Parking Lot Cleaning: Why It’s So Crucial

Neglecting parking maintenance can have huge consequences.

Facilities and property managers are busy people, so parking lot cleaning may not be at the top of your daily to-do list. This can create a negative impression for the entire property, as the parking lot gives the first impression of a property. If it is dirty and unkempt, it will generate negative comments that could affect the building and the reputation of the administrators.

A regularly maintained lot helps the property by increasing curb appeal and helping to extend the life of the surface. You also save money on expensive property repair bills.

The essentials about parking

Dirty parking lots can be a hazard, as sand, gravel, and other contaminants regularly accumulate on the surface. This debris can cause accidents to both vehicles and pedestrians, and owners and managers can be held liable.

Another threat is the salt and sand that are used to melt snow and ice during winter seasons. This can hide and wear down pavement markings, creating visibility hazards. When the wind picks up, excess dust creates health threats for allergy sufferers. Various debris can even cause slip and fall injuries to pedestrians. As vehicles constantly drive over the surface, fine dirt and sand slowly grind down the pavement, creating rapid deterioration of the pavement and sealants. A dirty area can attract unwanted pests like rodents, which can also be a health threat.

Parkade Garages- The Filth & Fury.

Parkades face the same dirty problems and a little more. They are generally poorly ventilated with stale and stagnant air. Odors from garbage, cigarette butts, urine, oil leaks, and rainwater take a long time to completely evaporate. Dirty water collects in floor drains and sinks, creating musty odors. Parkadas are not exposed to the elements, so the rain does not wash away salt residues. As the salt corrodes the steel, it corrodes the foundations of the parking lots, that is, the rebar. It also destroys the membrane systems that are supposed to protect against rising water.

What to do about it …

The best value and protection is to have an established schedule for regular maintenance.

This means regular electrical sweeping of parking lots. An electric sweeping machine with advanced brushes sweeps the pavement and removes all unwanted debris from the property. Twice a year is a maximum value recommendation, the minimum being once a year.

For parkades, a recommended plan is power sweeping, power washing, and power washing. After an electric sweep, a thorough power wash session removes most of the debris-like salts, piles of compressed dirt and liquid stains from vehicles. This leaves the garage floor gleaming. This allows oil stains and heavily soiled areas to loosen, providing an even better cleaning process. Parkades should be pressure washed at least once a year, usually in late winter / spring, to thoroughly clean and maintain the integrity of the structures. Twice a year is the recommended course of action for most parkades.