First impressions can make or break a business, especially if that business is hospitality. A patron could either walk into a facility and marvel in its ambiance, or they could scoff at the lack of maintenance and turn around to leave. To prevent the latter from happening, cleaning managers must focus their attention on the hotel entryway, specifically the flooring.

The type of flooring that is used in the entryway, as well as how it is maintained, can dictate the overall impression of a building occupant. If the floors are stained and smudged, patrons are likely to associate the rest of the hotel with a lack of maintenance. On the other hand, if the floors have a high-gloss shine, visitors will assume that the remainder of the facility has received a similar level of attention.

Flooring used in hotel entryways can vary, depending on geographical location, foot traffic, outdoor vegetation and weather, department size and the level of service management wishes to communicate. Many hotels have found that hard floors are ideal for their facility, while others opt for carpeting. Each has their benefits and it is up to the specific facility to dictate which is best for their needs.

Flooring Challenges
There are various types of flooring that can be used in hotel entryways. All communicate sophistication, but some might be challenging to maintain, while others are easily cleaned for a high-gloss shine.

For example, marble or terrazzo floors require specialized cleaning equipment, as well as expertise from workers, to keep clean and well maintained. Flooring that requires this level of attention and expertise might not be ideal for an area that receives so much foot-traffic.

Ceramic tiles are often used by smaller hotel chains. Although this type of flooring certainly has its benefits, it is often difficult for cleaners to maintain the grout between the tiles. In most cases, this type of maintenance requires either a smaller scrubber, low-speed machine, or a worker who has the time to tend to the grout lines by hand.

Some types of tile flooring, although easy to install and visually appealing to building occupants, can require special cleaning procedures. For instance, using some rotary floor scrubbers can put small scratches in vinyl tile, which will wear on the flooring and make a high-shine difficult for cleaners to attain. This is why it is important for cleaners to understand the types of flooring they are working with, as well as the proper cleaning methods to use.

Carpeting is an option that a lot of hotel cleaning managers take advantage of. Dirt is less noticeable, but it is also more difficult to remove a spot on carpeting than it would be on a hard floor. Spot cleaning can be time consuming and labor intensive for departments who don’t have adequate staff to handle the job. When installing carpet, it is also important to consider the amount of foot-traffic that the area will receive, as excessive use will wear on carpet fibers and break down materials quicker.

Frequency Of Clean
Regardless of the type of flooring that is used, it is most important to properly care for hotel entryways on a regular basis. If regular maintenance is neglected, floors can become costly to maintain and a safety concern for building occupants.

Some cleaning experts comment that entryways should receive attention daily, in an effort to maintain a high shine. This means scrubbing and burnishing high-traffic areas on a daily basis. Areas that receive less traffic, such as hallways, can be maintained on a weekly basis. This level of maintenance will help extend the life of the flooring.

It is also important to train the cleaning staff on the importance of spot cleaning. Constant attention to spills in entryways can help extend the life of flooring, as well as maintain a safe environment for hotel guests. Wet or unmaintained flooring can pose a safety concern in the form of slips, trips and fall hazards. Cleaners should tend to spills as soon as they are noticed in an effort to eliminate these hazards.

Some experts recommend that cleaning managers implement walk-off matting programs into their entryways. Doing so can help extend the life of a floor, as well as reduce cleaning frequency.

Used in entryways, these mats can collect soil, sand and debris that would otherwise be tracked in on visitors shoes. Collecting debris in the mats will prevent it from being ground into flooring and tracked throughout the facility. To prevent oversaturation, these mats should be vacuumed daily and cleaned on a regular basis to keep debris in check.

Once an ideal level of clean has been achieved, it is important to note the frequency of cleaning, procedures implemented and equipment and chemicals used so departments can maintain the most cost-effective cleaning program. Doing so will guarantee a pleasant atmosphere for hotel guests.




POSTED ON: 11/1/2007