VCT is common in schools, clinics, retail stores and break rooms because it is durable and affordable. Its shine, however, does not come from the tile. It comes from layers of floor finish on top, and that finish is what wears, scratches and traps dirt.
Good floor care protects the finish so it lasts longer between full refinishing visits. Here are the four levels of care and when each one makes sense.
Daily care
Keeping grit off the finish
Sand and grit act like sandpaper on floor finish. Daily dust mopping and damp mopping with a neutral cleaner remove them before they scratch.
- Dust mop or vacuum to remove grit.
- Damp mop with a neutral cleaner.
- Walk-off mats at entrances to stop soil at the door.
Machine scrubbing
Removing the soil that mops leave behind
On larger floors, an auto-scrubber scrubs and picks up the dirty water in one pass. It cleans deeper than a mop and leaves the floor dry faster.
Our commercial floor cleaning plans machine scrubbing around your traffic and hours.
- Best for corridors, sales floors and large open areas.
- Leaves less residue than mopping.
- Prepares the floor for burnishing.
Burnishing
Bringing back the shine between refinishing
A high-speed burnisher polishes the floor finish and brings back a wet-look shine. Regular burnishing stretches the time between strip and wax visits.
- Done on a clean, dry floor.
- Restores gloss in traffic lanes.
- Frequency depends on traffic and the look you want.
Strip and wax
The full reset
When the finish is worn through, yellowed or holding dirt between layers, it is stripped down to the tile. The floor is then rinsed and new coats of finish are applied.
- Old finish and embedded dirt removed.
- Several fresh coats of finish applied.
- Scheduled after hours or on weekends so the floor can cure.
Signs Your Floor Needs More Than Mopping
What to look for
Walk the floor in good light and check for these signs:
- Dull traffic lanes: the finish is worn; burnishing or a scrub-and-recoat may be enough.
- Dark edges and corners: dirt is trapped in the finish; strip and wax is usually needed.
- Yellow or patchy color: old finish has built up or aged; it is time to strip and refinish.
Keep Your Floors Looking New
Matrix Facility Solutions cares for VCT, tile and other hard floors across Largo, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa, with a plan based on each floor type.
See our floor cleaning service, visit the contact page or call (727) 761-9990 to request a free walkthrough and a fixed written price.
Schedule your walkthrough