In the past, Steve and Kathy Cloud would dread receiving a call from an end user or GC concerning a clogged drain on a job site. Not anymore. Owners of M. Frank Higgins in Connecticut, Steve and Kathy recently introduced a preventive procedure on all of their tile and grout jobs that requires the use […]
Case Studies
Ceramic Tile Grout Haze Case Study
A local Scottsdale, Arizona daycare facility was faced with a floor care challenge when their newly installed ceramic tile was tracked with dirt and covered in grout haze. Matt Tylman and the DFS Green team were called in to correct the problem after other contractors failed to find a proper solution. In this case study, […]
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Guides & Checklists
Commercial Flooring Maintenance Van and Truck Inventory Checklist
Members of the XL North Tactical Group helped us compile this comprehensive list of recommended and must-have tools, accessories, and equipment to have aboard commercial floor care vans and trucks. Learn what you need to be fully prepared on carpet, resilient, and tile & grout jobs.
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Case Studies
Efflorescence on Grout Case Study
In this case study, Bob Deweese describes how one of his Rite Rug techs made an unusual discovery on what seemed to be an everyday grout cleaning job. The grout being cleaning was actually a few shades darker than it appeared. What had lightened the grout? A coating of salt formed during a process called […]
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Floor Maintenance Professionals: Prepare Your Techs for the Hard Questions
If you are a floor maintenance service technician, supervisor, manager, director or contractor, then you have been asked questions that may go beyond your scope of knowledge. It has been my experience that when someone hires you in any capacity, they are not just hiring you to do the job, they are hiring you to […]
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Guides & Checklists
Flooring Pre-Maintenance Checklist
Job site evaluations are crucial before beginning any floor care project. By getting answers to as many questions as possible, your team’s effectiveness and efficiency will improve, positively impacting overall job performance. The answers can determine the chemicals used, the cleaning procedures, and/or how many technicians are needed for the job. Do not ever assume […]
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Case Studies
Grout Sealant Gone Wrong – A Case Study
In this case study, Matt Tylman of DFS Green in Phoenix discusses how his team turned around a grout sealant project gone wrong. Learn more about the challenge he faced and the chemicals and process he used to solve the problem.
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Case Studies
Kitchen Quarry Tile & Grout Cleaning Case Study
Jesse Castro of Texan Floor Service describes a recent job where kitchen quarry tile and grout needed the attention of floor care professionals. Learn how his crew made the floor shine like new with XL TC Tile Cleaner and XL GC Grout Cleaner in this case study.
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Case Studies
LVT Adhesive & Floor Prep Removal Case Study
Bob Deweese’s team at Rite Rug encountered an unfortunate situation on a recent job where LVT was mistakenly installed over granite tile. In this case study, learn how XL Porosity+ was used to remove adhesive and floor prep without damaging the underlying floor.
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Microscopic Photos Show Amazing Results with XL GC
Using a digital microscope, Steve Brown with Southeastern Commercial Flooring gets up close to capture amazing pictures of the grout before and after cleaning with XL GC. Steve notes, “As you can see, the grout lines were pretty clean after using XL TC Tile Cleaner, but they didn’t pop. So using my digital microscope I […]
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Case Studies
Principles of Hard Surface Cleaning
Are your techs familiar with the basic principles of hard surface care? In this case study, Steve Brown of Southeastern Commercial Flooring uses two maintenance projects to explain the basic principles of cleaning hard surfaces. By starting with basic principles to troubleshoot common floor care issues, finding solutions can often be faster, easier, and less […]
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Suggested Procedures
Recommended Maintenance Procedures for Ceramic Tile & Grout
In this XLN resource, learn the standard operating procedures for initial, daily, periodic, and restorative cleaning and maintenance on ceramic tile and grout.
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Case Studies
Resilient Flooring & Ceramic Tile Case Study
Chip Grimes, President of Facility Services Group in Delaware, discusses his experience with a resilient floor and ceramic tile project at a healthcare customer’s facility. In this case study, see the phenomenal before and after photos from the sheet vinyl and ceramic tile floors (wait ’til you see the grout photos!) and learn the process […]
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Skill, Knowledge, and Expertise are Priceless in Commercial Floor Care
The Back Story: A seasoned project manager from a well-known, reputable commercial flooring company reached out to me regarding an installation he was managing. He noticed the construction project was in somewhat of a chaotic stage with deadlines looming to complete the job and a lack of or insufficient protection being used on finishes, specifically […]
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The Flooring Contractor & Initial Maintenance
In this article, we’ll consider the many advantages and benefits of using a professional floor maintenance company to perform initial maintenance in a newly installed or remodeled flooring project. Protecting the Flooring Contract with Initial Maintenance The flooring contractor’s sales person spends a great deal of time working with the customer selecting the perfect flooring […]
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Thinset Removal Done Right
The team at Southeastern Commercial Flooring recently discovered the dust free benefits of two of XL North’s surface prep products when they were used to remove thinset from a tile and grout demolition. Ken Baxley, SCF Project Manager, discusses the job details. “Our crew was demoing 2”x2” mosaic tile in 4 bathrooms, each approximately 285 […]