It's challenging to keep up with floor cleaning in a busy bar area. The bar staff constantly shuffles around in the back bar. Sometimes, the bartender ventures out into the seating area to serve food and drinks. Whether your barback or another member of your staff does the cleaning, it can be a headache to keep dirt, grime, and stains away for good.
There's also a consistent flow of customers to and around the bar layout. This activity puts your bar floor to the test, no matter which type of floor you have in your bar area.
That's why it's vital to choose the best floor cleaners for your bar business. Windex can get the job done on glass surfaces, but you might need to do research to get the right floor cleaner.
The best floor cleaners will keep them looking stylish, clean, and safe. Whether your bar floor is wood, laminate, vinyl tile, or some other material, our list of best bar floor cleaners will keep them in tip-top shape. You'll spend less time cleaning and more time thinking about how to increase bar profits.
What Is the Best Flooring for a Bar?
Before we get into our list of recommendations for the best bar floor cleaners, let's cover the options for the best flooring for a bar. If you're planning to open a bar, we'll cover a list of the best flooring options to consider installing. If you already own and operate a bar, you know how important it is to have the right floor for your bar.
What to Consider When Choosing A Bar Floor
From easy cleaning and maintenance to reliability, consider several important factors for choosing the right floor for your bar. You want something that's slip-resistant to protect your bar staff and guests from bar liquor and wine spills and other moisture that gets on the floor.
It's also necessary to consider installing floors with inflammable properties, especially for back of house areas. Flooring should also be durable to withstand heavy traffic. Cracks and loose flooring will cost you money for repairs, so consider installing a reliable bar floor.
Bar Interior Design
You also want to consider the concepts of interior hospitality industry design. The flooring design, type, and color are part of the aesthetic elements of a bar and restaurant.
This includes furniture, seating arrangements, lighting, and wall décor. You'll want a bar floor that complements your wood furniture. All pieces should work together to provide the ideal atmosphere for your bar. This includes details like hanging bar glasses above the bar or storing them behind the bar.
Here are the five best flooring types for a bar:
1. Laminate
Laminate flooring provides durability and strength for a bar floor. It has a smooth surface and resists stains, scratches, and fading more than most other floors.
Laminate floors provide a new look that lasts for a long time. That's why it's popular among bar and restaurant owners.
2. Luxury Vinyl Tile
Luxury vinyl tile is a good option for bar owners who want to present a sophisticated appearance without sacrificing maintenance and safety. It's easy to clean, is sturdy, and is waterproof with a slip-resistant surface. There are many colors and patterns to choose from that present a similar appearance to natural wood and other types of tiles.
3. Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is another popular choice among bar and restaurant owners. That's because it makes for easy cleaning, maintenance, and reliability.
There are also many choices for style and color to customize your bar's appearance. Ceramic tile can handle spills and moisture–only needing a sweep and a quick mopping to clean it.
4. Wood
You can use hardwood and engineered wood flooring in your bar. Traditional wood is durable and can withstand the demands of high-traffic areas.
However, it's not water-resistant and is vulnerable to moisture. This makes maintaining its appearance and quality a daily task.
If you install hardwood flooring in your bar, choose from the most solid wood varieties available. Engineered wood is a good option if you're interested in having underfloor heating in your bar or restaurant.
5. Stone
Installing stone bar flooring offers many benefits for bar and restaurant owners. It's a good option for replacing concrete flooring in an old bar and pub layout, particularly for its affordability.
Stone can withstand heavy foot traffic with ease and requires minimal repairs. The highest-quality stone flooring uses epoxy materials to allow it to breathe naturally and retain its shiny look.
What Do Bar Owners Choose for Their Bar Floors?
The most popular choices for bar flooring are laminate wood, luxury vinyl and ceramic tiles, and hardwood. They're stylish and easy to clean and maintain while presenting a shiny and sophisticated look.
Some of the oldest bars in America and other pubs have stone floors. But in this article, we're focusing on the best bar floor cleaners for laminate wood, luxury vinyl and ceramic tiles, and hardwood. Let's start by focusing on laminate wood floor cleaners.
Best Laminate Wood Floor Cleaners
Laminate is probably the most common type of floor that a bar owner will install in their establishments. It's a multi-layer synthetic floor product designed to mimic the appearance of wood.
The core layer of laminate flooring comes from melamine resin and fiberboard material. The upper layer has an imprinted textured image designed to look like wood.
Putting down laminate flooring is a good investment for your bar. Here are three laminate bar floor cleaners that will keep your investment producing the return you want:
1. Rejuvenate All Floor Cleaner
Rejuvenate All Floor Cleaner is our selection for the top overall laminate floor cleaner. As its name suggests, this floor cleaner is safe and effective on many floors, including laminate. You can buy it in a spray bottle, which allows you to adjust the distribution levels.
It keeps your bar's laminate floor clean and looking polished. Rejuvenate All Floor Cleaner utilizes Rejuvenate's Shine Booster technology, giving your floor a shiny look without leaving behind any residue.
It also does a great job cleaning luxury vinyl floors. This covers two potential surfaces in your establishment with one bar and restaurant cleaning tool.
2. ZEP Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner
This is our pick for the most budget-friendly laminate floor cleaner. ZEP Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner comes in a one-gallon jug and fights dirt and grime on floors, baseboards, and moldings.
Pour this liquid cleaner into a refillable spray mop or apply it directly to the surface. Next, wipe the surface clean with a cloth or microfiber mop. It removes scuffs and stains while restoring a polished look to your laminate bar floor.
