SEASONAL ESSENTIALS: Quick tips for winter cleaning

Keeping your building clean and safe for guests and visitors during the winter months can be time consuming and labour intensive, but it remains a high priority. Clean, dry walking surfaces are not only safer; they leave a positive impression on guests and visitors.

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Sani Marc has a complete range of solutions, from cleaning equipment and chemicals, to on-site training and advice. To get your winter off to a good start, here are six essential tips for proper winter building maintenance, followed by a checklist of products to help you hit the ground running.

1- Exterior building entrances: Salt and ice melter

The two most popular options for clearing ice on walkways are salt and ice melter. While salt is inexpensive and easy to use, it is only effective to -18 degrees Celsius. Ice melter works at temperatures as low as -32 degrees Celsius. Ice melter is also safer for your walkway surfaces and surrounding landscaping. Both work best when applied before snowfalls and freezes. Applying ice melter before a heavy snowfall will prevent a layer of ice from forming underneath the snow. Once the ice melter has worked its magic, remember to remove any ice and slush. A mechanical sweeper is a great way to help prevent salt residue and dirt from entering the building. Many green certification programs recommend this practice all year long as it results in less residue to clean inside the facilities and less damage to your floors.

2- Entrance matting

Quality entrance matting can trap 70% to 80% of dirt before it ends up on your floors. For best results:

• Use scraper mats for exterior entryways. Mats with blades of various heights are effective at dislodging grime and debris from shoes so it remains outside your building.
  You may also want to consider mats with drainage holes as they will also keep moisture outside and reduce the amount of dirt brought into your building.
• Use transition or wiper-scraper mats throughout the building.
• Place entrance mats in high foot traffic locations to keep your building clean from snow, slush, and salt visitors bring inside the building.
• Customized mats are the best. If these are not affordable, make sure to secure any mats and rugs that do not lay flat.

3- Proper signage

Choose from among several items available to indicate slippery or wet floors so visitors can avoid accidents due to slips and falls.

4- Floor maintenance

Applying a protective coat of floor finish before winter settles in will help avoid irreparable damage from salt, dirt and debris. Scrub and recoat hard floors with a protective coat of floor finish. This will save you from having to do a costly and time-consuming strip and refinish in the spring.

5- Floor care equipment

Keep a clean bucket, wringer and mop on hand to quickly pick up spills and excess moisture near entrances, elevators and reception desks. Invest in wet dry vacuums, carpet extraction equipment, air movers, auto-scrubbers and other such equipment to help you improve your cleaning processes.

6- Chemicals

Stock up on specialized cleaners that remove ice melter residue and help prevent a white haze from forming on your floors, carpet and matting during winter.

Your winter readiness product checklist