Hygiene Starts From The Ground Up: Floorcare Best Practices

When you step into any business premises, whether it's a high-end boutique or a bustling corporate office, the first thing you often notice, albeit subconsciously, is the floor. Over the past few decades, floorcare has evolved beyond mere cleanliness and is now intertwined with facets of safety, health, aesthetics and sustainability. Reducing hazards, minimising pollutants and creating a stylish first impression, as well as applying an ecologically responsible approach to hygiene solutions, are all aspects linked to the humble yet solid surface beneath our feet. In this blog, we’ll take a look at how maintaining hygiene should start from the ground up and examine the best practices around achieving spotlessly clean and visually appealing floors.

 

Understanding important factors of floorcare hygiene

As we’ve entered an age of greater awareness around the spread of germs and the importance of maintaining high standards of hygiene for the sake of public health, it’s important to remember that no area of our workplace should escape scrutiny. Whilst applying hand gels and wiping down workstations have become commonplace ways of maintaining good hygiene and workforce safety, it’s vital that we also give proper attention to floorcare.

It has been reported that between 70 and 80% of dirt in our buildings is brought in by our shoes. Each step taken, therefore, is a potential carrier of debris, dirt and germs. Moreover, one of the main reasons for slips, trips and falls sited by the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) are floor contamination and poor floor maintenance. Slips, trips, and falls also account for 30% of workplace injuries.

For premises such as hospitals, surgeries, nurseries and care homes – floor hygiene is an obviously crucial factor that can seriously impact on safety, particularly of vulnerable occupants. But for businesses that don’t operate with such concerns, there may be a misapprehension that floor hygiene is less vital or simply a case of keeping up appearances. This can be a costly mistake – and many businesses discover to their financial detriment the impact of poor floorcare. Just take a quick dip into the number of personal injury solicitors online specialising in workplace injury claims!... Essentially, whatever your industry a commitment to thorough floor hygiene should never be overlooked.

Another crucial factor in maintaining clean floors is the opportunity that choosing the ecologically sustainable products and services now available for floorcare can bring to businesses’ overall environmental credentials. By applying an ethical approach and making choices that minimise harm to both humans and our environment, we can send a clear message about the integrity of our business practices.

 

Tips for floorcare hygiene best practice

As we’ve highlighted, floorcare transcends mere cleanliness. It’s about ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone. Without regular attention, areas with high foot traffic can quickly become dirt hubs. Thoroughfares may easily descend into hazard zones.  And beyond the immediate physical impact, the choices we make when it comes to floorcare can positively influence our wider environment. Keeping on top of a sustainable floor hygiene routine needn’t be onerous. Here are our top tips for best practice:

1. Preventive measures:

• Entryway matting – At the outset, using mats at entrances to capture dirt and moisture from shoes will significantly reduce the amount tracked into the workspace, reduce the spread of germs and help protect floors. Selecting entrance matting sourced from recycled materials also sets out your business’s environmental-friendliness stall from the get go.

2. Routine cleaning:

• Daily maintenance – Depending on the volume of foot traffic, sweep, mop, or vacuum daily to keep floors free of dust, dirt, and debris.
• Spill management – Address spills as soon as they happen to avoid potential slip hazards and stains, ensuring floors are thoroughly dried as well as cleaned.
• Choose the right products – Different needs demand specific solutions. Phs supplies a range of high quality cleaning products to meet all your business’s hygiene needs.

3. Cleaning specific to floor type:

• Carpeted floors – Vacuum regularly to remove dust and debris. Address spills with spot cleaning and consider periodic deep cleaning methods like steam cleaning or shampooing.
• Hardwood and laminate – Sweep or vacuum to eliminate dust, then mop with a suitable cleaner, ensuring not to use excessive moisture.
• Tile and stone – First, sweep or vacuum, then mop using a cleaner that's right for the material. Occasionally, grout may require specialized attention.
• Specialty floors – For floors made of unique materials or with specific installations, always adhere to the manufacturer’s care guidelines.

4. Maintaining clear pathways:

• Walkway management – Make sure walkways are consistently clear of obstacles and debris to avoid any tripping hazards.

5. Safety protocols:

• Caution during cleaning – When floors are being cleaned or have recently been waxed, display warning signs to reduce the risk of slips.
• Chemical storage – Ensure cleaning chemicals are stored in designated areas and that proper safety measures are followed when using them.

6. Scheduled and deep cleaning:

• Periodic maintenance – In areas that see a lot of foot traffic, it's good practice to schedule deeper cleaning tasks, such as floor polishing, waxing, or intensive carpet cleaning.
• Restoring floors – If floors begin to lose their shine or look worn, think about restorative procedures like stripping, sealing, or refinishing.

7. Bring in the experts:

Partnering with phs Group’s industry-leading professional cleaning products and services will ensure your business is able to maintain the hygiene, integrity and longevity required of your floors. Phs also supports sustainability – offering products that boost your business’s eco-friendliness. Our services include:

• Fitted 'lift and lay' and loose lay matting – By having mats professionally set up at your premises, you can ensure that they are routinely laundered and immediately replaced. This seamless cycle guarantees that your space is always shielded against incoming dirt and debris. What’s more, all new phs matting uses ECONYL yarn – a regenerated fabric made by recovering nylon waste, such as that found in oceans and fabric mills. This specialist matting made of recycled material ensures your business can adopt an effective, sustainable approach to providing safe hygenic flooring at entryways and throughout your premises’ floors.
• On-Site cleaning – phs’s UK-wide on-site cleaning services ensures that every corner of your flooring, irrespective of its size, receives the meticulous attention it deserves.
• Advanced laundering – phs's mat laundering process isn’t just any ordinary wash. Our technologically advanced and environmentally conscious techniques delve deep, extracting all moisture, dirt, and grit. The outcome? Mats that return to your premises looking vibrant, rich in color, and functionally optimal.
• Eco-conscious products – In a world increasingly leaning towards sustainability, phs rises to the occasion. Our innovative products, such as mats made with ECONYL® yarn – a regenerated nylon sourced from ocean waste – not only promise cleanliness but also an eco-friendly footprint. Our eco-friendly floor cleaning products, such as soluCLEAN, will also help you to adopt greener cleaning practices.

 

 

The secret to impeccable floorcare lies in regularity. Scheduled check-ups, routine cleans, and periodic deep cleaning sessions can make a world of difference. These practices, when adapted to the specific needs and types of flooring within your workplace, can contribute significantly to maintaining a clean, safe, and aesthetically pleasing environment.

Meeting floorcare needs with phs Group

While our focus on floors should be unwavering, finding the right partner to elevate your floorcare regime can make all the difference. phs is at the forefront of this industry, offering specialised services and sustainable products tailored to the diverse and evolving needs of businesses and properties. Contact us to find out more about how our products and services can help your business maximise your floorcare hygiene.