Three Types of Dirt To Clean (2024)

Cleaning is the process of removing dirt or unwanted matter. Dirt is any unwanted substance that winds up on a surface resulting in poor sanitation, possible slip problems and of course, poor appearance.

There are three main types of dirt: Loose soil, atmospheric soil, and spills.

The vast majority of the dirt we combat in buildings is loose soil which is easily dealt with so long as it does not become wet or contaminated with oils. The Carpet and Rug Institute estimates that over 80 percent of the dirt in a building is loose soil - most of which is tracked in on people’s feet. This dry, gritty soil is the enemy of all floor surfaces. It scratches and dulls the floor finish. If left unattended, it can scour off the finish, just like a fine grade sandpaper. This soil can be very small. It is often measured in microns. The dot on this “i” is about 500 microns. A good HEPA vacuum filter will tackle particles down to .3 microns. While this soil can be very small, the damage it can do is great.

The second kind of soil is atmospheric, or airborne soil. This comes from things like pollution, auto fumes, and cigarette smoking. It is an oily type carbon based soil that clings to surfaces and is more difficult to remove. When combined with moisture and sunlight it can form harmful chemicals that will attack all the surfaces in your building. It is particularly harmful to floor finishes.

The third major source of dirt is spills. This can be anything from a tenant’s morning coffee to a workman’s shoes tracking in oil stains. Spills need quick attention to keep them from attacking your floor’s finish coat since extended exposure will only damage the surface and require more effort to remove.

In the next articles we will take a more detailed look at maintaining hard floors.

Your comments and questions are always welcome. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean…..

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678.314.2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.

Three Types of Dirt To Clean (2024)

FAQs

What are the different types of dirt in housekeeping? ›

Dirt is any unwanted substance that winds up on a surface resulting in poor sanitation, possible slip problems and of course, poor appearance. There are three main types of dirt: Loose soil, atmospheric soil, and spills.

What is clean dirt called? ›

Topsoil is organic. It contains nutrients that will support grass and plants. If you just need to fill shallow low spots in your landscaping, topsoil works well. It only contains a few rocks or other debris, if any. Clean topsoil is easy to spread and level with a hand rake because of its purity.

What are the 4 types of dirty? ›

Dust: a general powder of organic or mineral matter. Filth: foul matter such as excrement. Grime: a black, ingrained dust such as soot. Soil: the mix of clay, sand, and humus which lies on top of bedrock.

What is used to clean dirt? ›

Detergents are surfactants that are able to break down and remove dirt, oil, and other contaminants from surfaces. They work by emulsifying the contaminants, allowing them to be rinsed away with water. Detergents are commonly used in cleaning products for laundry, dishes, and surfaces.

What are the three types of dirt? ›

Soil can be classified into three primary types based on its texture – sand, silt and clay. However, the percentage of these can vary, resulting in more compound types of soil such as loamy sand, sandy clay, silty clay, etc. 2. State the characteristics of sandy soil.

What are the 3 types of cleaning? ›

Knowing the different types of cleaning is essential to ensure that cleaning tasks are done effectively and efficiently. Regular cleaning, deep cleaning, and specialized cleaning are the three main types of cleaning that deal with different levels of cleaning requirements.

What are the best types of dirt? ›

Loam soil is often thought of as the ideal soil type for plants because it's a combination of all the above-mentioned soils. It also has enough nutrients to sustain plants and crops. It's easy to plant with and drains well. Numerous plants and crops plant well in loam soil.

How many types of dirts do we have? ›

Clay, silt, sand, loam, chalk, and peat are the six main types of soil throughout the world. Each type has different properties and compositions, but you can amend any native soil to make it workable.

What are the 6 types of dirt? ›

There are six main soil groups: clay, sandy, silty, peaty, chalky and loamy. They each have different properties and it is important to know these to make the best choices and get the most from your garden.

What is the cleanest part of a woman's body? ›

The palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and the scalp are often considered the cleanest areas. These areas are constantly exposed to air and washed frequently, reducing the accumulation of dirt and bacteria.

What are examples of dirt? ›

any foul or filthy substance, as mud, grime, dust, or excrement. earth or soil, especially when loose.

What's the cleanest part on a human body? ›

According to Reference, the eye is considered to be the cleanest part of the body due to its natural cleaning and protective functions. Each time you blink, you keep the eye moist, and tears help to protect the eye by washing away dirt and germs.

What does dirt clean mean? ›

Clean dirt, and similarly clean concrete, is free of contaminants like corrosives, combustibles, or radioactive materials. It's also largely free of organic material, meaning it won't decompose over time. Clean materials must not contain anything that'd be dangerous to handle, like sharp rubble, glass, or metal.

What is the strongest cleaning agent? ›

Acid cleaners are the most powerful type of cleaning agent and should be used with care. If they are not diluted correctly, acid cleaners can be very poisonous and corrosive. Acid cleaners are generally used to remove mineral deposits and are useful for descaling dishwashers or removing rust from restroom facilities.

Does vinegar clean dirt? ›

Vinegar is about five percent acetic acid, which helps it break down the structure of some dirt, oils, films, stains and bacteria. But that acidic agent can also harm some surfaces, so test it in an inconspicuous area. Vinegar is not recommended for use on natural stone, waxed wood, cast iron or aluminum.

What are the 4 types of dirt found on utensils? ›

Dishes have the same type of dirt. It can be greasy, milky, starchy or even soot. All of these can be cleaned using improvised materials.

Are there different types of dirt? ›

Clay, silt, sand, loam, chalk, and peat are the six main types of soil throughout the world. Each type has different properties and compositions, but you can amend any native soil to make it workable.

How many different types of dirt are there? ›

Soil can be categorised into sand, clay, silt, peat, chalk and loam types of soil based on the dominating size of the particles within a soil.

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