When the whole of the UK went into lockdown on 16th March 2020, all unnecessary social contact ceased and the way we went about our lives changed dramatically. But how did COVID-19 impact the way we live inside our homes?

As demand soars for surfaces that have better germ resistance, the Solid Flooring Company explore why luxury vinyl flooring is the hygienic solution for any home or office.

Best flooring to resist COVID-19

It’s common practice for many commercial buildings and high traffic areas such as doctors’ surgeries and care homes to use carpet, however, whilst this was a comfortable solution for the pre-Covid era it’s no longer best practice as it collects dust and germs and holds them in its fibres.

As the world acclimatises to the new normal, best practice flooring will need to be manufactured to achieve high levels of cleanliness and hygiene. This is especially important for areas with high footfall.

Impervia® flooring is made with an anti-bacterial finish and has no harmful chemicals in it’s make up. This makes it the ideal flooring solution for the ‘new age’.

When you further factor in Impervia’s® waterproof properties that allow it to be cleaned frequently with disinfectant cleaning products, it is easy to see why it is a sensible choice for flooring moving forwards.

The importance of commercial flooring that can be hygienic

As the UK government urges the UK workforce to work from home where possible and brings in additional policies related to illness, cleaning and disinfecting the emphasis is on employers to provide a safe, clean environment for their employees to work in.

One of the main ways to keep an office space hygienic is to replace carpet tiles with luxury non-slip vinyl flooring. Impervia® flooring can be installed quickly and is easy to disinfect making it the ideal non germ harbouring flooring solution.

Impervia® can be used in other high footfall areas such as hospital waiting areas, dental surgeries and even libraries to provide extra reassurance to patients or clients.

What are the experts saying about anti Covid flooring?

Forbes spoke to Thomas Jeffrey, owner of Deep Blue Construction who said the following:

“As far as flooring goes, laminates are not ideal for avoiding bacterial growth due to the engineering and the lifespan of the flooring. If looking for a product, I highly recommend luxury vinyl flooring, which is a hard-plastic waterproof flooring that will not break down" he explains.

Thomas goes on to say: "The material itself has an antimicrobial built in the finishing process. You can also put any kind of cleaning solution on it, such as bleach, steam, and disinfectants, over and over without damaging the material and keeping your family safe."

Construction companies, architects and contractors are going to need to specify differently as they navigate the Covid era and specifying a luxury vinyl flooring system such as Impervia® will provide a safer solution that is still budget effective.