No one wants to buy items from a dirty store, making store maintenance an especially important part of any retail business owner’s job. Floors tend to show wear and tear more quickly and prominently than other items in your store, so it’s important to have a plan in place for your floor. Here are some tips on how to upkeep your retail floors.
Clean Regularly
Create a detailed floor cleaning schedule. After work every day, the closer should sweep and mop the floor with a basic floor cleaner (not bleach or a harsh chemical cleaner). Have the responsible party initial after completion, and don’t forget to do it yourself when you are closer or the closer needs help. Do not mop in the morning as wet floors can present a hazard to customers. Once a month, perform a more detailed cleaning with a more powerful solution and more thorough methods you can’t expect employees to do every day, such as moving most items to clean under them.
Avoid Spills and Moisture
Many floor materials succumb to excessive moisture levels or flooding. The material can start to grow mold when damp, which smells bad and causes respiratory issues. Additionally, the floor may get so wet it becomes weak and deteriorates. If you do notice a spill or a leak, it’s important to clean up the water immediately and prevent the water spillage from happening again. Dry spills thoroughly when they occur and don’t forget to put out the proper signage to warn customers about the wet floors.
Use Quality Buffers and Floor Scrubbers
Are you using a standard household mop for commercial purposes? Your store gets more traffic than your home, and it requires upgraded tools. Look for floor cleaners that act as a mop but also act as a buffer and come with floor scrubbers and other attachments to make cleaning easy and effective. Learn how to use the equipment before you clean, as you don’t want to cause more damage than good.
Apply a Protective Coating
Once a year, apply a protective coating to your floor. Protective coatings can help protect against scratches and water damage to name a few. Your flooring company can match you with the best coating for your purposes. Most coatings last as long as a year. However, a professional coating can get expensive. Furthermore, it takes a long time to dry.
Don’t let your dirty floors scare customers away. Get the right tools for the job and stick to a floor cleaning schedule.
Bio: Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
