Rink

May/June 2019

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46 / MAY.JUNE.2019 USICERINKS.COM PHOTOS: RINK ARCHIVES C leaning your facility's glass and boards is a job that really should be done throughout the season— but we know the reality of that. While it's likely a task under your spring cleaning list, it is important to get both amenities in tip top shape. But beware, there are some dos and dont's when it comes to how and what you clean them with. CLEANING DASHERBOARD FACING (WHITE PLASTIC) Citric acid will dissolve rubber; therefore, citrus-based products, sold by most rink supply companies, are good options for cleaning puck marks on polyethylene plastic. Minimize abrasive scrubbing of the polyethylene facing during cleaning. Extruded polyethylene has a naturally smooth/closed-pore finish and gloss. Specialty cleaning white foam pads (rink erasers) with water work well for cleaning the boards as well. These are available at most rink supply companies or can be purchased at your local grocery store in the cleaning aisle. Overly aggressive scrubbing by self-pro- pelled machines will damage the finish by removing the gloss and opening the pores. Subsequent cleaning will be much more difficult after such an aggressive cleaning. If you do damage to the finish of the poly- ethylene surface, then the surface needs to be sealed with wax or a plastic sealer sold by most rink supply companies to maintain the smooth surface. If using wax, a com- mercial grade non-yellowing floor wax should be used for this purpose. Apply the floor wax in multiple layers instead of one thick coat, as thicker coats have a tendency to peel off the polyethylene. CLEANING ACRYLIC & POLYCARBONATE SHIELDING When cleaning acrylic and polycarbonate, it is more important to determine what not to use to prevent damaging the shielding. Alcohol, ammonia and solvent- based cleaners must never be used on acrylic or polycarbonate shielding. These types of cleaners will etch the surface over time, which will destroy the optics of the shielding and prevent spectators from a clear view of the rink. Typical polyethylene board cleaners will normally be too aggressive and will damage the shielding. Special plastic cleaning products sold by most rink supply companies are perfectly suited for this task. Applying a plastic polish, also sold by most rink supply companies, after cleaning will seal the shielding and provide a scuff resistant finish. White foam pads (rink erasers) also work well on acrylic and polycarbonate shielding. CLEANING TEMPERED GLASS Tempered glass is much more scratch- resistant than acrylic and polycarbonate shielding, so there are many more cleaning options. The most common method is to use standard liquid glass cleaner in a bucket applied with a glass mop and removed with a glass squeegee. A razor blade will scrape off the black puck marks and if using one, make sure to have it in a proper holder and never use just a plain razor blade for obvious safety reasons. Once again, the white foam pads (rink erasers) work well for cleaning tempered glass. No matter what product you use to clean your boards and glass, make sure that it will not harm your ice surface! J Portions of this article have appeared in a past issue of RINK Magazine. On the Glass How to get your boards and glass squeaky clean HOW To Clean Dasherboards & Shielding

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