Floorcare

Backpack vacuums, such as ProTeam, are faster in spaces with furniture, stairs and tight corners, such as offices, classrooms and restaurants, and cleaning studies have found they can cover significantly more area per hour than uprights. Upright vacuums are better for large open carpeted areas such as hotel corridors and ballrooms, because the wide brush roll grooms carpet efficiently. Many contractors carry a backpack for detail work and an upright for open carpet.

A true HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter captures at least 99.97 percent of particles 0.3 microns in size, including fine dust, pollen and many allergens, so the vacuum does not blow them back into the room. HEPA vacuums are recommended for hotels, schools, healthcare settings and anyone cleaning for people with allergies or asthma. The filter only works fully if the vacuum body is sealed so air cannot bypass it.

High-traffic areas such as entrances, lobbies and corridors should be vacuumed daily; medium-traffic areas such as offices 2 to 3 times a week; and low-traffic areas weekly. Daily vacuuming removes grit that cuts carpet fibres, which extends carpet life. Use walk-off mats at entrances to trap most soil before it reaches the carpet, and spot-clean spills immediately before they set.

Steam mops work well on sealed hard floors such as ceramic and porcelain tile, sealed stone and vinyl, and they clean without chemicals. They should not be used on unsealed wood, waxed floors, or laminate and engineered wood unless the flooring maker approves it, because heat and moisture can cause swelling and damage finishes. Test a small area first and keep the mop moving.

Use a neutral pH floor cleaner for daily cleaning of finished vinyl, VCT and sealed floors, because it removes soil without dulling or stripping the floor finish. Alkaline cleaners and degreasers are for heavy soil and kitchen floors, and disinfectant cleaners are for washrooms and healthcare areas. Dilute concentrates at the label ratio; using too much leaves a sticky residue that attracts dirt.

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