It is clearly impossible to precisely define the frequency and the cost for cleaning the surface treated with one or another of our products. The maintenance of surface mainly depends on the type and the heaviness of the traffic and stain.
However, whatever the surface is, some basic rules have to be pointed out:
It is easier to clean a smoothed and closed surface than a rough floor
More frequent cleanings will be necessary for a light surface than a dark floor with equal stain
With equal stain, a floor composed of various dimensions and colours will appear cleaner than a surface designed with a bottom and aggregates of the same colour.
In brief, a rough floor composed of white aggregates on white bottom will require more maintenance than a sanded bright polish surface composed of white, black and grey aggregates on grey bottom.
In order to clean the surface without damage, the methods here under might be followed:
The surface has to be cleaned with machines, tools and products adapted to the type of spots and with a frequency appropriate to the density and the impact of the traffic.
It is always necessary to avoid the stagnation of chemically aggressive waste or being able to become aggressive with fermentation.
Examples: ice creams, dairy products, fruits, vinegar, wines, coca cola or lemon soda might to be collected before the aggressive pH attacks the filler and the floor..
Scrape then degrease when the poor maintenance resulted in thick rubber deposits.
After rinsing and drying, apply another layer of SURFANET R or E to dissolve the rubber after using a solvent or acid product.
Lengthened and stationary aggressive cleanings and also abrasive defective brushes that apparently sand instead of cleaning might be avoid.
Renewing the filler might be required every 1 to 5 years according to the frequency and the intensity of the cleaning.
Our maintenance Department stays at your disposal for a diagnosis and an offer.
The standard detergents used by the cleaning companies are generally appropriate for the cleaning of our surfaces.
Rinsing and vacuum the surface are necessary after an appropriate cleaning to avoid any redeposit of soap agent, greasy or dirty water product.
Before entrusting the maintenance of your surface to a cleaning company, ensure that the price of the deal will permit to achieve the expected result.
Frequent and soft cleanings might be preferred to rare but aggressive cleanings.
According to the DTU 13.3 regulation, filler or protective coating products as SURFANET E, SURFANET R, crystallization, polyuerethane or epoxy resin might be clean as often as required and as joint filling (see page 53 appendix E Maintenance of pavements).
S LIP-RESISTANCE
a) INTERNAL SURFACES:
The choice of product does not define a « skid resistant coefficient ».
All our products might be carried out from non-slip to anti-slip finishes. We advise the achievement of internal surfaces with smoothed, polished, soft sanded or high gloss finishes.
Appropriate panels should warn users about the presence of water and slippery risks and to remove the water if a leakage or an inadequate cleaning cause puddles.
More frequent cleanings are necessary for highly internal anti-slip surfaces with water and involve a higher cost of cleaning.
No public buildings (station, airport, shopping center, hospital, university…) are internally achieved with a skid water resistant finish.
It is highly recommended to install large brush carpets in front of the entrance for the pad drying to permit a safe pedestrian traffic.
b) EXTERNAL SURFACES:
External surfaces exposed to rain, snow or black ice might be non-skid.
However, owners and prime contractors have to pay attention to the limit of the non-skid action.
The non-slip quality of the surface is no more efficient when the depth of puddle, the thickness of the snow or ice avoid the contact between the shoe and the floor.
Looking for non-skid finishing does not change anything:
if there is no more direct “floor/foot” contact, there is no more adhesion.
All the preventive solutions might be favoured:
1 - Design floors with a slope min. 1.5 to 2% allowing a fast gravitating draining of water from gutters and manholes linearly positioned and in sufficient number to ensure a good water draining.
2 - Salting and preventive sandblasting must be implemented before snowfalls or severe freezing colds.
As you already know, the vehicles adapt their speed and their pneumatic tires to the road (chains, studded, rain or winter tires).
The departments of maintenance operate preventive treatments to avoid or limit the behavior of snow or ice.
Nobody hopes that the only non-skid road action makes possible an easy and safe traffic, whatever the road laying.
S UITABLE CLEANING PRODUCTS
According to the stain to clean, the products might be different, choosing the suitable product to the spot avoid abrasive and destructive cleanings.
Le SURFANET D
Universal cleaner for all surfaces (basic pH: 12.5 of the product for a 10 - 15 % dilution)
No aggressive flavour. As all the detergents, it has a pleasant light soap fragrance. It is biodegradable at least 90 %.
Le SURFANET C
Cleaning of « highly stained » surfaces. Neutral detergent without solvent, water miscible in all proportions (neutral pH: 7 of product using 3 to 10 % V/V). Citrus odour. Contact time: 5 to 15 minutes.
Le SURFANET P
Cleaning of paintings and organic coating (acid pH 0.6 pure).
Apply pure of diluted up to 30 %. It has an acid odour (as formic acid). Contact time: 5 to 20 minutes.
Caution: As SURFANET P is strongly acid, the percentage of dilution and the time of contact might be tested on a small surface.
