Getting A Grip On Floor Maintenance Costs And Safety Risks

Every day, as millions of people walk through the doors of facilities large and small, they all have one thing in common: they’re tracking in whatever happens to be on the soles of their shoes. The mess can be anything — from dirt, grease, sand and salt to rain, mud and melting snow — and once it comes in, it’s no easy task to get it back out.

The High Cost Of Cleaning Up

According to the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), as few as 1,000 people can track in 24 pounds of dirt over a 20-day period, at an estimated cleanup cost of $600 per pound. Why such a steep price tag? Professional cleaning associations say that labor alone accounts for 90% of building maintenance costs.

Enter The Entrance Mat

Every dollar you spend on prevention saves $10 in cleaning costs, says Cleaning and Maintenance Management. That’s why entrance mats are the standard line of defense at the front door. But there’s a catch. ISSA estimates that only 30% of dirt is trapped in the first three feet of the mat, and that it takes 15 feet of walk-off to capture 85% of the mess and keep it from reaching the floor. Even with an exterior scraper mat, you still need enough coverage inside the door for people to take at least six steps.

Fragmented Coverage Doesn’t Cut It

Let’s say your entrance requires 60 square feet of coverage. That makes the ideal floor mat a single 6′ x 10′. But if you’re using standard 3′ x 5′ carpeted mats, you’ll need to piece four of them together to create adequate coverage. This fragmented approach is not only ineffective at keeping your floor clean, it guarantees that the mats will move out of position, creating gaps and overlaps that become dangerous tripping hazards.

Hassling With The Heavyweights

One of the most popular carpeted entrance mats weighs in at over 8 pounds per square yard. The logic behind the bulk is that the heavy rubber backing will keep the mat in place and eliminate the tripping hazard. But in many facilities, these 30–80 pound behemoths must be removed before routine floor cleaning. That means it’s someone’s job to roll them up, lug them out of the way and then drag them back into position when the floor is dry — an expensive time waster that’s also a back injury waiting to happen.

Time To Roll Out A Better Solution

Adhesive-backed mats are a safer alternative to risky rubber-backed mats. And PIG Grippy® Mats — the world’s first adhesive-backed mats — set the standard for good looks, proven performance and ease of use.

Grippy Carpeted Entrance Mat, available in a variety of rich colors and textures, makes a great first impression — even in upscale environments. The mat rolls out to the exact length you need and can be cut to fit for customized, continuous coverage with no gaps or overlaps. The proprietary adhesive backing keeps the mat firmly in place while it’s in service, but peels up easily without leaving residue when it’s time to replace it.

Grippy Mat Helps To Control Costs

Grippy Carpeted Entrance Mat’s bi-level surface effectively traps dirt and moisture, looks cleaner longer, and resists crushing to extend performance life. Best of all, the mat can be cleaned in place with a vacuum or water extractor, saving tons of time and labor.

Grippy Mat Helps To Mitigate Risk

Because Grippy Carpeted Mat never bunches up, ripples or shifts, it virtually eliminates slips, trips and falls and the liability claims that come with them. This low-profile mat is ADA compliant for walkers and wheelchairs.

Here’s what Melissa said in a recent customer review: “These Berber [Carpeted] Entrance Mats are the BEST mats for any floor. They stick so well that you do not have to worry about a trip hazard. They also absorb wonderfully. We keep them at all entrances and around all of our water fountains. They are also attractive. I can’t say enough good things about these mats!”

Shouldn’t your facility make the switch to the mat that sticks?

To learn more or get a free sample, call our Floor Safety Specialists at 1-855-474-7791, or visit grippymat.com.