Springtime Maintenance Checklist

Thanks to Mother Nature and a little help from Punxsutawney Phil, winter will be soon coming to an early close. While the weather was relatively mild, we did have a few snowstorms that gave custodial teams everywhere a run for their money. First thing on every facility manager’s mind should be how to clean up after the mess that winter left behind. Below we have a few items that should be on every custodial staff’s Springtime Maintenance Checklist.

• Clean Up Salt – Hose down all exterior concrete or natural stone surfaces that may have come in contact with salt to prevent long-term salt damage. Spalling or etching can occur in these surfaces if not properly cleaned. If salt residue is difficult to remove, consider professional.

• Clean/Replace Door Mats – Salt can be very difficult to remove from entrance rugs or floor mats near your doorways. Salt crystals can attach themselves to the fibers of your mat or carpet and cause the fabric to become hard. Assess the damage and replace them if necessary. If the salt damage does not appear to be too extensive, a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar can sometimes remove minor salt stains.

• Inspect Equipment – Winter can be notoriously difficult on your cleaning equipment. Clean auto scrubber squeegees and inspect them for tears. Check to see if the pads on your floor buffers are dirty or need replacing. Check the motors in your equipment to ensure that they are running properly.

• Refresh Restrooms – Dirt and grime build up in public restrooms over time. With the added mess of the winter months, spring is a perfect time to refresh your building’s restrooms. Schedule a deep cleaning of your tile and grout to get your restrooms ready for the high traffic of spring and summer.

• Refinish Floors – Spring is a very popular time to have floors refinished and freshened up for busier seasons. Winter foot traffic can cause your natural stone or concrete floors to become dull. Calling in a company that handles restoration of commercial hard surfaces can give your floors a much needed refresh.

Does your maintenance staff need help recovering from winter? GK’s Custom Polishing, Inc. specializes in commercial cleaning, sealing and restoration of natural stone, concrete & tile/grout. We also offer maintenance consulting services to help your staff your staff properly maintain your hard surfaces. Give us a call at (440) 937-4457 for a free quote.