The Winter Months and Your Commercial Flooring: How to Prepare and Plan

Maintaining the commercial flooring within your facility is always a necessity year-round. However, as the winter months begin to approach, it is imperative that you have an extensive maintenance program in place and have prepared accordingly for what the boots will be dragging in:

Dirt/Debris

As the winter season takes effect, the flip-flops will be out and the boots will be in. What difference does that make? Boots were made to handle the winter weather conditions of snow, rain and ice. They are strategically designed with rubber grips and grooves to foster the avoidance of slipping, falling, and getting your feet wet. With more grips and grooves in our footwear, the more dirt and debris will get stuck in them and enter our buildings and flooring.

Water/Hazard

The boots aren’t just dragging in dirt and debris, but they are also dragging in water, which means even MORE DIRT, potential water damage to your flooring, and most importantly, a potential safety hazard to your employees, consumers, etc.

Winter Preparation/Maintenance Tips:

• Make sure the outside of your facility is always kept tidy and walkways are always cleared. Sweep the walkways and get rid of as much dirt as possible to avoid entry into the building. Have a snow removal plan in place.

• Have a high-quality vacuum in house that will effectively pick up excess dirt and debris. Flooring should be vacuumed daily.

• Place absorbent rugs/rubber mats at all entrances, both on the inside and outside of your facility, to remove as much water as possible from footwear.

• Have towels readily available within your facility to dry up dragged-in water to avoid any slips/falls and lawsuits.

• Place a floor heater by the entrances of your facility. A floor heater will provide flooring with an extra drying source for the entry area, and will offer your employees and consumers a pleasing, warm greeting when walking in from the cold.

• Invest in “Wet Floor” signs and place them in all entry areas. This will help your employees and consumers take extra precautions when walking and will ensure that your facility is taking the necessary safety measures through the winter months.
  
  

The main point here is that automated floor care during the winter months is A MUST! Whoever is in charge of maintenance operations within your facility should be properly notified and trained to factor in the maintenance tips mentioned above into their schedule accordingly. With these tips, your facility, maintenance and management department will be fully prepared for the winter’s unpredictable wrath.

Contact us today for more information about maintaining your flooring for the winter season.

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