What life can you expect out of a Floor Mat?
Many people have asked this question. The best answer to give is:
1) Proper processing plays a big part in this concern. Are the formulas you are using, the proper ones?
2) If mats go through extraction (as part of the wash), do you know the G-Forces of the extraction process? Do they exceed the recommendations of the manufacturer?
3) Do you use dryers to dry them? Are dry temperatures, right? What about the cool down process? Improper procedures damage mats!
4) Have you inspected all your equipment to assure mats are not being damaged? Conveyors and dryers are two obvious culprits!
Your organization (and how you handle them) plays a big role in the life of a floor mat. Training of your personnel is essential in finding machinery which is causing damage to mats and repairing it quickly.
The type of businesses floor mats are placed in plays a big part in life expectancy! Environment’s such as restaurants tend to influence their life. Floor mats tend to be subject to the heavy greases and soils of fast-food environments and thus take heavier washes to clean them. You can expect to have a shorter life of your product in these environments. Restaurants also have a higher turnover of personnel causing other concerns. It is not uncommon to see a bleaching mark on the border yarns of floor mats used in restaurants. Improper training allows for floor mats to be left in place while the end of day cleaning is rushed through, using the wrong floor cleaning chemicals and procedures thus damaging the mat. You tend to find such damage during your processing and inspection.
Know the environment your floor mats are placed. The harsher the environment, the shorter the life. If you have mats with buckles, cuts or tears, it does not mean the life of the mat is gone. There are companies (who are NFSI Certified) that can repair these mats. NuMat is one that carries the NFSI certification. Mats with ripples or buckles, torn edges or other defects should never be placed on the floor where they can become a trip hazard to pedestrians. Floor mats are imagemakers for your client and your organization. Let the first impression be your best impression! Treat your floor mats right and they will treat you right!
At the end of the day (the floor mat) can be recycled. By doing this, you become a good steward of the environment.
