Featured in European Cleaning Journal: Care of Hard Floors | October 2024

This article is entitled: “Tough Decisions” and looks at the reasons why customers opt for a hard floor.

What makes a customer choose a hard floor in your view? For example, is it mainly for aesthetic reasons? Or do they feel that this will be a practical solution for their facility?

Some people choose a hard floor because they think it will be easier to clean than a carpet. But in fact, in our experience, it can be equally difficult to clean a hard floor. It really depends on the environment. In healthcare for instance, hard floors might be most appropriate because they can be easily cleaned to remove spillages, while in the care sector, carpets might be more appropriate.

Specifiers and architects often put aesthetic issues ahead of considerations around hygiene and cleaning, so choosing the right multi-purpose scrubber-dryer to maintain all types of flooring is always a good decision.

Do customers assume a hard floor will be easier to clean and maintain than a carpet? Perhaps they believe it will be more durable, too?

I do think that most people assume it is easier to clean because they can just use the mop and that might be their preferred method of cleaning. But we know that doesn’t really clean, it just takes the dirt for a walk and moves soil from one place to another – spreading bacteria and viruses – leading to build-up, particularly at the edges of a room.

As for durability, some hard floors can be easily damaged and are extremely expensing and time-consuming to repair when compared to carpets.

Do hard floors give the impression of being more hygienic than textiles? Is this a strong argument for some customers?

Hard flooring can certainly be more hygienic than carpets in some environments such as healthcare, as spillages are easier to remove. It is always going to be a balance between aesthetics and practicality.

Do factors such as a high gloss finish persuade some customers to opt for a hard floor? And are others driven by factors such as fashion or cost?

We’ve seen a big move away from high-gloss flooring, particularly in the healthcare and care sectors, as there can be a perception that the floor is wet or slippery. The time and cost involved in maintaining a high gloss finished can be prohibitive and most people now seem to prefer a mid-sheen finish. Our single disc Orbis machines will maintain the manufacturers finish, without altering the level of sheen.

Do hard floors deliver all these benefits: e.g. durability, hygiene, attractiveness etc? Or are they more prone to wear/more difficult to maintain than some customers realise?

Consideration for frequency and method of cleaning is essential and seldom part of the original flooring specification. Aspects such as the environment, footfall and flooring type are crucial in deciding which type of floorcare machine should be used.

Truvox International offers a wide range of floorcare machines to suit all circumstances and budgets, and all of them have the reputation of being simple to use and easy to maintain. But beyond that, we have decades of knowledge and experience in how best to maintain flooring, so that is always looks at its best and creates an excellent impression all day, every day.

What are the chief advantages of a hard floor in your view? What floorcare systems do you offer that make them easy to clean and maintain?

The soil is more visible on a hard floor – so easier to see and remove – maintaining a high level of appearance. In high-risk areas such as healthcare, spillages can be more rapidly removed but they always need to be cleaned quickly as they can sometime chemically alter the surface of the floor, changing the colour or feel.

When choosing floorcare cleaning systems, consider the environment, the flooring type and the required cleaning frequency.

Truvox International offers a wide range of machines, from the popular Multiwash™ PRO range – which now includes the new Multiwash™ PRO Steam and Multiwash™ PRO Battery – to the Orbis range.

To help facilities managers choose the most appropriate machine or machines for the care of hard floors in their premises, we offer a site visit. Taking into account the environment, the flooring type, the footfall traffic, and the required cleaning frequency, we can then recommend the right machines.

Once the machines have been specified and supplied, we can provide training for operatives, and that’s supported by what’s available on our website and on YouTube. All our machines are reliable, simple to use and easy to maintain. Our online training videos provided step by step guides on how to get the best from each of our machines, and we also have a training facility at our recently opened showroom in Southampton.

Paul Robinson, Truvox UK National Sales Manager