Releases: comply with solvent legislation, contains DICHLOROMETHANE and l'ACIDE FORMIQUE.
EXAMPLES OF CLEANING ADVICES FOR TIRE MARKS OR SHOES WITH SOLES RUBBER
Single cleaning with SURFANET D diluted to 15 % that can be carried out with an automatic washer or a single brush (if the automatic washer is not efficient enough). In any case, the dirty water might be vacuumed and the surface rinsed then vacuum.
Use undiluted SURFANET C on the surface to clean (possibly spread with a rag or wax spreader) if the conventional cleaning with detergent as SURFANET D is not sufficient.
Leave on 5 to 15 minutes according to the surface, then emulsify with water, with a tool type single-brush, rinse and vacuum water and filth.
Complete the cleaning with SURFANET D diluted to 15 % to obtain a washed aspect. SURFANET P might be occasionally carried out to remove traces of paints, cement or other marks that SURFANET C and D would have not removed. In this situation, clean pure or diluted with a rag or a single-brush, a deep rinsing is required.
High speed machines as the one for stone surfaces are necessary if you wish a glossy surface. The action might be complemented with wax spraying (spray method).
C LEANING MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL SURFACE
DAILY (or if required)
Dust removal with a brush equipped with an anti-static or pre-impregnated gauze,
Or use a vacuum cleaner,
Or carry out a neat rinsing and an appropriate water vacuum after manual cleaning,
Or self-washer (according instruction)
PERIODICALLY
Required to maintain the surface protection and restore the radiance, the « spray method » consists of:
Spray protective emulsion and polish the surface with a high speed single brush (500 rpm).
No drying time necessary and available at any time, the result is immediate without discomfort to pedestrian traffic.
EVERY 3 TO 5 YEARS (if necessary)
Strip the surface with SURFANET C or P depending on condition and apply 2 layers of SURFANET E or R filler following a careful rinsing.
PRACTICAL ADVICE
Clean and cure a surface of finished concrete as a stone floor. Users will be delivered technical sheet at the end of the projet.
A binding period starts after the delivery while there are still circumstances aggravating the floor soiling regardless the cleaning at the end of the project:
The circulating dust of the ending project is redeposited for days,
The staff and furniture accommodating generate traffic, significant unpacking forming stains, stripes, and dust,
Soils, stripes and dust are generated with the withdrawal of reservation or finishing work of companies,
Grand opening involves stains and pedestrian traffic.
During this period, the company owner of the contract will not be able to effectively clean the building and particularly the floor with the foreseen budget.
There is often a difficult period that might be conflictual between the prime contractor and the companies that have worked and particularly carried out the project concerning the fact of specific soiling as defined above and the wish to obtain extra money.
When a company over cleans, sometimes irreversible disorders might occur more specifically on the smoothed waxed concretes.
Our advice is to test the foreseen methods of cleaning in comparison with the price bid before awarding the contract to the company. It means to ensure that the company will efficiently clean the surface without any damage and will temporally carried out the specific cleaning necessary to achieve a good result.
C LEANING AND MAINTENANCE OF EXTERNAL SURFACES
The cleanings will be adapted according to the means at disposal (sweeper, self-washer…), but please find hereafter our advices:
Joints and cracks must be maintained and treated for external surfaces in order to avoid infiltrations or spalls that can cause damages. Earlier the maintenance is implemented, easier and less expensive it is.
Very high pressure cleanings with a stationary use might be forbidden, especially along the joints. The use of high pressure cleaner must be specific, justified and controlled. The high pressure cleaning with hot water might be prohibited when the temperature of the pavement is < 3°C. The association of the thermal shock and the power of the high pressure might destroy the screed, mainly along the joints.
EVENT OF DE-ICING
The LCPC recommendation concerning the concrete treated with de-icing salts precise that the risk of concrete flaking is reduced when the salts are preventively spread before the formation of an ice sheet (December 2003).
When the salts are applied on an ice layer already formed, the release of heat necessary to the ice melting involves
osmotic pressures and an abrupt cooling of the surface that can cause flaking on the surface.
The use of de-icing salts is not recommended after the formation of ice.
EVENT OF SNOW REMOVAL
The use of shovels or machines with protected rubber strips blades is possible for the snow removal.
The use of high pressure with hot water might be prohibited.
As for the icing, the preventive treatment is recommended, the curative treatment is inadvisable.
As mentioned in the DTU 13.3 (appendix E Maintenance of pavements), the renewal of filler
(Examples: SURFANET E or SURFANET R or SURFANET PU) and the joint maintenance might be operated as often as necessary.
The provisions are necessary and mandatory for external surfaces.
The above « cleaning, maintenance, slip resistance » information are recommended for any kind of surfaces.
The common sense precautions are not the consequence of the surface treatment with our products; only the renewal of filler and joint maintenance are specific to the concrete surface.
