4 Essential Tips for Maintaining VCT Floors

“Our floors look terrible!”

This is a complaint we hear all the time from new clients seeking professional cleaning services. Alongside concerns about restrooms and break areas, nothing seems to disappoint building owners more than dull, scuffed, or damaged flooring.

It’s easy to see why. Think about the places you visit—whether it’s a doctor’s office, a retail store, or a restaurant. Clean, shiny floors leave a positive impression, while floors that look neglected can leave visitors with a bad one.

In this article, we’ll explain what vinyl composite tile (VCT) flooring is and share tips on how to keep it looking polished and professional.

What is VCT Flooring?

Vinyl composite tiles are created from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) chips, which are compressed into sheets using heat and pressure. While these tiles are often coated with wax for a smooth finish, the material itself is porous, allowing dirt and grime to settle in easily. This is why maintaining a good layer of wax on VCT flooring is so important—it protects the surface and keeps it looking its best.

Tips for Maintaining VCT Flooring

1. Place Walk-off Mats at Entrances Walk-off mats are your first line of defense against dirt and debris. These mats trap dirt and grit from shoes, preventing them from being ground into the floor like sandpaper. In industrial settings, mats should be placed at key entry and exit points to catch as much dirt as possible. While mats won’t stop all dirt, they can capture a significant amount. For the best results, consider using a service to replace the mats regularly and remind your cleaning staff to vacuum them nightly.

2. Dust Mop Daily and Damp Mop as Needed Keeping dirt and dust off your floors is one of the most effective ways to maintain their shine. Use a microfiber dust mop daily to pick up loose dirt. Microfiber is particularly good at capturing fine particles that can dull the floor. Follow up with a damp mop and a mild cleaning solution to remove any remaining grime. For high-traffic areas, damp mopping may need to be done daily, while less-trafficked spaces can be mopped less often.

3. Buff Periodically to Restore Shine Over time, the surface of VCT flooring can develop tiny scratches and pits from daily wear and tear, such as foot traffic and rolling chairs. Buffing helps smooth out these imperfections and restores the floor’s natural shine by increasing its ability to reflect light. Using a floor buffer with an abrasive pad and heat can make a noticeable difference, making your floors look fresh and polished again.

4. Strip and Recoat Annually Even with regular cleaning and buffing, the wax layer on VCT flooring will eventually wear down. It’s important to strip away the old wax and apply new coats to protect the surface and restore its appearance. This process, called recoating, is generally needed at least once a year for areas with moderate to heavy foot traffic. Advances in floor wax technology have made coatings more durable, but a full restoration remains essential to ensure long-term floor health and shine.

With consistent care and a solid maintenance plan, your VCT floors can stay in great condition for years to come. Following these four steps will not only protect your investment but also keep your building looking clean, professional, and welcoming to visitors.

Special Cleaning Projects: Carpets, Hard Floors, Windows, and More

Stained carpets? Scuffed up floors? Dirty windows? Hazy VCT?

While routine janitorial services are an everyday need at your facility, there are a host of other needs related to the cleanliness and appearance. For instance, cleaning exterior windows is not something that is typically included in the regular cleaning work. But sometimes those windows, after winter weather, get dirty and smeared. To create that good first impression to customers and employees, those windows need periodic cleaning. 

Some services are needed on a routine basis and are best to schedule ahead of time. For example, buffing VCT floors should be done several times throughout the year depending on foot traffic. This helps increase the shine and longevity of the floor finish. It is our recommendation that you include these more frequent projects into the janitorial contract.

However, other services are only performed on an as-needed basis. Electrostatic disinfection is one such example. Perhaps flu season is particularly impacting your building, and you need to take measures to reduce the spread of germs. Electrostatic disinfection may be used to help this seasonal event. 

At Office Pride of Northwest Arkansas, we offer a wide range of specialty services, including the following:

·      Carpet cleaning

·      Strip and wax VCT floors

·      Ceramic tile and grout cleaning

·      Buffing and burnishing

·      Window cleaning

·      Electrostatic disinfection

·      Pressure washing

·      Overhead cleaning

If you need a quote for any of these services, we can give a free and timely estimate.

Please contact:

Scott McClymonds

479-263-0774

scottmcclymonds@officepride.com

Is Your Cleaning Service Living Up to Standards?

How Do You Define “Clean”?

Sometimes it’s easy to see when a cleaning service isn’t meeting your standards, but other times, the signs are less obvious. This article provides guidance on how to set clear expectations with your cleaning provider and offers advice on steps to take if your standards aren’t being met.

Setting Standards – Defining “Clean”

If you ask ten people what “clean” means, you’ll probably get ten different answers. Similar to asking someone to define “beauty,” each person has their own perspective. This difference in views can make “clean” a challenging concept to standardize. If you’re managing your facility’s upkeep, you’ve likely encountered this problem.

Instead of relying solely on subjective ideas of cleanliness, create a detailed scope of work to set clear standards. This document should outline tasks to be performed in specific areas (such as offices, bathrooms, and break rooms) along with how frequently each task should be done (daily, weekly, monthly).

With a defined scope of work, both you and your cleaning provider can conduct routine inspections to ensure tasks are being completed as agreed.

Objective Metrics for Evaluating Performance

Since the idea of cleanliness can vary from person to person, it’s best to rely on objective metrics to gauge if your cleaning service is meeting expectations. Consider the following indicators:

1. Complaint Tracking: A core aim of any cleaning program is to reduce interruptions by minimizing complaints. Keep track of issues like “the restroom is out of soap” or “the trash wasn’t emptied.” Maintain a log of complaints, whether they’re received by email or verbally.

2. Response Times: Set up a process for reporting service issues to your cleaning vendor. If they don’t have a dedicated service portal, email works just as well. Track how quickly they respond to and resolve each issue.

3. Inspection Results: Routine inspections are crucial for maintaining quality. Ask your vendor to provide inspection reports regularly so you can be sure standards are being met.

These metrics are primarily objective, easy to track, and provide a foundation for accountability in your cleaning program.

Steps to Take When Your Vendor Misses the Mark

Even with well-defined standards and metrics in place, there may still be times when your cleaning service falls short. If this happens, consider these steps to get things back on track:

1. Meet with Your Vendor: Discuss the specific issues and ask targeted questions like, “What’s causing the high turnover in the cleaning team?” or “Why has the response time slowed from three hours to two days?” Digging into these issues can help identify ways to improve performance.

2. Reinforce Your Expectations: Reiterate your expectations to your vendor and set a realistic timeframe for improvements. Give them a fair opportunity to correct any issues.

3. Plan for a Change if Needed: If problems continue, start exploring alternative options. Research potential replacement vendors, meet with them, and prepare a thorough request for their services. Be sure to inform your staff about any upcoming changes so they’re aware.

By defining expectations clearly, relying on measurable performance metrics, and staying prepared to switch providers if necessary, you can keep your facility in top condition and ensure your cleaning service aligns with your standards.