How Do I Know What Hard Surface Floor I Will Be Cleaning? – Floor Identification Series – Part 4 of 7 – Porosity
Testing Procedures for Floor Identification:
There are actually six different “tests” or evaluations you can perform to zero in on the type of floor you are being asked to clean. This post will focus on the third testing and evaluation step – determining the porosity of the floor (how well does it repel a water or oil based spill).
- Porosity – Place a few drops of water on a part of the floor you have wiped clean. Watch to see how quickly the water is absorbed. Porcelain and glazed ceramic will absorb so little water that you will not notice it being absorbed.
- Unsealed terracotta will absorb water rapidly.
- Stone will absorb water at differing rates darkening the stone as it soaks in. Water may take 10 minutes or longer to soak into highly polished marble and some granite.
- The presence or absence of seal will affect the absorption rate.
- Cleaning application – an unsealed porous stone floor is more likely to have permanent stains you can’t remove. In worst case scenarios the floor may permanently darken after cleaning. The stone needs to be sealed. Consider the application of HydraSealer, a premium water based sealer for grout, natural stone and concrete.
Tags: concrete, Grout, HydraSeal, porosity, seal, stone
Doyle Bloss
R. Doyle Bloss has been a part of the cleaning and restoration industry for over 35 years. He presently serves as the Vice President of Marketing for HydraMaster in Mukilteo, Washington. Doyle has a long, successful track record of developing education and training systems in the areas of technical procedures, as well as marketing and management principles for the cleaning entrepreneur. He has headed up the two largest training programs in the industry, assisted in developing complete chemical lines for three leading manufacturers, and has been honored and awarded for his innovative programs that build bridges throughout the cleaning and restoration industry. He has a passion for hands-on presentation that provides an entertaining and thought provoking style that fully engages the student into the learning process. When not thinking about the latest innovations for removing cat pee, and how to market that service, Doyle enjoys college football, wildlife photography, Yellowstone National Park, and church activities. Doyle and his wife Tammy have three children and currently reside in Snohomish, Washington. Doyle can be reached at doyle.bloss@hydramaster.com
