I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Any chemical, tool or piece of equipment that enables you to perform the work better, faster and cheaper is a bargain.

There are many different types of pads to consider in day to day custodial operations and floor work. Many of us have seen the old standby green pad that is very aggressive and care must be taken not to use on the wrong surface. Such a pad can assist with scouring out corroded urinals and toilets but not most sinks. Remember, the difference between a traditional toilet or urinal and a sink is that the toilet is made of porcelain (think china or coffee cup) whereas the traditional sink is made of cast iron metal with enamel (think paint) that is much more sensitive to aggressive scrubbing.

Use of a green pad on a sink could easily result in removing the finish and leaving scour marks and permanent damage. I have seen sinks that actually have started to rust once the enamel has been penetrated. Note that I used the term “traditional” toilet, sink and urinal since there are so many different types of synthetic products today that can easily be damaged if manufacturer directions are not followed closely.

If you’re simply trying to restore a worn out sink or urinal that can’t look any worse you can consider using the green pad and a powdered cleanser that has chlorine bleach, TSP (tri-sodium phosphate), and a fine grit. I have seen experienced cleaners mix a poultice of the powdered cleanser and GENTLY scrub with the green pad to impressive results. Always test a small area and if the process is causing damage, stop immediately and try something else.

We will consider other tools in a future article.

Your comments and questions are important. 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


posted on 6/14/2016