3. Better Life Naturally-Destroying Dirt Cleaner
Better Life Naturally-Destroying Dirt Cleaner is our choice for the best eco-friendly laminate floor cleaner. It contains plant-based, all-natural ingredients instead of man-made chemicals.
It has purified water, natural coconut, vegetable glycerin, and essential oils from spearmint, grapefruit, and bergamot extracts. How's that for a natural concoction?
Everything comes together to pack a punch against dirt, grime, and stains on your laminate bar floor. It leaves behind a citrus scent from real lemons and orange extract.
Best Luxury Vinyl and Ceramic Tile Floor Cleaners
Luxury vinyl tile is more durable than many real wood floors, giving it an advantage for bars with heavy traffic. It's easier to maintain than stone because it doesn't require sealing or refinishing.
Luxury vinyl tile doesn't have grout joints for maintenance like porcelain and stone. Ceramic tile is easy to clean and durable when under heavy traffic conditions. That makes it a popular choice for many people who are opening a bar these days.
Many ceramic tile floor product lines feature numerous options that can match your bar's design. Here are three products you can count on to care for your luxury vinyl and ceramic tile cleaning tasks.
1. COREtec ENCORE 03Z76 Floor Cleaner Care for Luxury Vinyl Flooring
This floor cleaner care product comes in a spray bottle ready to attack spills, dirt, and stains. It brightens and preserves finishes without leaving behind any sticky residue.
You can also use it to remove grease from food and scuffs from heavy traffic around your bar. It's safe and effective on resilient flooring, including luxury vinyl, ceramic, and laminate.
2. Bona Pro Series Luxury Vinyl Floor Cleaner
Bona Pro has a complete line of floor cleaning products, and this is one of our picks for cleaning luxury vinyl and ceramic tile floors. It's a professional strength, water-based cleaner that dries quickly without leaving behind residue or streaking.
You can purchase it in a handy spray bottle for quick jobs around your bar. Simply spray it on the surface and wipe it clean. It's environmentally friendly and formulated to clean luxury vinyl tile (LVT), luxury vinyl plank (LVP), and wood-plastic composite (WPC) floors.
3. ZEP Luxury Vinyl, Ceramic, and Porcelain Floor Cleaner
ZEP Luxury Vinyl, Ceramic, and Porcelain Floor Cleaner takes care of dirt, grease, and other stains on your bar flooring. It's gentle enough for daily use to stay ahead of the big messes that can accumulate over time in a busy bar.
It utilizes a dye-free cleanser that preserves grout and floor appearance. You don't have to worry about residue or streaks left behind from this cleaner.
Best Hardwood Floor Cleaners
Hardwood floors have become a popular choice for many bars and restaurants due to their durability and timeless look. It's safe to say that hardwood floors will never go out of style.
When it comes to hardwood floors, it's quick and easy to clean spills by simply wiping them away. You can remove most scratches and scuffs by giving them a quick refinish. Here are three products to help you clean and maintain your bar's hardwood floors:
1. Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner effectively cleans and removes dirt, grime, and dust to reveal and preserve your bar's hardwood floor. Spray it on your surface and mop dry.
Use it for spot cleaning with a microfiber cloth. It quickly dries without leaving behind any residue or streaking and utilizes a water-based formula to get the job done.
2. Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner
People have been using Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner for generations and continue to rely on it for tough jobs. It cleans finished wood and non-wood surfaces to help them retain their beautiful shine.
The big difference from the days when your grandmother used it to clean her kitchen floors is that it's 99% naturally derived from water, coconut, and plant-based cleaning ingredients. Murphy Oil Soap aims to naturally and gently bring out wood's beauty. It's effective for cleaning your bar's other wood surfaces, including counters and tables.
3. Method Squirt and Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner
Method Squirt and Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner has a biodegradable formula that removes dirt and residue without rinsing. The nozzle spray covers your hardwood floor in less time and avoids puddling. It leaves behind a streak-free shine with the scent of ginger and lemon after cleaning your bar's hardwood floors.
Frequently Asked Questions About Best Bar Floor Cleaners
How Do You Mop a Bar Floor?
Add warm water and your cleaning solution to a bucket. Use a clean mop to spread the mixture across the bar floor.
Apply extra pressure to areas with dirt, grease, and stains for better results. Place signs around the area to alert others that the floor has been mopped and keep it wet for 15 to 20 minutes.
Is Vinegar a Good Floor Cleaner?
Vinegar is effective for hard surfaces and tiles. The more acid it contains, the more effective it is at disinfecting floors. It's recommended that businesses stock up on bulk white vinegar since it's the most acidic. However, avoid the use of vinegar on laminate flooring. The acid can dull the finish over time.
Why Are Floors Still Dirty After Mopping?
Soap only lifts dirt and grease into your mop water, suspending them in it. So, the more soap you use, the more your mop gets saturated with dirt and grease. If you don't remove all soapy water from the floor, the dirt and grease remain and form streaks on the floor.
A Good Cleaner Will Keep Your Bar Spotless
No matter which type of floor you install or already have in your bar, there's a good floor cleaner on the market for your needs. It will help you stay ahead of any dirt, scratches, or scuffs that may occur. It is, effectively, a necessary part of your bar operations manual and plan.
Include some of these in your daily and seasonal bar cleaning checklist to maintain the shine on your floors. They can make a big difference in boosting customer satisfaction when guests enter your bar.