Business owners, facility professionals, property managers, and maintenance staff personnel recognize the importance of commercial cleaning services. Today, this applies in various industries providing a wide range of services, products, and technologies.
A place of business such as an office, industrial setting, medical facility, and others with maintenance needs seek to make the highest quality first impression that reflects a positive appearance for their tenants and clients.
Maintaining a clean environment in a commercial space makes a difference to customers, clients, employees, and others. A commercial floor care program should result in clean floors, and commercial carpet that is free of stains, and other conditions.
Simply installing the highest quality commercial flooring without having a customized cleaning plan or process may cause poor results. Necessary services might include deep cleaning, floor scrubbing, grout cleaning, high-speed burnishing, and other regular maintenance.
Regular cleaning extends the life of your floors, eliminates dust and debris, and protects the coating and finish. The same applies to maintaining the beauty of carpeting by performing methods of commercial carpet cleaning work.
Commercial Hard Surface Floor Cleaning Services
Expert technicians with extensive experience that perform regular cleaning and proper care on hard surfaces and ground flooring are critical. In addition, smart equipment usage ensures that hard surface floors shine despite facing heavy traffic.
Committing to a schedule of floor cleaning performed by a team of specialists or technicians protects the surface materials. Floorcare performed with frequency using the best methods, tools, and machines is important regardless of the type of flooring.
How Do You Clean Hardwood, Concrete, Vinyl, and Laminate Floors?
Commercial environments might have hardwood floors or be composed of laminate, linoleum, terrazzo, vinyl composition tile, marble, and others. Most information indicates that protecting the surface and state of existing floor materials also saves money in the long run.
Best Cleaning Practices for Certain Flooring Materials
Here, we review some conventional options for cleaning these four materials and include a few alternatives or home options.
- Hardwood: Choose cleaning agents for hardwood floors based on the finish rather than the type of wood i.e., cherry, oak, etc. Surface finish options include urethane and polyurethane and “penetrating” finish options include tung oil, often followed by a wax coat.
- Concrete: Often used in outdoor environments, concrete may also exist in indoor areas where durability is among the primary concerns. The best cleaning product for concrete is mild detergents or most multi-purpose floor cleaning solutions. Avoid ammonia, bleach, vinegar, or citrus-based cleaners that are overly acidic.
- Vinyl: Commonly classified as a “resilient” flooring material along with linoleum and rubber, vinyl is easily cleaned with commercial soaps. Common home-remedy solutions include vinegar and baking soda, with WD-40 as an option for scuff mark removal.
- Laminate: For laminate, look for less-abrasive, pH-balanced, and natural options rather than oils, waxes, bleach, or ammonia. Many options exist that are specifically formulated for laminate, many use very little water.
Each person responsible for floor care should understand the proper products and methods for floors in lobbies, restrooms, stairs, etc. Certain flooring materials in rooms might be susceptible to moisture—such as those composed of wood that needs special care.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also encourages cleaning and the disinfection of floors and surrounding areas for safety. EPA case data explains that infrequent cleaning can result in creating a breeding ground for harmful germs.
Choosing a Provider OF COMMERCIAL FLOOR CLEANING SERVICES
When selecting a commercial floor cleaning company, consider the following:
1. Team Training Practices
Gain an understanding of the company’s structure. While some unit franchisees have established training standards, others might use independent contractors, temporary workers, or other non-employees.
Does the provider have a detailed training program for employees? In many cases, service providers that fail to properly train, educate, and promote their employees will experience higher turnover.
When meeting with a company representative, assess whether the organization has some long-term employees.
2. Service Offerings & Capabilities
Facility managers must initially determine the scope of floor care services needed for their property. The commercial cleaning company you choose must have the proper experience, tools, and equipment for completing these services.
For example, retail or office buildings with busy entryways will generally use floor mats for both appearance and safety. When positioned near entry doors, mats will capture dirt and debris that people have on their shoes.
Floor mats also reduce the likelihood of slip-and-fall accidents by absorbing forms of moisture. The cleaning company you choose must have the capability of cleaning these mats either onsite or off-site.
You might also need a cleaning company with regular and deep-cleaning capabilities for protecting and maintaining the carpet material. Having your commercial carpets regularly cleaned is essential for both safety and overall health.
For example, the American Lung Association explains that carpeting may capture dust, allergens, particles, and other pollutants. Having the carpeting cleaned regularly helps reduce these potentially harmful materials from becoming airborne and creating respiratory concerns.
Another consideration involves assessing the cleaning company’s approach regarding “green” operations, which focus on minimizing adverse health and environmental risks. As with most industries, adopting green methods and using eco-friendly products is now a priority.
For example, certain products that release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are typically avoided and alternative options exist in the industry. The EPA is among the leading advocates for reducing harmful VOCs that compromise indoor and outdoor air quality.
Eco-friendly cleaning products are commonly produced from renewable sources, have biodegradable properties, and eliminate risks such as contaminating soil and water. The products that comply with these standards are free of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).
3. Quality of Equipment
A company that provides commercial floor cleaning services must maintain professional-grade equipment and tools. Commercial quality products deliver superior results and generally allow for enhanced efficiency, particularly in large spaces.
The company you choose must have the premium quality equipment that a large commercial environment requires. The commercial-grade equipment generally is much more costly compared to the machines someone would rely on for their home use.
