Listed below are a few answers to questions we get on a regular basis. Hopefully these
can give you a quick and better understanding of some of the basics of the janitorial field.
can give you a quick and better understanding of some of the basics of the janitorial field.
1. Cleaning a Building - Getting Started
Everyone has to start somewhere. We have created a list to give people just starting in the janitorial field to
let them see how much their starting needs and costs might be. Below is a listing of certain items that have
been suggested as being some of the basic products people in the cleaning industry may need when
cleaning buildings. Column 1 is the basic necessities while Columns 2 and 3 contain products which will
make life easier for those cleaning. Note: These are just suggested items for those starting out. Each
building need is different, so please use this just as a guide. Our employees will be more than willing to help
you with any specific questions you might have about starting or about the products listed below.
Everyone has to start somewhere. We have created a list to give people just starting in the janitorial field to
let them see how much their starting needs and costs might be. Below is a listing of certain items that have
been suggested as being some of the basic products people in the cleaning industry may need when
cleaning buildings. Column 1 is the basic necessities while Columns 2 and 3 contain products which will
make life easier for those cleaning. Note: These are just suggested items for those starting out. Each
building need is different, so please use this just as a guide. Our employees will be more than willing to help
you with any specific questions you might have about starting or about the products listed below.
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Prices subject to change
2. Rayon or Cotton: Which Mop Head is right for the Job?
Simply put: Rayon is for waxing, Cotton is for regular mopping. Rayon mop heads leave little lint which
makes them designed better for waxing/finishing purposes. Cotton mop heads hold more water which
makes them ideal for daily floor maintenance.
Simply put: Rayon is for waxing, Cotton is for regular mopping. Rayon mop heads leave little lint which
makes them designed better for waxing/finishing purposes. Cotton mop heads hold more water which
makes them ideal for daily floor maintenance.
3. Neutral Floor Cleaners: Why is pH important?
When a chemical says it is neutral, it means that the chemical has a pH value of 7. pH is the measurement of
the degree of acidity or alkalinity in a chemical. The scale is from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Chemicals
with a pH of less than 7 are considered acidic while those above 7 are considered alkalies.
When choosing chemicals to mop a floor, only use chemicals which say they are "Neutral" or "have a pH of 7".
These neutral cleaners are not harmful to the wax and will not dull the shine.
When a chemical says it is neutral, it means that the chemical has a pH value of 7. pH is the measurement of
the degree of acidity or alkalinity in a chemical. The scale is from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Chemicals
with a pH of less than 7 are considered acidic while those above 7 are considered alkalies.
When choosing chemicals to mop a floor, only use chemicals which say they are "Neutral" or "have a pH of 7".
These neutral cleaners are not harmful to the wax and will not dull the shine.
4. Floor Pads: What's the difference?
When buffing a floor, you usually use a white, yellow, red or "gray" pad. The white pads burn the least
amount of wax off the floor thus saving layers and is used on lower solid count wax. The yellow pads give
you a higher shine but sacrifices more wax being removed. Red pads are recommended to be used with
Spray buffing an area. Hog hair, "grays" pads, will give you a high shine but burns more of the wax layer off
due to the higher amount of heat that is generated. If in questions, start out with the white pads and move
up to the next level. This is encouraged in that if you let a hog hair pad sit rotating in the same place for too
long it could leave swirls in the wax.
Stripping a floor requires a black pad or a Dominator pad. The black pads are the industry standard used
for many years. The rough texture of the pad is designed to break up the wax. Our Dominator pads are the
next step up from a black pad. They have a longer life than a black pad and are more abrasive. Dominator
pads are a little more expensive than their black counterparts.
If you are Top Scrubbing (taking off the top few coats of wax or the factory seal) a blue or green pad is
recommended. They are slightly less abrasive than the black pads so you can lightly strip off coats, but are
rough enough to get the job done.
With the only exception being the Dominator pad, JWS charges by the pad size not the color.
When buffing a floor, you usually use a white, yellow, red or "gray" pad. The white pads burn the least
amount of wax off the floor thus saving layers and is used on lower solid count wax. The yellow pads give
you a higher shine but sacrifices more wax being removed. Red pads are recommended to be used with
Spray buffing an area. Hog hair, "grays" pads, will give you a high shine but burns more of the wax layer off
due to the higher amount of heat that is generated. If in questions, start out with the white pads and move
up to the next level. This is encouraged in that if you let a hog hair pad sit rotating in the same place for too
long it could leave swirls in the wax.
Stripping a floor requires a black pad or a Dominator pad. The black pads are the industry standard used
for many years. The rough texture of the pad is designed to break up the wax. Our Dominator pads are the
next step up from a black pad. They have a longer life than a black pad and are more abrasive. Dominator
pads are a little more expensive than their black counterparts.
If you are Top Scrubbing (taking off the top few coats of wax or the factory seal) a blue or green pad is
recommended. They are slightly less abrasive than the black pads so you can lightly strip off coats, but are
rough enough to get the job done.
With the only exception being the Dominator pad, JWS charges by the pad size not the color.
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5. I want to bid on a janitorial service. How much do I charge?
While we have past experience in the janitorial service field, we are unable to give you a direct answer to
bidding questions. The market for services (both cleaning and stripping/waxing) fluctuates every quarter.
Some get a quarter a square foot while others work for no less than $15/hour. Cleaning offices or buildings
will generally cost less than stripping/waxing a floor; however, stripping/waxing jobs may not occur as often as
a three times a week office janitorial job. Essentially, bid for how long you think it is going to take you or your
workers to finish the job and how much you think you will need for your supplies.
While we have past experience in the janitorial service field, we are unable to give you a direct answer to
bidding questions. The market for services (both cleaning and stripping/waxing) fluctuates every quarter.
Some get a quarter a square foot while others work for no less than $15/hour. Cleaning offices or buildings
will generally cost less than stripping/waxing a floor; however, stripping/waxing jobs may not occur as often as
a three times a week office janitorial job. Essentially, bid for how long you think it is going to take you or your
workers to finish the job and how much you think you will need for your supplies.