaning floors.

The increased agitation through speed reduces the amount of time it takes to scrub the floor.

Cleaning safety flooring is synonymous with time-consuming, labour-intensive and often unsatisfactory results. The increased agitation which oscillating machines provide reduces the amount of time it takes to scrub the floor.

Cleaning safety flooring with an oscillating floor machine, such as the Ocelot or Ocelot Plus by Victor, offers an efficient and thorough approach. The oscillating motion, combined with the unique features of these machines, ensures minimal moisture usage and effective dirt removal. Here's a step-by-step guide for cleaning safety flooring:

• Step 1: Preparing the Area

  Clear the space of obstacles, furniture, and loose items.

• Step 2: Dry Sweep or vacuum the floor

• Step 3: Application of Cleaning Solution (For Deep Cleaning)

  If deep cleaning is required, apply a suitable cleaning solution according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The oscillating motion of the machine ensures effective penetration into the textured surface of the safety floor.

• Step 4: Oscillating Cleaning Action

  Turn on the oscillating machine and guide it across the safety floor. The rectangular-shaped pad, oscillating at high speed, delivers 3000 rounds of 7mm cleaning action per minute. This action ensures thorough cleaning without excessive moisture.

• Step 5: Dry the floor

  If a more significant amount of cleaning solution is used for deep cleaning, you may need to use a wet vacuum to extract excess moisture. Alternatively, the Ocelot Plus features wet pick up, removing dirt at the source and reducing the need for a separate wet vacuum.