All over floor mopping requires a mop, warm water and soap. But which soap to choose? That depends on your floor finishing.
If you've chosen a hard wood floor covering that has been finished with a coating like polyurethane, you can be less choosey with your soap choice. You can choose a hardwood floor cleaner or an all purpose cleaner (FULLER Labor Saver Floor Cleaner).
Though finished floors cost more to put into your home, they can save on cleaning products, since you'll be able to use one cleaner for all of the hard floors in your home. Tile, linoleum, wood laminate and finished hardwood floors can all be cleaned with an all purpose cleaner. The one soap you will want to avoid is oil soap. Oil soaps can create a film on the surface, making it difficult and more costly to refinish.
For unfinished floors, you will need to be a bit more fastidious when choosing a cleaner. Oil soaps can cause a film on your floors, so they should be avoided. All purpose soaps may be too harsh for your unfinished wood. If your floor is unfinished wood, you should choose a mild soap. You should not use your tile or linoleum cleaner on unfinished wood floors.
Once you have your floor cleaning product, you should know the steps to correctly clean your floor.
First, sweep your entire floor. You will need to move your furniture to sweep underneath it regularly. Do not drag your furniture, though, make sure you lift it. Otherwise, you will end up with scratches and dings that require much more work to remove.
Second, pick up as much of the collected dirt and grit with a dustpan with a rubber contact, to avoid scratches.
Third, you will need a mop that will not damage your floors. Choose a mop without scrubbers and without metal that contacts the floor. A sponge mop is a good choice (FULLER sponge mop).
Fourth, run some warm water into a bucket that will fit your mop. Add floor cleaner to the water as the manufacturer recommends.
Next, saturate your mop then ring out very, very well. The more water you can get out of the mop, the better. Then mop your floor, starting on one side of the room and continuing to the other. Rinse and ring out your mop often.
Finally, let your floor dry. If you have rung out your mop well, this should be speedy. If you notice any puddles, dry with a towel to avoid water spots.
Whether you choose a finished or unfinished hardwood floor, make sure you choose the cleaning product appropriate for your floor. If you choose the right cleaning product your floor should be strong under your feet for years to come.
You can buy supplies from janitorial distributors, big box stores like Home Depot, on-line stores, e-bay, and in a pinch, you can even buy from your local grocery store. Following are a few highlights of what each of these sources has to offer:
A janitorial supplies distributor has working knowledge of the chemicals and equipment that you need to successfully run your cleaning business. They can provide MSDS sheets, offer suggestions and advice, rent equipment, and even provide training to you and your employees.
Janitorial distributors keep records of your purchases. So if you forget the name of a particular chemical that worked well for you, they will be able to track down that information. Distributors have higher quality products and can offer volume discounts and let you know when manufacturers are offering specials. In addition, if a piece of equipment breaks down your distributor may be able to fix it.
Big box stores sell an assortment of chemicals, supplies and some equipment. However, they more than likely will not provide you with MSDS sheets or keep track of your purchases. Prices may be lower, but you will not get any training or support from the employees at a big box store. If you buy equipment from a big box store you will have to send it back to the manufacturer for repairs or service.
On-line stores sell almost everything. There are many specialized janitorial supply stores that will no doubt have everything you need for your cleaning business. You can easily shop and compare prices with just a few clicks of your mouse. Make sure that you read all the fine print and know what the exact charges are for your product. Some sites will charge extra for shipping, or they may claim "free shipping" yet have increased their prices to cover those charges. There may be some items, such as large pieces of equipment that have added shipping charges.
Buyers and sellers are flocking to Ebay to either get bargains or get rid of overstocks. Sellers on ebay are not likely to provide you with MSDS sheets (you can ask), guarantees or information on how to use the product. Ebay does have some built in protections for the buyer and the seller. But that does not mean that Ebay will guarantee the quality of the product that you are buying. For some items on Ebay you submit a "bid" and others you can buy outright. You also have to watch the shipping charges that you will have to pay.
In a pinch, your local grocery store has wood cleaner, toilet bowl cleaners, basic cleaning supplies, and trash can liners. These are not industrial-strength products, but if an employee runs out of a chemical while cleaning a building, it might be your only choice.
No matter where you buy from, it's always best to plan ahead and make sure that you have all the cleaning supplies and equipment that you need on hand. The choice of where you buy supplies will not "make or break" your cleaning company. However, knowing that you have a dependable source for your equipment and supplies and having a good working relationship with that company will mean one less headache for you as you grow your cleaning business!
Both Vincent & Steve Hanson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Vincent has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement, Sales and Negotiation and Cars. Author Vincent Platania represents the Stanley Home Products.Stanley Home Products has been in business since 1936, and offers high quality home and personal care products to keep your home and your body clean.Visit. Vincent's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Steve Hanson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cleaning Business, Business Plan and Home Appliances. Steve Hanson is co-founding member of The Janitorial Store (TM), an online community that offers weekly tips, articles, downloads, discussion forums, and more for anyone who would like to learn. Steve Hanson's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.