Floor scrubbers are motor-driven tools used for applying a water-based liquid cleaning solution and subsequently extracting the moisture. Often equipped with brushes or discs, floor scrubbers are typically required for maintaining the appearance of hard, durable flooring materials.
Another type of commercial floor care equipment is a floor buffer, which helps promote a uniform surface appearance. The surfaces where a floor buffer is used include those composed of vinyl or tile.
Commercial carpet cleaners operate similarly to scrubbers; however, are only applicable for cleaning carpets. Depending on a variety of factors, commercial carpeting might require cleaning with these machines every few weeks or months.
4. Commitment to Safety
Facility professionals must prioritize the importance of maintaining a safe environment for all occupants, particularly if high-traffic settings. Always ask a prospective commercial floor cleaning company about their commitment to safe operations and any safety-related training practices.
Commercial floor cleaning might involve using potent chemical agents that require safe handling. Avoiding possible harmful chemical reactions is important when handling, using or storing different cleaning agents.
Exercising caution is critically important whenever liquids are applied to hard surface floors. Cleaning companies must prioritize safety or might expose themselves or their clients to liability problems.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic reminded us of the importance of using personal protective equipment (PPE) including gloves and effectively disinfecting surfaces. Ensuring that employees regularly wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer is also critical.
5. Clear & Detailed Written Agreement
A professional cleaning company will acknowledge the importance of creating a written agreement that outlines all pertinent details. Both parties must have input regarding the provisions and the contract should clearly explain the responsibilities and expectations.
Some of the vital components of these documents include:
- A list of the services that will be performed such as sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, etc. When the scope of the work covers multiple buildings or departments, often the format will have separate sections.
- The time when the services will be performed should be outlined. Variables might include certain hours of a day, specific days of the week, etc.
- The time intervals or frequency when each task is performed. It is often helpful for separating the details into those performed daily, weekly, monthly, etc.
- Clearly outline the details regarding the means of communication. For example, is a phone call, text message, or email the preferred mode of communication?
- How will performance be measured or evaluated?
- All details involving payment including rates, payment terms, acceptable forms of submission, etc.
- Who maintains responsibility for providing and stocking any necessary cleaning supplies?
Keep in mind that these types of agreements may change or evolve continually as needed.
6. Internal Quality Control for Customer Satisfaction
Are the organization’s employees thoroughly screened and background checked? You might have the cleaning company’s staff members working within your facility alone after hours.
If cleaning work will be performed during business hours, remember that these individuals may interact with customers and other guests. In this instance, it is best to inquire about whether the staff members will be in uniform.
Obtain an understanding of how the cleaning company evaluates worker performance internally. A busy manager of several office buildings likely has no desire to perform day-to-day supervisory tasks
7. A Verifiable Track Record of Success
An experienced commercial cleaning provider should provide you with references when requested. Consider contacting someone such as a current client, past client, or other trade references regarding the provider.
This part of the screening process has some similarities to the progression of hiring a potential employee. Ask the reference open-ended questions that will inspire them to provide substantive feedback.
You may also check the cleaning company’s online references and customer reviews for gaining some insight. Keep in mind that posted web reviews might vary in reliability, i.e., a disgruntled former employee might post negative information.
8. Ease & Clarity of Communication
Who will serve as the point of contact between the parties? Ideally, you will have a service provider that is accessible, responsive and encourages feedback.
Keep in mind that the arrangement is an ongoing relationship with a third-party team of professionals. Maintaining good communication is one key to achieving positive outcomes.
9. Scheduling & Availability
Is the commercial cleaning company prepared to accommodate your schedule? In many cases, you will want the floor cleaning services performed during specific hours when the foot traffic is minimal.
Many businesses have designated business hours, which could vary based on the day of the week.
10. Proper Licensing, Certifications, & Insurance
A team of commercial cleaning professionals will comply with any applicable requirements involving licensure and insurance for any unexpected problems. The laws and regulatory provisions often vary according to the local jurisdiction; therefore, verifying compliance may require some research.
For example, some regions have minimum requirements for liability coverage such as $500,000, $1 million, etc. In many cases, the service provider must comply with requirements regarding worker’s compensation and might need a business license.
Does the Provider Represent a Great Value?
When making comparisons among competing providers of commercial cleaning services you will likely encounter differences in the price. The first consideration involves reviewing the proposed agreements for any possible variations in the services included.
Often, a misconception exists that assumes providers with higher rates will perform superior quality services and vice-versa. While that correlation seems logical, it might not necessarily be accurate.
The key involves identifying the competing proposals from the perspective of value. Assessments based on value look further than simply the “bottom line” price and consider the service quality relative to price.
Experienced Local Commercial Floor Cleaning Company
The professionals with Servi-Tek Facility Solutions provide truly comprehensive floor care services for clients that operate in various business environments. We have years of experience in settings such as office buildings, industrial facilities, retail environments, medical centers, educational institutions, and more.
Our professionally trained staff is well-versed in performing hard-floor maintenance ranging from daily vacuuming and mopping, scrubbing, recoating, and sealing. As a full-service provider, we specialize in restorative solutions that remove debris, restore PH balance, and ensure that floors shine.
We also demonstrate industry-leading carpet care services such as deep cleaning and low-moisture extraction that remove contaminants and maximize service life. Our experts care for floor coverings using the appropriate water temperature and may perform foam encapsulation, enzyme-based methods, and more.
We encourage you to contact us today for a consultation.
