How to Clean Anti Static Floors?

While static electricity can make for some fun little science experiments for when you are a kid, it can become a real nuisance as you grow older. As charges are generated due to friction, they look for the fastest route to the ground and can subsequently manifest as a zap of electricity.

If you are working in a setting that has a lot of sensitive equipment or inflammable material, this can be downright dangerous. 

How to Clean Anti Static Floors?

That is why many people look to invest in things like anti-static bars and anti-static floors. In this article, we will talk about anti-static floors and their maintenance.

If you want to know more about anti-static bars, you can read this article that I wrote here.

What are Anti Static Floors?

We have come a long way in almost every field, and construction is no different. From being more selective about which material would suit what climate, even the flooring we opt for now has a variety of suitable options. Anti static flooring, also known as ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) flooring, is just one of the many we have.

As suggested by the name, anti-static floors resist the accumulation of charges on their surface and provide the charges a safe and quick route to dissipate into the ground.

You can read my recent post on How Does Anti Static Flooring Work? for more information on the topic.

What Makes Anti Static Flooring Different?

Something as common and needed as floors should be able to maintain a balance between the negative and positive charges of the surface. This issue of static electricity is crucial, as it can lead to dangerous circumstances. It can cause damage to surrounding machines, as well as employees and other people.

Anti static flooring can be installed to help secure computer rooms, hospitals, and other such public places where electric discharge can prove to be fatal or majorly damaging. But it doesn’t end with just the installation. Like with any other flooring, maintenance and cleaning are key. So let’s see how to get started.

When and How Often Should You Clean Anti Static Flooring?

Remember not to start cleaning straight away after the installation. After the installation, you should wait a minimum of five days before you get cleaning. This is to prevent the adhesive bond in the flooring from breaking. After these five days, you can follow some simple steps to clean the floors daily.

What Do You Need to Clean Anti Static Floors?

Instead of a normal detergent or cleaning agent, you would need a neutral one. Anti static floors need to maintain their pH value, which means that you should avoid acidic solvents. A neutral pH value is somewhere between 7 to 8.5. Secondly, you would need a mop and a bucket. While these tools are common, make sure to keep a separate set for anti static floors. Thirdly, a rotary scrubbing or buffing machine would be required.

How Many Ways Are There to Clean Anti Static Floors?

Before proceeding toward a method, you would need to remove all dirt from the surface by sweeping simply with a mop. The initial, superficial sweeping will remove the top layer of dirt and dust.

When that is done, there are two cleaning methods to choose from: wet or dry. Of these two, dry cleaning is commonly preferred, as it is much easier to follow. For this method, you will first need to burnish or spray the floor via the buffing machine. For the spray, mix neutral detergent with water and alcohol.

For wet cleaning, first, scrub the floor with the detergent using the rotary scrubber machine. After the scrubbing, the floor is washed thoroughly with cold water and allowed to dry. Additionally, if the floor had been greasy, use a degreasing chemical agent before scrubbing.

While the floor is drying, do not forget to place ‘Caution: Wet’ boards around the wet areas. 

Additional Things to Look Out for Anti Static Floor Cleaning

Here some extremely helpful tips and steps to keep in mind when you are cleaning your anti static floor: 

• Avoid using wax-based floor finishing on your anti static floor as it will most likely interfere with its properties.
• Substances such as cigarette butts or sticky material like chewing gum traces can be removed by using fine steel wool or spirit.
• The usage of bleach can lead to the discoloration of the anti static flooring. 
• Do not forget to clean all the equipment you are using for cleaning regularly as well. This includes all the mops, machines, and brushes. 
• If there is any sort of spill on the floor, such as coffee or other beverages, they should be wiped immediately with a mop and some water.
• Cleaning is both about maintaining hygiene as well as appearance. Keeping that in mind, the color of the flooring can come into play. Dark or light colors can both show light or dark particles on it respectively. Take this into consideration when decided on which color flooring to purchase.