Don’t Disregard The Details In Floor Care

A reader received a complaint from a customer, saying that they “failed the VCT floor work because some of the corners/edges were dirty.” This reader disagreed with the customer’s expectations and wanted my feedback.

Although I regret their feeling this way, I can only direct them to read the contract specifications that were signed. It describes a floor that is not only clean in the middle with a nice gloss but also edges, corners, baseboards and splash areas clean as well. It took only a few minutes to determine that although the floor had a fairly decent gloss in the middle, it was totally unsatisfactory along the edges, baseboards, corners and splash areas. Let me elaborate.

There was visible build up of old (apparently damaged by stripping solution) finish along the edges. It appears that you applied several coats of finish over the damaged surface which only magnified the damaged areas. I highly recommend the “6-9 inch rule” for applying finish on a clean floor.

The baseboards show signs of several coats of finish that has been damaged by stripping solution over the years. They may be beyond repair. My position is that baseboards should not have any finish on them ever. If the customer wants them “shiny” you can use a good polish that does not build up to satisfy them. I believe the customer just wants them to not look dirty.

Corners were totally unacceptable with old dirt, grit, stripper debris and the same build up as other areas described above. These areas will require a lot of handwork to restore them.

Finally, splash areas are signs that when the floor machine was throwing slurry against a door or wall, it was not promptly wiped off. Once dried, the damage has been done.

I saw nothing that could not be corrected with training. Since this reader has had the contract for more five years, any visible irregularities are theirs and theirs alone. I recommend bringing a supportive vendor in to train the floor crew in how to deal successfully with the details.

Your comments and feedback are always appreciated. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean…

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.