How to Properly Care for a Dance Studio Floor
Maintaining the Life of the Floor and the Dance Students' Safety
Oct 14, 2009
Most dance flooring is made with a type of vinyl called PVC (poly-vinyl chloride), and is most commonly referred to as "marley" flooring. Wood flooring may be used for some tap and ballet classes, but most studios require floors that will hold up through many different types of classes with varying schedules. This is one of the main reasons that most studios now have marley floors.
Like wood, vinyl flooring requires proper care and maintenance. Here are some tips to keep a studio floor in good shape through years of wear.
Cleaning Marley Dance Floors
When vinyl flooring is dirty, it becomes slippery. This is a major hazard for a dance class, so studio owners and teachers must take care to keep the floors as clean as possible. Floors should be mopped with a neutral pH cleaner weekly. If commercial cleaners leave a residue on the floor, they can be mopped with water aftward to pick up any residue.
Studio owners and teachers should avoid using cleaners with acetone, alcohol, or ammonia, which can melt, dissolve, dry out, or crack the floor. Homemade household cleaners with vinegar and bleach can also damage the dance floor's surface. Cleaners purchased for household use can leave behind a residue, so only commercial cleaners should be used.
Humidity in the Dance Studio
During long hours of classes, the temperature and humidity in a studio will rise. When the studio is clear and the air cools, any moisture in the room will collect on the floor. This can also make the floor slippery. In these cases, the studio floor should be mopped with a dry cloth to pick up any residual moisture before cleaning. A dehumidifier may also help to keep moisture off the floor overnight.
Floor Care Schedule for the Dance Studio
Every dance studio will have different needs for floor care, depending on the number of classes and types of classes held each day. No matter what the needs are, a schedule for the care and maintenance of the floor should be posted and followed.
Once a day, the studio floor should be cleaned with a dry mop. As mentioned above, this will pick up any residue from sweaty dancers and humid rooms. Once a week, the floor should be cleaned with a wet mop using a neutral pH cleaner. For very dirty floors, a degreaser can also be used.
Every three months, which can be worked into the studio's holiday closing schedule, the studio floors should be deep-cleaned by machine. Floor cleaners can be rented from local hardware stores, or purchased for the studio's use. For marley floors, studio owners and teachers should used a fine scrubbing pad on the machine, and a cleaner specifically used for resin, adhesive residue, and scuff marks.
Every six months to two years, depending on the finish of the floor, studio floors should be stripped and the finish reapplied.
Studio owners should request that students keep street shoes (sneakers and other non-dance shoes) off of the dance floors. Dirt and stones from outside can damage the finish of the floor. By making a conscious effort to protect the studio floors, studio owners, dance teachers, and dance students can protect themselves and make the studio a safer place to work.
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