Flooring Care Maintenance Guide

Watco’s flooring products demonstrate superior chemical and abrasion resistance and are designed to produce long-term, hard-wearing protection against chemical attack, dirt penetration, and everyday abuse. Watco Floors’ products can be generally maintained with a routine program similar to any good-housekeeping procedures. Thorough sweeping and mopping to remove loose particles and soil along with the prompt removal of grease and other contaminants will prevent most flooring systems from early deterioration. It is recommended that the floor coating be visually inspected periodically for wear patterns caused by excessive traffic or repeated cleaning. If these areas begin to appear, please discuss with your Watco Floors Product Expert.

Daily Maintenance of Floor Coatings

Sweep the floors daily. If abrasive particles are present, they should be removed by mopping with a solution of Bio-D Floor Degreaser and Cleaner, then rinse completely with clean, fresh water.

  • Avoid using water temperature over 120°F. Be sure to test any cleaner that you haven't used before on a sample of the Seamless Flooring Material or Seamless Floor coating or in an inconspicuous area.
  • Promptly remove grease, and other contaminants from the surface of the floor.
  • Be sure to completely rinse off all chemical solutions spilled on the flooring surface as soon as possible to stop potential discoloration or degradation.
  • Smooth Systems: These systems can generally be kept clean by following basic housekeeping guidelines. Promptly remove dirt and contaminants to avoid early deterioration and wear patterns.
    • Mop on a regular basis with a neutral soap or detergent like Bio-D Floor Degreaser and Cleaner, then completely rinse. Mop should be rinsed often. The water should be changed frequently as well. Smooth floors are easily cleaned this way.
    • It may be necessary to give extra care to areas that are subject to heavy traffic, hard rubber wheels, and steel wheels that leave marks. In these situations, please use the methods described for textured floors for more difficult to remove contamination.
  • Anti-Slip and Textured Floor Systems: These systems may require the use of a stiff bristled brush or floor scrubber to reach the bottom of the anti-skid texture. Severe problem areas can be treated as follows:
    • Anti-slip and textured coatings should be mopped on a regular basis with a neutral soap or detergent like Bio-D Floor Degreaser and Cleaner, then completely rinse.
    • Mop should be rinsed often. Synthetic mops tend to work better on textured surfaces than cotton mops. The water should be changed frequently as well. It may be necessary to give extra care to areas that are subject to heavy traffic, hard rubber wheels, and steel wheels that leave marks.
  • Special Flooring Concerns:
    • Grease Removal: Grease is typically removed by Bio-D Floor Degreaser and Cleaner or other commonly available biodegradable cleaners. Contact a Watco Floors Product Expert if you have any questions.
    • Removing Dairy Products: Dairy products should be removed immediately as they may cause staining on some types of floor coating systems.
    • Tire Marks Removal: Scrub the area(s) with a stiff bristled brush and use the same biodegradable cleaner that you are using to mop with.
    • Stubborn Dirt or Stain Removal: When you are trying to remove stubborn dirt or stains, allow the biodegradable cleaner to set in the area for a little while longer and do the work for you. Then completely rinse the area to remove the cleaner and the dirt.
    • Chemical Spills: You should always rinse strong chemicals as quickly as possible completely from the surface. Chemicals allowed to dry on the surface, typically become more concentrated as they dry. In some instances concentrated chemicals will begin to attack the floor if not cleaned and rinsed promptly and thoroughly.

Auto Floor Scrubber System Recommendations

Watco Floors’ products can be properly maintained and cleaned using an automatic floor scrubbing machine. The machine should be tested in an inconspicuous location prior to full use.

  • Be sure to test the use of floor cleaning machines with Bio-D Floor Degreaser and Cleaner. The auto-scrubber manufacturer should be consulted for cleaner concentration.
  • Brushes should be non-abrasive, soft to medium texture, flexible nylon bristle type.
  • Cleaning with automatic floor scrubbing machines should be based on floor substrate or traffic level and should be part of a cleaning schedule appropriate for the floor.

Washing and Polishing of Floor Coatings

Floor coating systems can have various gloss levels ranging from matte to high gloss. Depending on the finish chosen, waxing or polishing is not necessary. Waxing can be done as general maintenance for aesthetics, if a floor is very old, or has seen extremely high traffic and thus the shine has diminished. If waxing is desired, you can wax or polish the floor with standard commercial products that are designed for that purpose. Due to incompatibility issues, we suggest testing in an inconspicuous location prior to full use.

Renewing and Refinishing Floor Coating Systems

Properly designed and installed floor coating systems are expected to withstand heavy traffic and wear. However, you may wish to re-finish a floor if the shine has diminished due to traffic and/or abuse.

  • Before re-finishing a floor coating system contact one of our dedicated Watco Floors Product Experts to review your needs and provide proper guidance on repair and refinishing.
  • Consult with a Watco Floors Product Expert at info@watcofloors.com for the proper material to re-finish your floor. Be sure to follow all directions for installing the re-finishing material.

Floor Cleaner Recommendations

Bio-D Floor Degreaser and Cleaner is a heavy duty formula for industrial cleaning applications. It is designed to quickly dissolve grease and grime on properly coated floor systems. It is color-fast and leaves no residue. Always test first before full use.