Cleaning and hygiene are still very much top of the agenda when it comes to keeping the public safe. This is especially true as we move into winter.

Safety in hospitals and schools features consistently in the news as anxieties about the transmission of Covid increase as the temperature drops.

That said, we are at the peak of the Christmas shopping season and people are going all out this year, so we must also turn our attention to shopping and retail environments.

With increased footfall, along with wintery weather conditions, retailers need to be on their guard to make sure floorcare maintenance plans are up to scratch.

With under-maintained floors being one of the main sources of accidents in retail settings, we need to do all we can to minimise the risk of slips and falls.

Such accidents can cost businesses in excess of £500 million a year in fines and healthcare costs. And that’s not to mention the painful and distressing injuries caused to customers and staff who are the victims of these slips and falls.

The good news is, though, that despite the challenging conditions at this time of year, retailers can rest assured that most slip and fall accidents are completely avoidable. With proper floorcare plans in place, they can reduce the risk and the cost to their business considerably.

It’s all in the preparation 

Of course, we should have excellent cleanliness standards for all aspects of our cleaning regime. That’s a given. But it’s arguably even more important to have robust systems in place when it comes to floor care.

A dirty and slippery entrance is not only dangerous to a customer, it creates a negative first impression of the business as a whole. And first impressions count for a lot.

To maintain safety standards and prevent accidents from happening, retailers must ensure that floors are kept free from dirt and contaminants. Making a solid plan for a daily floorcare schedule is a good first step towards making sure your establishment has risk-free floors.

A thorough clean to remove daily soils can be achieved through high-flow fluid extraction. Removing these soils regularly will prevent bacteria and dirt from building up on surfaces, making them less hazardous and easier to maintain.

An effective daily clean will keep on top of your floor care, eliminating the need for more labour-intensive scrubbing or deep cleans.

Form a rapid response plan for hazards

With higher footfall and more crowded indoor spaces during the winter months, comes a higher incidence of spillages and wet entrance ways.

As retailers expect to experience these kinds of conditions in the run-up to Christmas, it’s a good idea to make sure risks and hazards are dealt with quickly and effectively.

The spillage or dirt needs to be removed quickly and the floor needs to be left clean and dry.

For spillages, the best way to treat them is with high-flow fluid extraction. This process uses fresh water and cleaning chemicals on the surface, which is then agitated to loosen dirt and soils. It is then suctioned away, leaving a clean, dry floor in seconds.

For rapid response cleaning, we’d recommend the Kaivac Stretch. The Kaivac Stretch brings a winning combination of high-speed push-behind cleaning for large areas and a precision wand vacuum for smaller or grouted areas.

It is ideal for both daily cleanings and for responding to any challenge or hazard that arises.

It’s cordless too, which helps particularly with unexpected weather related flooring issues or spillages. The Stretch takes care of things quickly and safely, and you’re left with a clean, dry floor that can be used immediately.

Retail therapy without the headache

It’s time to ditch outdated cleaning practices and put the mop away. What you need is a robust strategy that does a superior job of daily cleaning and can respond to unexpected spills and hazards.