Subhanarayan Satapathy
Every house stands on the floor. Floor is the strong base of every house. The house will seen as decent and beautiful if the floor is clean, safe and colourful. In ancient era, people used mud built floor, but it makes more dirty, unhygienic and needs more maintenance. In an evolutionary manner several types of dynamic flooring design and material come out for homes. The floor has been seen in houses like; concrete floor, vinyl floor, Terrazzo Floors, Linoleum Floors, Ceramic Tile Floors, Marble Floors, Wood Floors etc. Owner of house decides that which type of floor to be constructed. Most of the houses are found concrete and marble floor. It prevents moisture and debris from seeping into the naturally porous surface. Moisture is the number one enemy for vinyl floors. Water is enemy for wood floor. Again in changing trends & now a days, people most sought-after material for flooring in Indian homes. Concrete is the most commonly used floor design material in India for home floors as it is long-lasting material. It’s easy to clean, long-lasting and offers timeless beauty, especially when used as flooring. Similarly Vitrified tiles floor tiles are similar to traditional ceramic tiles but include silica and clay in the mix. They are easy to procure and lay. Vitrified tiles come in a variety of styles, patterns and colours, making them a viable alternative to marble or granite. After availability such kind of advanced and technically constructed materials for flooring, people are making floors for their houses based on their economy, requirement, following to others and thought. Some people say that marble is slippery and may cause harm for elder persons. Further it makes home cool than other type of floor.
The most important fact is that the floor shall be clean and safe always. We are using the floor for walking, sitting and doing everything daily. Really people are very much dependent on the floor not only making the houses more attractive but also to make it comfortable. We know that dirty environment leads to the growth and spread of germs and bacteria and creates unhealthy condition. Along with the unclean floor, the air also gets contaminated due to the dirt and dust. And if we work or live in a space which is not cleaned daily, we would fall sick often. Basic hygiene has to be followed in the offices, school, hospital, home as well. We can say that floors are a hot spot for bacteria in our home for which the family members may fall sick. A survey conducted by the Hygiene Council involved researchers visiting 35 United States homes to swab for bacteria in 32 distinct locations found that the floors directly in front of toilets contain an average of 764 bacteria per square inch. While the floors directly in front of the kitchen sink contain an average of 830 bacteria per square inch. A study says that 94% of workers reported feeling more productive in a clean workspace.14% of consumers polled said they would stop visiting a store that was not that clean and 29% said they would continue visiting an unclean store only if it was absolutely necessary. Studies show that 70% to 80% of dirt and debris that enters a facility comes through the front door, by way of building occupants and visitors’ shoes. Some people using carpet for their flooring. Study also reveals that there are over 200,000 bacteria in every square inch of carpet, including some truly sickening germs, such as campylobacter and nor virus.
Not only floor of residence but also visiting place, office, mall, school, hospital, gym etc shall be safe, hygiene and clean. Since pre-independence period, our Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi also gave a mantra of cleanliness to everyone and he believed that cleanliness is even more important than freedom. Frequent cleaning and mopping will keep the floor as well as the people healthy. Using phenyls, floor cleaner to make it hygienic is also necessary. At the every entrance, a mat may be kept for less dirt. Shoes and dirty materials must be kept outside of moving or using area or facility or home. It is necessary to use marble sealer to close off the micro-pores over this natural stone material. Its porous quality is what makes it vulnerable to moisture and makes it retain dust and dirt easily, so a good layer of sealant is absolutely required. It has also been seen that in rural as well as city areas the children discharging excreta which retain pathogens on floor. Never use soap-based detergents and avoid over-wetting. Don’t use wax polish either, as this will make the floor slippery. To remove marks and stains, it may be used a dilute solution of water and vinegar depending upon type of floor and it’s viability. So Cleanliness shall be maintained by using suitable cleaning material is highly required. In this regard personal knowledge to make the floor clean and safe everywhere is not a response but a responsibility of every person so that children, elder, patient, pregnant women will be more safely reside. Ultimately it makes us socially, financially, culturally healthier.