Fort Worth, TX – October 11, 2011 - There are times when even under the best of care, using the best chemicals and equipment, floor care problems persist. For instance, streaking, poor gloss, uneven shine, even discoloring are among floor care problems that can resurface for no apparent reason.

This month’s Powr-Flite Troubleshooter identifies some reasons this can happen and offers specific ways to tackle the problem:

• First do nothing. Before attempting to “fix” the problem, do nothing. Instead, make a list of what floor care problems are present, where they are and are not located, the type of flooring, when problems were first noted, traffic conditions in the problem area, and even climate conditions.  All of these can have an impact on the appearance of floors.
• Matting: Most floor soiling is walked into a facility. Experts suggest up to 15 feet of matting may be necessary at key building entries.
• Chemical evaluation: Some floor care chemicals from the same manufacturer are designed to work together as a system for maximum results. Chemicals manufactured by different manufacturers may not always work together well.
• Equipment evaluation. Older floor machines may not have proper “pad to floor” contact, which can result in an uneven shine; Squeegees on auto-scrubbers can tear, resulting in streaks and lines.
• Equipment care: Thoroughly empty tanks after each use to prevent mold from developing, which can contaminated floor care chemicals.
• Floor care plan. Having a written floor care plan helps ensure that a variety of daily, interim and restoration floor care tasks are completed and on set schedules.

“And we should not forget that ISSA as well as some [jansan] distributors offer continuing education programs specifically addressing floor care problems,” says Huong Pham, product manager for Powr-Flite. “These [classes] can prove to be very helpful.”