Although most people think of summertime when they think about swimming pools, hotel and community centre operators know that their pool and hot tub facilities are open year round and need attention even in the middle of winter! While most maintenance is focused on the parts of the pool that come in specific contact with the water, it’s important to not overlook the wet areas around the pool and hot tub too. Cleanliness and safety of the pool and hot tub starts with the areas outside them!
Wet area matting is special-purpose flooring designed to complement your existing pool facilities and make them safer, cleaner, and more comfortable for your patrons to use. Wet area matting offers an extra-high degree of flow-through drainage to ensure that no matter how much splashing or wetness falls on them, they retain a high-grip surface for barefoot people to walk on with a significantly reduced chance of slippage when compared to a tile floor. The increased drainage also helps to reduce puddling and allow the walking surface to still dry, reducing the risk of slip and fall accidents and inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungus.
Some wet area matting is designed for indoor/outdoor areas or areas requiring a heavier-duty product, like V-Dek Pool or PlastiGrip. These products are made from a harder, stiffer material, and can withstand both barefoot and shoe traffic. For indoor areas or areas that have exclusively barefoot traffic, something softer and more comfortable underfoot is the product to choose, like 3M Nomad 1500 or 3M Nomad 3200. Both of these products are made from a softer vinyl material that makes them easier on bare soles and more comfortable for your patrons.
Even though they’re meant to be wet, wet area matting still requires regular cleaning and maintenance. On a regular basis (based on how much traffic your pool area experiences), we recommend the regular removal of the wet area matting and for the flooring surface underneath to be thoroughly cleaned with an appropriate anti-bacterial floor cleaning agent (or even pressure washing for outdoor pool deck areas). While your mats are out of service, inspect them for any rips and tears that may need repair before being reinstalled. Clean your mats using a manufacturer-approved cleaning solution that can help to reduce any bacterial growth; a soft-bristled deck brush and a mild sanitizer is a great way to finish the cleaning job. If your mats are extremely dirty, you may need to soak the mats for several hours in a diluted degreaser – but always check with the manufacturer first, as some degreasers can actually degrade the vinyl material the mat is made from!
Keeping your wet areas clean, dry, and safe isn’t difficult! Contact us today and we can walk you through finding the right solution for your pool, hot tub, or sauna area.
