Month: October 2025

A Guide to Floor Maintenance

Floors need maintaining, especially polished floors. There are 2 things that need to be done to maintaining polished floors:

  • Spray Cleaning
  • Full Strip and Polish

We will be looking at both tasks in this guide.

Think Health and Safety: Always wear the correct PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

Spray Buffing

Spray buffing, is a quick and easy way to clean a polished floor. It takes minimal effort and can be done quite quickly.

For this you will need:

  • A buffing machine with a buffing pad
  • Vel Mop or Vacuum Cleaner
  • Dustpan and Brush
  • Wet Floor Sign
  • Trigger Spray of Floor Maintainer
  1. First, make sure all equipment is assembled.
  2. Make sure to also put your wet floor sign out, with the side marked “Cleaning In Progress” outward.
  3. Now you need to spray the floor, using small amounts on the area you want to clean and use the buffing machine to buff the floor, moving left to right.
  4. Repeat this, working across the room, working from the furthest point towards the door.
  5. Once complete, remove the wet floor sign.

Strip and Polish

This takes considerably longer, so I will break it down into steps.

For this you will need:

  • A buffing machine with a buffing and scrubbing pads
  • Vel Mop or Vacuum Cleaner
  • Colour Coded Mop and Bucket
  • Dustpan and Brush
  • Wet Floor Sign
  • Floor Cleaner
  • Vinegar
  • Polish Remover
  • Non slip High Gloss Floor Polish

Step One: Sweep and Wash the Floor

  1. Make sure to also put your wet floor sign out, with the side marked “Cleaning In Progress” outward.
  2. Use your Vel Mop or the Vacuum Cleaner, to remove the dirt from the floor.
  3. mop and bucket, to wash the floor, using your floor cleaner. Wait for the floor to dry.
  4. Empty your bucket and wash

Step 2 – Strip The Polish

  1. Pour floor stripper into the bucket, (neat) and then systematically mop from the furthest point to the door. You will need to use a scrubbing pad on your machine, to remove the polish.
  2. Let the floor dry.

Step 3: Neutralise

We need to neutralise the floor or the polish will not work. To do this, dilute a cap full of vinegar into a bucket. Mop on, making sure to fully mop the solution into every part of the floor. Using the machine, work across the floor, moving left to right.

Wait for the floor to dry and empty and wash out your bucket.

Apply Polish

Types of Polish: Water-based polish is used for hardwood floors. Polyurethane is an oil-based polish can also be used on wood floors, as well as on lino flooring.

Now we need to apply the polish. To do this, fill your bucket with polish, only using enough for the room you are working on.

Mop using a systematic approach, rom the furthest point to the door.

Wait for the polish to dry and dry and empty and wash out your bucket.

Buff the Floor

Use the machine to buff the floor, working across the room, working from the furthest point towards the door.

Return all equipment and remove the wet floor sign.

And that’s how you maintain a wood and lino floor 🙂

Suggested Products for Floor Care

F2e Carefree Eternum High Gloss Floor Finish 5LEvans Vanodine Clean & Shine Floor Maintainer 5L5 Litre High Solids Floor Polish PN5411 - hygiene4lessEvans5L Floor Stripper (PK-2)

 

Another Busy Day At BHF

It has been another busy day at the shop today. I have been an apprentice till operator, so my ‘Work Wife’: Maria, has been showing me the ropes. I got the hang of it quite quickly! So for once, I was on the shop floor all morning!

At lunch, myself and Maria managed to miss each other again, as we were both going to Macci’s for lunch, but managed to both be in the wrong place at the wrong time!!!!

Then I ended up using my deck brush to scrub the lino in the loos, locker room and the kitchen as part of my daily clean. The Lino has never looked so clean! You can click here, to view my post on cleaning Safety Lino.

I did manage to pick up a bargain though – a really nice hoody, with staff discount. (£1.50, which is a real bargain!!)

I’m on the air now with Drivetime.

