Inspection
Inspection
The Inspection domain tests observation and measurement: identifying floor type and condition, detecting soil and defects, verifying cleaning results, and documenting findings that justify a restoration recommendation.
Core rules
- Inspect under the lighting the customer will see, and supplement with a raking light for surface defects.
- Identify the substrate before judging it: VCT, vinyl sheet, LVT, terrazzo, marble, concrete, and carpet each have different tolerances.
- Separate soil from damage. A dark mark that moves under a white cloth is soil; a mark that does not is a stain, burn, or wear.
- Use test patches in inconspicuous areas and check for color transfer, dulling, swelling, or adhesive failure.
- Measure where the specification requires it: gloss meter readings, wet DCOF (often ≥0.42 for level hard floors), and moisture or pH readings before coating.
- Record location, condition, method, and photos before and after.
Worked example
A 1,200 sq ft corridor shows dull traffic lanes and white scuff marks. A white cloth with neutral cleaner lifts the scuff; the dull lane remains after cleaning. The technician records 18 gloss readings: 12 in traffic lanes average 18 GU, and 6 in low-traffic areas average 45 GU. The gap indicates finish wear, not soil, so the recommendation is scrub and recoat rather than a second cleaning pass.
Traps that cost marks
- Inspecting only the center of the floor.
- Calling every mark a stain without a test.
- Measuring gloss on a wet floor.
- Ignoring edges, corners, and under fixtures.
- No before/after documentation.