One of the most common ways in which flooring systems break down within commercial food & beverage environments is due to the exposure to grease, oils and the maintenance programs designed to remove them. Harsh chemicals and enzymatic cleaning agents can cause a host of issues for inadequate flooring applications.
Grease and Oil are common within most kitchen type settings. When left unchecked, they can be extremely damaging to many types of commercial flooring systems. From a maintenance standpoint, preventing grease and oil contamination requires aggressive and consistent cleaning by kitchen & maintenance staff.
Commercial kitchens and other food & beverage facilities utilize a host of harsh chemicals to help maintain sanitary environments over the long-term. It is important that any flooring system be resistant to solvents, acids and alkalis.
Today’s restaurant maintenance protocols rely on a variety of cleaning agents, some more aggressive than others. One common cleaning method includes the use of enzymatic-based “no-rinse” cleaners that are designed to consume grease, effectively cleaning the floor with minimal scrubbing.
Since the release of these enzymatic cleaners, restaurant owners and facility managers began noticing significant flooring failures and aggressive deterioration of grout in quarry tile. These failures in some cases have occurred just over the span of a few months. The culprit is Oleic Acid. In addition to being common in all types of cooking oils, Oleic Acid is also a prevalent byproduct of enzymatic cleaners. These types of failures can be extremely expensive and time consuming to repair. If not treated in relatively short order, these failures can lead to far more serious bacterial contamination and other failures.
To get a more comprehensive understanding of food and beverage flooring download Resinwerks' free guide. We cover design considerations, curtailing bacteria growth, thermal shock implications, maintenance and long-term durability, and about polyurethane concrete in it. Download this valuable resource today.