A Guide to Washroom Cleaning

The toilet: Also known as the washroom, the bog, the gents, the ladies, the bathroom, the lav, the lavatory, the restroom, the facilities, the crapper, or what ever else you want to call it… Is one of the highest traffic areas in the workplace. Used all day every day, the toilets will get a right battering and  that is why getting the toilets at work clean is very important and could even be classed as mission critical.

We’re judged by how clean our toilets are, so it is important to get it right the 1st time. There are a few steps to follow, which are covered in this guide. This was the way I was trained, which I think is the best way, to making sure your toilets are pristine.

Our washroom gets cleaned once daily, but is checked every hour and cleaned again where appropriate.

Assemble Equipment

You need the right tools for the job, so it is important that you get everything ready. You will need:

  • Caution Wet Floor Signs
  • The correct colour coded mop and bucket
  • The correct colour coded broom \ vel mop and the right colour coded dustpan and brush
  • The right colour coded cloths
  • The right chemicals – disinfectant sprays, toilet cleaner, liquid disinfectant, air fresheners etc.
  • Consumables – paper towels, toilet rolls, soap
  • PPE – tabard \ apron, colour coded gloves safety goggles.
  • Bin bags

Think Health and Safety: Always read the labels on the cleaning chemicals, before using them! Never mix chemicals, as it can result in chlorine gas being released. CLORINE IS TOXIC!

So now we have what we need, start by dosing the right amount of chemicals into your bucket. (in my case disinfectant. We always put the chemical in 1st, before filling the bucket. This avoids splashing.

Step 1: Prepare

Now we need to prepare to clean. It is a good idea to knock on the door and announce yourself. If there is someone in the toilets, wait for them to leave. Now prop the door open and put the wet floor sign in the doorway, with the side that shows ‘cleaning in progress’ facing outward. This lets everyone know you are cleaning.

Step 2: Apply Toilet Cleaner

First, flush the toilet. The reason we do this, is to make sure anything in the bowl is fully evacuated. Now lower the water using your toilet brush. The brush will help lower the water below the normal level and allow the toilet cleaner to clean below the water line. Now apply a thick layer of toilet cleaner under the rim of the toilet, making sure the entire surface of the bowl is covered. Don’t scrub yet, leave it to soak.

For Urinals, use the same method. On Steel Urinals, you will need to use a acidic chemical, which will not damage the surface.

Step 3: Clean all Surfaces

Spray all surfaces, using disinfectant spray. This includes the toilet cistern, all parts of the seat, the flush handle, the outside of the pan, (including the soil pipe) the sink, taps, mirrors, towel and toilet paper dispensers, sanitary bins, hand dryers, the outside of urinals and vending machines. (where present) Make sure you give these surfaces a thorough wipe down.

For surfaces such as door handles, locks, light switches and call points: Spray cleaner on the cloth and then wipe over.

While you are at it, now is a good time to replace consumables, such as toilet rolls, hand towels, sanitiser and soap. Also now may be a good time to also empty bins and replace bin liners.

Think Health and Safety: Do not try to empty the sanitary bins, this is normally done by a specialist contractor, such as PHS.

Do not clean the inside of the toilet pan yet!

Step 4: Sweep the Floor

First remove larger debris by hand. (Paper Towels, big bits of loo paper and other rubbish. Use either a broom or a Vel Mop, (Fluffy flat mop) to mop the floor. Work from the furthest point, working towards the door. Sweep any debris into a pile near the door and sweep up with your dustpan and brush.

Think Health and Safety: Beware of hazards such as hypodermic needles and other objects that may be hazardous.

Step 5: Clean the Toilet Bowl

Give the inside of the toilet bowl a good scrubbing with your toilet brush. The same goes for urinals. Make sure you really work the toilet cleaner into the pan \ urinal, so it foams a bit. Now give the toilet a good flush. For Urinals, you can gently flush with a bucket of water or wait for the auto flush.

Nearly done!

Step 6: Inspect

Go back and inspect your work and correct anything that has been overlooked.

