tech tip Perfecting Tips for correcting mistakes made by inexperienced workers. By: Gary Clipperton It’s undeniably exasperating — a floor tech’s lack of training and experience leads to unacceptable results. If a manager doesn’t laugh, he or she might cry. When it comes to hard floor care, striving for perfection is a valued objective. Results depend upon advanced and ongoing training programs, plus insisting on immaculate outcomes. So, let’s take a look and see what process improvements can be implemented in your next training session. Here are some common hard floor care mistakes that a supervisor or inexperi -enced craftsman must address. A Floor’s Finish Image courtesy of Marchcattle/iStock/Thinkstock Image courtesy of DAJ/Amana Images/Thinkstock Image courtesy of Marchcattle/iStock/Thinkstock Cleaning The Edges There is no excuse for skipping the corners. Soil can be pulled out of corners with a little help from a scraper or scrub pad. Once these neglected corners are cleaned, they are much easier to maintain. When stripping, always remember to scrape and scrub edges. Protecting The Floor There is no reason to avoid cleaning up a mess when finished. Prevention and protection is a simple step. Pull out some cardboard and lay it down to keep the floor clean, or use an old door mat. When finished, pull it up and mop underneath. Professionals have learned that little things definitely make a big difference. Gum And Stickers Again, neglect of the fine details leaves a floor less than spectacular. All it requires is a scrapper or solvent to remove the sticky adhesive content. Don’t apply too much abrasion to vinyl composition tile (VCT) floors, or scrape marks may be left behind. When deep cleaning grout, use a special machine or a grout brush. Plastic Garden Edging Well, not everyone enjoys seeing dried slurry on their base -boards and door jambs. Purchasing and using splash guards on your machines is a great idea. If you are a do-it-yourself fan, try the edging material from your home improvement store. Cut a section to fit around your floor machine. Allow it to overlap two inches, and adjust with some slack between the edging material and your strip pad. Drill a couple of small holes where the ends overlap. Install using a couple of small screws. 16 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® April 2014
CMM – Archives April 2014: 16
