Reference / Technical Bulletin

Enhanced Floor Cleaning

Shaw Industries, Inc. provides information and insights to help facilities make informed decisions about cleaning/disinfecting floors.

 

OVERVIEW 

Floors have traditionally been considered a noncritical or a low touch environmental surface(A Rational Approach to Disinfection and Sterilization).  The CDC has released information and guidance for the enhanced cleaning of surfaces through their published guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting (Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility).

Routine and proper maintenance is the foundation for a clean floor. We recognize that many will explore the use of products for interim cleaning and disinfection. The CDC maintains a list of registered products that can be used for enhanced cleaning procedures (List N).  

For porous surfaces, such as carpeted floors, rugs, and drapes, the CDC recommends “removing visible contamination if present and cleaning with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning, launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely.

While many products have been approved by the EPA and recommended by the CDC, many products on the list may not be suitable to preserve the long term appearance or performance of your flooring products. 

There are products not yet approved by EPA that have been tested by independent biological testing laboratories that have shown to have effective antibacterial, antiviral, etc. properties.  Shaw has conducted testing on some of these products and identified a few that are safe to use on your flooring without causing any discoloration or accelerated soiling.

CARPET MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

The complete guide for proper carpet maintenance can be located in our Carpet Maintenance Checklist.  

 Daily Cleaning
  • As outlined in our carpet maintenance checklist, remove loose soil, debris and other substances through vacuuming.  
 Deep Cleaning
  • Deep clean using a 160-degree Hot Water extraction process outlined in our carpet maintenance checklist along with the detergent pre-spray.
  • As outlined in the guidelines from the CDC, “For soft (porous) surfaces such as the carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, remove visible contamination if present and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces.”

Interim Cleaning

  • The use of EPA registered disinfectants may cause negative effects on carpeting. For example, quaternary ammonium products can leave a sticky residue and result in yellowing or distortion of surface appearance.
  • Before using any cleaning solution on commercial finishes, it is important to review the product information and instructions. 
  • Test disinfectants and other cleaning products in an inconspicuous area. 
  • We are actively testing products appropriate for interim use on carpet and will update this list as additional products are approved.
    • Shaw Pure
    • Isopropyl Alcohol 70%+ solution

 Caring for your equipment

  • Proper cleaning of equipment between jobs is essential to prevent cross-contamination. The use of hot water and detergent along with the use of an EPA approved product is suggested for all exposed surfaces.   

RESILIENT/HARD SURFACE MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

The complete guide for proper resilient maintenance can be located in our Resilient Maintenance Checklist.

Daily Cleaning
  • As outlined in our resilient maintenance checklist, Dry mop floor using a microfiber mop pad or appropriate floor vacuum to remove dust particulate from the floor.
  • Spray neutral pH floor cleaner, such as Shaw Hard Surface Cleaner or Diversey Stride, onto the floor in a manageable area (spray mist will dry quickly). Use a microfiber wet mop pad to mop the floor with cleaner. If the pad becomes dirty, replace the pad with a new microfiber wet mop pad. Work floor in sections.
  • Always rinse the floor with water only by mopping water to remove any remaining residue from the floor.
  • Deep Cleaning
    • Deep Clean the resilient flooring by auto scrubbing the floor.  Mix a neutral pH floor cleaner in the tank of the scrubber and scrub the floor before disinfecting the floor.  Deep cleaning should be on an increased frequency to keep the floor free of soil.
Interim Cleaning
  • Before using any product on commercial finishes, it is important to review the product information and instructions. 
  • Test disinfectants in an inconspicuous area. 
  • The EPA maintains a list of products that can be used for disinfecting.  Shaw has evaluated the following products and has determined that their use will result in no finish or color loss of our products when used in accordance with their application instructions.
    • Shaw Pure
    • A 5% bleach solution (for use on Shaw bio-based products only). 
  • ​We are actively testing additional products for interim use on resilient, and we will update this listing as products are approved.  If you have questions about additional EPA registered cleaners not listed above, please contact your Shaw representative. Caring for your equipment
  • Proper cleaning of equipment between jobs is essential to prevent cross-contamination. The use of hot water and detergent along with an EPA approved cleaner is suggested for all exposed surfaces.

FLOOR CLEANING DISTRIBUTORS/SUPPLIERS 

Shaw recommends the following distributors for purchasing cleaning supplies. 
Revision: 06232021