The weather doesn’t always make life easy and the rainy season is a special challenge for any office or venue with regular daily visitors. In a busy store, warehouse, or office; how can you keep your floors clean and continue managing water and muddy tracks walking indoors all day as people come in from the rain. Store owners need a process to deal with the rains and a plan to roll out when the weather starts to turn rainy and cold.

Let’s take a look at the professional methods available to you to manage water and keep your store clean during rainy weather.

Place Large Heavy-Duty Rugs In Front of Entrances

The first step to any rainy season plan is large heavy-duty rugs. Waffle mats help to trap moisture and break up mud on shoes while traditional woven and plastic rain mats provide an absorbent surface for people to wipe their feet. Most importantly, these large mats absorb the puddles of water that pour off your guests and customers coats, umbrellas, and boots when they come in from the rain.

Prepared to keep your rugs in rotation. If the rain is heavy enough that one mat essentially fills with water, lay it out to dry somewhere with good airflow and put down a backup mat to take the place of absorbing puddles and stopping muddy tracks.

Offer Umbrella Racks or Bags, Depending on the Venue

Umbrellas are a primary source of drips and puddles inside the building, so make a plan to deal with umbrellas. For employees and in some hospitality or office venues, an umbrella rack may be the right move with few enough umbrellas that each person can always find their own Bumbershoot. Many businesses take a more flexible approach and simply provide “umbrella bags” to those who enter so umbrellas can drip safely while hanging from the customer’s arm without creating a puddle or problem.

Isolate Your Entryway with ‘Stomp Here” Signage

One of the biggest problems with heavy duty welcome mats is some people walk right by them. Fast-walking guests may charge past the mat without stopping to wipe their feet or shake off their coat. These careless yet determined customers are often the source of puddles and, worse, muddy tracks through the store.

One of the best ways to help everyone stop and wipe their feet is amusing-yet-helpful signage. For example, a stop sign that says “Stomp Here” will bring a chuckle while also reminding everyone to stop and wipe their feet before entering the venue.

Install a Front Awning for a Drier Approach

You can also reduce the drips that enter your building by keeping your customers a little drier. Extending an awning from the front door allows customers to shake off their umbrellas, coats, and hats before entering your front doors. An awning can even prevent guests from getting wet at all if they are dropped off at the front door by a friend or a car service.

Set Up a Coat Check

In some venues, the right answer is a coat check. Offer a place for guests to check their wet coats and umbrellas before they enter the store proper. For employees in a cosy office, you might alter the method and even allow your team to kick off their boots or change shoes as they enter the building.

Keep a Mop Handy for Puddles and Mud Tracks

No matter how sturdy your floor mats, some of the rain, mud, and slush will still track onto your floor. How often is appropriate to clean up muddy tracks? You can schedule hourly rounds but often the most efficient approach is to keep a mop and bucket at-hand but out of sight near the front door. Whoever is watching or assigned near the front door can then quickly mop any time traffic dies down and there are tracks to be seen.

Wipe Up With a ‘Drying Mop” on Head Rotation

When you’ve got deep puddles and dry mop heads just don’t last, try a drying mop design. Fold towels or microfiber drying heads onto a large commercial mop head. Use this to mop up large and deep puddles quickly to help reduce the mess and the slip hazard immediately after the puddles form. These drying mop heads can be switched out so you can always wipe the floor dry after it gets wet.

Partner With Your Cleaning Staff

Your cleaning staff also play a crucial role. Daily or weekly cleaning services can help you keep your location clean during an extended rainy season that quickly turns to slush.  Nightly cleanings ensure that no matter what weather the day brought in, the venue starts spotless the next morning. Weekly cleaning can help your staff keep up with the added cleaning tasks of the rainy season and ensure everything is checked off every week.

In need of a cleaning service as the weather changes? Contact us today!