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Clean, maintain and protect hard floors

URN: PPL2HK4
Business Sectors (Suites): Hospitality - Housekeeping and Front of House Reception
Developed by: People 1st
Approved on: 01 Mar 2022

Overview

This standard is about cleaning, maintaining and protecting semi- hard floors using manual equipment such as brushes, mops and vacuum cleaners. It is for staff that have specialist training in this area of work and carry it out regularly.

When you have completed this standard you will be able to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to:

  • Clean, maintain and protect hard floors

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

1. Prepare your working area and your equipment so that you can do the job efficiently, correctly and safely 2. Check that your level of personal hygiene meets the organisation's standards and is maintained throughout the cleaning process 3. Check that the required personal protective equipment is available for use and is used when undertaking cleaning of floors 4. Identify the correct equipment/work area for treatment and decide on the most effective and economical treatment to provide 5. Identify and report damaged or deteriorating surfaces and/or those which may require restorative work 6. Look for and note any factors that will affect how you clean the floor 7. Follow any standards that need to be applied to the work from sources other than your supervisor's instructions 8. Check that there is sufficient ventilation in the work area for your comfort when carrying out cleaning and to aid any drying process 9. Choose equipment and cleaning agents that are right for the floor, the amount of ground-in soil and the protective coating 10. Clear any large items of debris by hand first of all 11. Remove the loose dust and debris carefully and safely without causing the dust to spread 12. Report any bodily fluid or other spillages that you cannot identify to the person in charge, and only clear them up when they tell you 13. Choose a method of clearing up the spillage that is right for the floor and the size and type of spillage 14. Soften ground-in soil and stains before trying to remove them 15. Carry out test cleans in an area where marks are least likely to be noticed 16. Apply the treatment safely, according to the manufacturer's instructions and without over-wetting or damaging the surface 17. Report any stains that you cannot remove 18. Leave the floor free of ground-in soil and protective coating, neutralised, dry and free of smears 19. Put the area back as you found it 20. Dispose of any unused cleaning treatments and waste products according to workplace, environmental and sustainability guidelines 21. Choose a protective coating and equipment that is right for the floor surface 22. Apply the required number of protective coatings evenly and systematically, following manufacturer's instructions 23. Leave the floor dry, with an even finish and free of dust 24. Dispose of any unused materials correctly and put everything back in the right place

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

1. Examples of hard and semi-hard floors 2. How to prepare for cleaning hard floors 3. The level of personal hygiene required for the area in which you are working,  ,why it is important to maintain personal hygiene and why it is necessary to remove your personal items and where they should be  stored during cleaning 4. Organisational health and safety instructions and why these should be checked against workplace procedures 5. Why there are checks and restrictions in-place for the use of deep cleaning equipment, why these must be adhered to and what might happen if you do not take the right safety measures 6. What colour coding means and why it is important 7. The factors that will affect how you clean the floor 8. Why you should clear large items of debris by hand first of all 9. Safe handling techniques for large items of debris 10. Different methods of removing loose dust and debris, how to choose the right one and the correct container in which to put dust and debris  11. How to identify different types of spillage / bodily fluids, why it is important to report any spillages / bodily fluids you cannot identify and not clear these up until you have instructions on how to do so safely 12. Different methods of removing spillages and how to choose the right one 13. The available methods of treatment and the most effective and economical to use 14. How to identify the most appropriate place to carry out test cleans and why this should be done before applying treatments 15. The circumstances under which equipment and surfaces should be pre- treated 16. Why treatments should be applied to surfaces evenly and the effects of not doing this 17. Why it is important to report any stains that cannot be removed 18. Why it is important to dispose of left-over cleaning solutions correctly and how to do so 19. Why the floor must be left free of ground-in soil and protective coatings and what might happen if it is not 20. The importance of leaving the floor neutralised and what might happen if it is not 21. Range of protective coatings available, how to choose one that is right for the floor surface and how to decide what is the right number of protective coatings 22. How to apply the coating evenly and systematically and why 23. How to burnish the floor systematically, obtaining the required degree of shine 24. How to dispose of unused protective coatings correctly 25. The importance of putting things back as you found them

Scope/range

Scope Performance

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

Skills

Glossary

Links To Other NOS

External Links

Version Number

3

Indicative Review Date

28 Feb 2027

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

People 1st International Ltd

Original URN

PPL2HK4

Relevant Occupations

Chamber Maid, Housekeeper, Room Attendant

SOC Code

6231

Keywords

clean, maintain, protect, hard floors