How to Maintain Resilient Flooring – Interim Maintenance

In addition to regular routine maintenance, resilient floors periodically require interim maintenance procedures to prolong their life and maintain a beautiful, clean appearance. Interim maintenance also extends the time between restorative procedures when the floor must be stripped and re-finished.

During interim maintenance, the top layers of dirty, deteriorating floor finish are removed and a new top coat is applied. The frequency at which interim maintenance should be performed depends on the level of traffic your floors receive.

Basic Interim Maintenance:

1. Gather all your supplies before getting to work. You don’t want to have to stop in the middle of cleaning to grab something you’ve forgotten.
2. Prepare the floors by vacuuming and/or dust mopping and scraping up any gum or stickers. Be sure to properly dispose of any dirt or soiling (don’t just push it to the side or leave it in a corner).
3. Place wet floor signs around your work area before wet mopping the floors. It’s important to alert building occupants of the slippery floors to prevent accidents.
4. Use a high-quality scrubbing cleaner such as Betco Best Scrub. Apply it with an auto scrubber, first with the vacuum off and the squeegee up, allowing the machine to scrub the solution onto the floor using a blue or green floor pad. Then go back over the floor with the vacuum on and the squeegee down, so you can pick up the dirty solution. It’s best to work in a small section of about 6-8 feet wide. If you do not have an auto scrubber or are working in a confined space, use a mop, floor machine, and wet/dry vac.
5. Detail mop the floor to remove any leftover slurry. Be sure to wring out the mop frequently to keep it from getting too wet, ensuring that it can absorb as much liquid from the floor as possible.
6. Check the floor with your hand to make sure there isn’t any leftover residue. Leftover residue will interfere with the new finish, so if there is any present, you must detail mop again.
7. Apply the new finish. Place a new, clean trash liner into a bucket and then fill with your preferred floor finish. Apply the finish with a clean rayon or microfiber mop. Tip: Rinse the finish mop out prior to use. Even brand new mops can contain dust and lint, which can be transferred to the floor.
8. When the job is done, be sure to thoroughly clean all equipment. Clean equipment works better, lasts longer, and will make your next cleaning job easier.

Interim maintenance procedures should be performed when the floor no longer responds to routine maintenance, spray buffing, or burnishing. A regular interim maintenance schedule should be part of your building’s overall floor maintenance plan.

For more information on proper resilient floor care, call 800-556-6366 to request a FREE copy of the Life Cycle of Floor Care manual. This full-color, illustrated guide covers the step-by-step procedures required for all hard floor maintenance procedures. This manual includes instructions in both English and Spanish.