Step 7: Mop the Floor

Now mop the floor, starting from the furthest point. I prefer to mop side to side, working backward across the room. Make sure you rinse your mop, (by dipping it back in the bucket and ringing regularly) as you go.

Once the floor has dried, remove the wet floor sign and put the toilets back into use.

And that is the correct procedure for cleaning toilets in the workplace 🙂

The Right Way to Clean Safety Linoleum

Safety Linoleum is very useful in kitchens and toilets, because it is non slip. However, due to the way it is made, it can be a pain to clean. This is due to the surface, which feels abrasive to touch. Normal Linoleum on the other hand, is smooth to touch.

Safety Linoleum, is harder to clean, because of the abrasive surface, which helps your feet grip. Mopping alone, will not get rid of the deep down dirt, which will make the lino look dirty and worn. However, it is not too hard to keep a floor with this kind of covering clean.

The below video, will show you the correct way to clean safety lino, restoring it to it’s former glory. This is the procedure I follow at work, when cleaning the safety lino in our toilets and kitchen. These floors get a deep clean every Sunday.

Brilliant Day

I had a absolutely brilliant day down the shop. For a start, I had a lady chat me up, which was really funny and has myself and Maria in hysterics. (Especially when we were going on about fit Fireman!) Even Lucy was caking herself with laughter, when Maria called her on the Radio.

Then I had to take care of a customer that wasn’t feeling too well. She felt dizzy, so I got her a chair to sit on and kept an eye on her. Good thing I am a First Aider. Of course, I was up and down spot cleaning the shop floor too.

For lunch, I had a Macci’s. I thought Maria was going to Macci’s, so I thought I would join her. However, she went to Burger King, so we missed each other! This afternoon, I came out as gay to my colleagues, which they had no I’m gay. (Isn’t it obvious lol!!!!)

So been another busy day of cleaning and tidying, even though I had to drag the bin out the way – as the pub next door have no idea of Health and Safety. (They left their bin so it blocked the fire escape route!!!! – A big NO NO!)

A Day in the Life of a Facilities Manager

In my job, no two days are alike. My job is very fast paced, always busy and great fun. For those of you that do not know, I work for the British Heart Foundation, which is a charity that champions research for heart and circulatory illnesses. I am a volunteer, even though I have a job title and love every minute of it.

I suppose I am a glorified Caretaker with a “fancy title”, as I do more than cleaning. I fix things, I tidy and help to keep everyone safe, I take the bins out and I make sure we have plenty of supplies. I love working at BHF, as it is such a worthwhile charity to work for and helps so many people.

So lets have a look at what happens during my day.

My day starts at about 9.45 when I get up. The 1st thing I do is put the kettle on and (*coughs*) have a “fresh air stick”. I let Splodge out the kitchen and feed her at the same time. Normally, I have 2 Weetabix for my breakfast and I then go to the PC.

I check my emails, read the headlines on the local paper and check if the busses are up the creep. Thankfully today, there is no disruption, so I should get in OK.

10:45 and I am out the door. I walk the 30 yards to the bus stop and wait for the good old No. 6 at 10:50. Once on the bus, I stay on until Church St. Today I have forgotten something, so I nip into the newsagents on the way in.

11:30 and I arrive at the shop. The 1st thing to do, is to sign in. (This is to comply with the Fire Regs and for security. I run upstairs and say hello to Maria and to Anne, who are already working away. I offer cups of tea to them, nip to the locker room and put my Tabard and my ID Badge on. I then fly downstairs and ask Lucy if she want’s a brew, which she did. – Milk, 2 sweeteners and coffee.

11:40 and the brews are made and I am down on the shop floor. Spot cleaning takes up most of my time, but I do not mind. The floor takes a lot of traffic, so I am constantly up and down sweeping. I talk to customers as I tidy and hold the door for a few people. Denise is her usual chatty self, so I have a quick conflab with her. I like Denise, she is so luverly. Maria is my fav at the shop though!

11:45 and I am back upstairs. Today’s jobs include deep cleaning the toilet area and deep kitchen cleaning. So I get my Vel Mop ready and the bucket and start washing down the walls. I needed the ladders to do parts of the walls that the mop won’t reach, so I get on with that. I give the loo a good clean while I am at it.

