Commercial buildings are costly to maintain. There’s rental or mortgage payments, utilities, landscaping/snow removal, employees and much, much more. All of this, and you still have to keep the place clean and healthy.
It’s no wonder that most business owners are looking to cut costs wherever they can. In the quest to reduce outgoing capital however, many companies overlook some of the more simple purchases that can save them a lot of money (and aggravation) in the long run. One of these purchases is a set of quality entrance mats. Many people underestimate the impact that entrance matting really has on the entire building. Studies show that at least 80% of the soil and debris in a building is brought in on the bottoms of people’s shoes. 80%!! These same people also probably don’t know that, according to industry sources, it costs between $500 and $600 to remove one pound of dirt from a building. If only there was a way to prevent soil from coming in your building..
The CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) states that 90% of tracked in soil can be avoided by having a minimum of 12 to 15 feet of matting at every entrance. This means that an investment of around $200 or so can save you thousands of dollars in soil removal alone. There is also the matter of safety, where a quality mat combination can prevent outside moisture from creating hazardous conditions, which can often result in personal injuries and/or costly lawsuits. To top it all off, mats also provide a great opportunity to improve the décor and to display the company logo and establish your brand. Hopefully by this point you’re wondering if your current matting solution qualifies you for these benefits.
The most effective mat systems use a combination of two mat types: outdoor scraper mats and indoor walk-off mats. Scraper mats are placed in front of the entrance and are designed to remove larger debris and clumped soil before it ever reaches the door. Walk-off mats are placed just inside the entrance and serve to remove moisture and fine soil from a visitor’s shoes. Together, if the total length meets the CRI recommended minimum, these mats will remove the majority of the contaminants that can cost thousands to remove and compromises the safety of the building’s inhabitants.
By placing a quality mat on the inside and outside of each building entrance, you’ll make your building a safer place while avoiding costly labor and freeing up time and resources to work on your bottom line.