Help with cleaning altro flooring

« **on:** April 21, 2014, 10:24:59 pm »

Hi Guys,
I have come across a beige coloured altro safety floor. It has been down approx. 8 years in a busy café. I have tried cleaning it using red, green & black pads on a rotary machine with a high alkaline floor cleaner. Whilst a lot of dirt has been removed off the floor and it looks a hell of a lot cleaner we are still left with dark areas along the traffic routes. Is this just down to wear of the floor?? or is there something else we can try to remove this. Also the tables and chairs are metal and over the years they have left rust marks on the floor, ive tried using a rust removing chemical (Prochems one), the rust has faded somewhat but still they remain. Is there anything else we can try to remove these or have they literally penetrated in to the flooring.

Please see pictures.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
John

« **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2014, 10:29:41 pm »

« **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2014, 10:34:34 pm »

« **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2014, 10:35:49 pm »

[img width=749 height=1000]http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1398116098_floor3.jpg

« **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2014, 08:26:23 am »

In my experience Altro Floors show wear a lot after cleaning, I always qualify this with the customer. They show it more so than when it's dirty.

Saying that, I've had good results with altro floors, I do a lot of wet rooms and kitchens with them in.

What chemical did you use?

« **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2014, 08:27:49 am »

Just to add, I used All for Stone and Aqua Mix HD and I prefer a brush on these floors as they have a textured surface and I think brushes work better at getting into the gaps than pads.

« **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2014, 09:08:27 am »

I used a product called dynax from a local supplier. I've had fantastic results with this in the past, this is the first altro floor I've done that looks like this. I have also tried a scrubber dryer with brushes and truvox multiwash on this floor, neither seems to be able to bring it up any better.

« **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2014, 12:46:03 pm »

Don't think you will do any better than that.
Like Neil I always use brushes on Altro, but traffic lanes once worn will not look like new.

« **Reply #8 on:** April 22, 2014, 02:05:05 pm »

Try adding honing powder 400 or 800 grit to the mix

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd

« **Reply #9 on:** April 22, 2014, 07:59:57 pm »

Kev makes a good point, something he told me and I forgot to say. Using honing powder makes a big difference.

« **Reply #10 on:** April 22, 2014, 10:58:18 pm »

I know nothing about honing. Where can I get that from? Kev when is your next course

« **Reply #11 on:** April 23, 2014, 10:33:56 am »

Quote from: johnowhetton on April 22, 2014, 10:58:18 pm

I know nothing about honing. Where can I get that from? Kev when is your next course

You can get honing powder from me. You need to register for the next course by sending me an e mail or ringing the office on 0121 773 2450

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd

« **Reply #12 on:** April 23, 2014, 11:29:00 am »

Hi John,

If you click on the below link you will see the safest and most effective method for cleaning safety floors. If you have any questions just drop me an email on info@jskcleaning.ie with your number and I will give you a call.

Deep Cleaning of an Anti Slip Floor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSUnslNGWAo

Tadgh

« **Reply #13 on:** April 23, 2014, 02:11:21 pm »

Quote from: Tadgh O Shea on April 23, 2014, 11:29:00 am

Hi John,

If you click on the below link you will see the safest and most effective method for cleaning safety floors. If you have any questions just drop me an email on info@jskcleaning.ie with your number and I will give you a call.

Deep Cleaning of an Anti Slip Floor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSUnslNGWAo

Tadgh

Tadgh

I can see how the system you promote works and I admire it for being a little more Eco Friendly than what we use! However that floor is not particularly dirty is it? So perhaps you could just explain one thing to me?

When you have a large area to do lets say 500M2 for example which is filthy and there is no easy access to running water like a lot of jobs we work on!

1. What happens when the little scrub pad gets filthy after a couple of M2?
2. When you have finally scrubbed the 500M2 with that hand mop, your arms are dropping off and you are totally shattered how do you then rinse and extract?

Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd

« **Reply #14 on:** April 23, 2014, 05:52:44 pm »

Hi Kevin

We also do the microcleaning pads in 16" diameter which can be used with a scrubber dryer and 16" diameter double sided microfiber floor pads to rinse the floor clean.

« **Reply #15 on:** April 23, 2014, 07:33:12 pm »

Quote from: Tadgh O Shea on April 23, 2014, 05:52:44 pm

Hi Kevin

We also do the microcleaning pads in 16" diameter which can be used with a scrubber dryer and 16" diameter double sided microfiber floor pads to rinse the floor clean.

OK I get that but don't the microcleaning pads retain the dirt they clean off the floor? You see I am actually very impressed with micro cleaning systems but every one I have tried fails when there are large areas involved because the ones I have tried become very quickly clogged up and then they need changing because you cannot just seem to rinse them or am I missing something?

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd

« **Reply #16 on:** April 23, 2014, 11:29:26 pm »

I don't know Kevin Microcleaning pads work very well for us and have done for many years now, there are different densities available keep on trying until you find a suitable type.