12:00 and I nip down for a bit of fresh air and then go and spot clean the floor again. The shop is really busy,  so I am back sweeping the floor with my long handled dustpan and brush.

13:00 and someone wants a brew making. I make them a brew and then get asked to make another. I don’t mind making brews, so I get those made and grab a drink myself. I then take everything out the cupboard in the kitchen and wipe down the inside. They only need doing every 3 months, so that’s another job ticked off.

13:15 and I have a break, except I need to go for an eye test. I sign out and nip to Vision Express. I had no idea I would be there till 2, but that doesn’t matter.

14:00 and I am back. Time to scrub the safety lino. Tabard back on and I am down on my hands and knees, scrubbing the floor. This takes some time, as the locker room floor also needed doing. Once scrubbed, I mop the floor and give the toilet another good clean. I leave the wet floor sign up and wring out the flat mop heads, which I had put into soak earlier. These then got hung up to dry.

14:45 Shift almost over and there’s just time to get the Henry out and vacuum the carpets. Upstairs is quite a large space, so it took me around 14 minutes to hoover through. This includes the Stock Room and Office. While I am at it, I put a new battery in the clock in the office, as it had stopped.

14:58 it’s time to finish. I take my tabard off, put my walkie talkie on charge and nip downstairs. I say cheerio to Lucy and walk round to Corporation Street to get the bus home.

Tomorrow is another day and I am sure I will have another long list of jobs to do. But for now, I need to get home to sort out my Drivetime Show. Thankfully, I will get back to Grange at 3.30, as the 5C only takes 20 mins from town.

Deep Cleaning

So for those of you that don’t know, I hold a voluntary position at the British Heart Foundation, as their Shop Facilities Manager. (Basically I am a Caretaker with a fancy title.) I actually have done Caretaking before, so am not new to it. I was a volunteer in the last place, looking after a Church, Church Hall and Grounds.

So the BHF has me cleaning the store, I keep things tidy and I do a lot more, that would take up too many pages! It’s a very busy job and I am there every day of the week, 11.30 – 3 Mon – Sat and 11.30 – 4 on Sundays.

Deep Cleaning is needed, often where a normal clean will not get rid of the dirt. Before I continue, I must stress, that the cleanliness of the shop it is not the fault of the staff or volunteers. We had no one that could do the cleaning regularly, until I came along. My boss and even the Area Manager, have said that I have really turned the shop round in the space of a week!

So today’s task, was the toilet. (Not the nicest of jobs) but it needed deep cleaning. Using my Vel Mop (a mop with a fluffy flat head) I got down all the dust and cobwebs off the walls. I dipped my pads in the bucket and then wrung it out. Then when it was reattached to the head, I used it to wipe down the walls. On a ladder, I then went right up to the area above the window and used a microfibre cloth to clean round the top of the window and get the fan clean. The bucket contained disinfectant and water, which I used to rinse the cloth and the Vel Mop Pad in.)

Next came the floor. Now the floor is Safety Lino, so it is a real pain in the neck to get clean. (This is because the lino has grips, which the dirt can easily get stuck in. To clean the floor, I had to mop the floor with neat floor cleaner to get it damp, then use a stiff brush and scrub the floor. This meant removing the Sanitary Bin and the normal bin, while I did this. Then I mopped the floor to clear off the suds. Once done, I was able to put the wet floor sign in place, to warn everyone that the floor was wet and leave it to dry, before coming back later and doing another toilet clean. (I cleaned the toilet during the deep clean, cleaning all surfaces, including the sink, toilet, door handles, toilet paper holder etc) The 2nd clean was carried out at the end of my shift. The deep cleaning, took me most of my shift, because there was so much to be done.

I still managed to get down on the shop floor and spot clean the floor, as well as hoovering through, making cups of tea and having the odd “fresh air break!”

 

May be an image of hat shop and text that says "500ks"
Our Stock Room has never looked cleaner!