« **Reply #17 on:** April 24, 2014, 07:49:36 am »

Got to say your video was pretty impressive

« **Reply #18 on:** April 24, 2014, 09:35:05 am »

Quote from: Tadgh O Shea on April 23, 2014, 11:29:26 pm

I don't know Kevin Microcleaning pads work very well for us and have done for many years now, there are different densities available keep on trying until you find a suitable type.

Tadgh

That's my point I tried loads of them and then gave up. I just went back to my tried and tested method of a soft to medium brush that gets into every nook and cranny on the floor, cleans really well no matter how dirty the floor is, it never clogs up and it's fast.

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics

« **Reply #19 on:** April 26, 2014, 10:35:24 am »

The best I have found are the 3M Melamine pads for longevity.
All the others seem to last 20m2 and are done.
At £40 per pad for them they can be expensive but there are a couple of applications that their performance is unmatched.

« **Reply #20 on:** April 27, 2014, 11:18:25 pm »

Hi Jamie

Yes you are right the 3M melamine floor pads are very effective but like many of their products are way over priced, standard melamine pads are usually between 7 to 8kgs/m3 our melamine floor pads are 9kgs/m3 we are soon going to launch 16kgs/m3 melamine floor pads which will be the most effective available but not at the 3M rip off prices, i will be back to Mitch very soon re advertising and will share more information then.

« **Reply #21 on:** April 28, 2014, 07:49:53 am »

Quote from: Tadgh O Shea on April 27, 2014, 11:18:25 pm

Hi Jamie

Yes you are right the 3M melamine floor pads are very effective but like many of their products are way over priced, standard melamine pads are usually between 7 to 8kgs/m3 our melamine floor pads are 9kgs/m3 we are soon going to launch 16kgs/m3 melamine floor pads which will be the most effective available but not at the 3M rip off prices, i will be back to Mitch very soon re advertising and will share more information then.

Tadgh

All well and good, I wish you all the luck bringing out anything like this but you didn't answer my post below!

"That's my point I tried loads of them and then gave up. I just went back to my tried and tested method of a soft to medium brush that gets into every nook and cranny on the floor, cleans really well no matter how dirty the floor is, it never clogs up and it's fast."

So if you can't help me perhaps you can refer me to someone who has done large areas of commercial cleaning using your method as I have three open Salons to sort in June and each one of them has 250M2 of Altro which is 3mm thick and it is all filthy and plastered in crap. I have done three tests and they all came up but if you have a better method I would like to see it and try it please!

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics

« **Reply #22 on:** April 28, 2014, 09:11:12 am »

Hi Kevin

Send on a picture and we will see what to recommend, is it 3mm of soil on the floor i doubt and if you can let me know which type of mop and chemical they are using this will help in finding a solution.

« **Reply #23 on:** April 28, 2014, 11:28:59 am »

Tadgh

The altro flooring is 3mm thick it is called Altro Stronghold see link

http://www.altro.co.uk/Flooring/Safety-Flooring-from-Altro/Altro-Stronghold-30.aspx.

I am not looking for a solution to cleaning it! I have cleaned 1000's M2 of the stuff. I was asking

"If I use your Micro pads instead of brushes how many M2 can you do before you need to change them?"

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd

« **Reply #24 on:** April 28, 2014, 12:18:29 pm »

Have you tried Altros own pads? They are a variation of the micro cleaning pads with more of a paint pad type texture. Still rubber coated.

I was pleasantly surprised by them. Again though they only last about 50m2.

The best pad choice I have found so far is the Vileda Supercross Grey.

Dont ever use them on anything but safety floor though.

I look forward to being able to try one of Tadgh higher density pads.

Please let me know when they are available.

« **Reply #25 on:** April 28, 2014, 05:47:27 pm »

Hi Kevin

It depends on how soiled the safety floor is, generally you can deep clean 30 to 40m2 with a microcleaning floor pad before it gets saturated, you can either take it off and rinse it out under a tap and then use it again, or just allow extra cost on the job and use as many as required to do the job, if you use say 10 on a job take them back to the workshop clean them out and use them again, just to note Kevin microcleaning pads will wear out easily on safety floors but for deep cleaning them i have found these pads to be the most effective way.

« **Reply #26 on:** April 28, 2014, 06:02:06 pm »

Quote from: Tadgh O Shea on April 28, 2014, 05:47:27 pm

Hi Kevin

It depends on how soiled the safety floor is, generally you can deep clean 30 to 40m2 with a microcleaning floor pad before it gets saturated, you can either take it off and rinse it out under a tap and then use it again, or just allow extra cost on the job and use as many as required to do the job, if you use say 10 on a job take them back to the workshop clean them out and use them again, just to note Kevin microcleaning pads will wear out easily on safety floors but for deep cleaning them i have found these pads to be the most effective way.

The floors are really badly soiled. They are salons so they have kitchens really soiled and then the tint prep and coffee areas are really bad. So based on the info from you I need to allow about 12 Pads per salon is that right? How much are they?

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd