How To Strip and Wax a Floor

How To Strip and Wax Floors

 

 

Strip and Wax Floors Supply List - click for PDF to print

 

 

 

Stripping the Floor  - Supply List

þ Automatic Scrubber (optional)

þ Baseboard Stripper

þ Can Liners

þ Doodlebug Pad and Holder

þ Dust Mop

þ Fan

þ Stripping Mop

þ Rinse Mop

þ Floor Stripper

þ Gloves

þ Goggles

þ Mop Bucket

þ Mop Handle

þ Stripping Pad

þ Swing Machine

þ Tape

þ Wet/Dry Vacuum

þ Wet Floor Signs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laying the Floor Finish  - Supply List

þ Can Liners

þ Fan

þ Finish Mop

þ Mop Bucket

þ Mop Handle

þ Wet Floor Signs

þ Floor Finish

 

 

 

 

 

Other great documents to help you learn more about stripping  and waxing your floor

Applying Floor Finish w-Backpack Procedure

Stripping Floor Finish

Top Scrubbing Floors

GW Brand Floor Maintenance System Guideline

Spray Buffing  -  Burnishing Floors

 

Great products to help you strip and wax your floor

Finishes

PRO LINK URETHANE 

FORTIFIED FINISH

ROCK SOLID

FLOOR FINISH, 5 GAL

WHITE SUN FLOOR FINISH  

 

Polyurethane fortified high gloss finish designed for superior durability under heavy traffic conditions. It has a wet look shine, resists black heel marks and scuffing and can be easily removed with a good quality stripper.

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A durable, burnishable high gloss floor system. Eliminates dirt pick-up problems associated with some high speed finishes. A metal cross-linked sealer & finish combination. 20% floor solids. Covers 2500-3000 square feet per gallon.  Exhibits high gloss, friendly application characteristics and long term wear in both no buff and spray buff maintenance programs.

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White Sun is the futuristic approach to floor finishing. It diminishes the look of imperfections upon application, making flooring surfaces appear less blemished and creating a better than ever appearance. Gloss and clarity come into focus automatically enhancing the overall look of your floors while intensifying the depth with crystal clear transparency. White Sun has passed the Underwriters Laboratories testing for slip resistance! PH level: 8.0 - 9.0

More Information

 

SPARTAN 4055

iSHINE FLOOR FINISH

ROCK SOLID IN A BAG

ATTENTION BRILLIANT

GLOSS FLOOR FINISH

 

Attention Floor Finish  

iShine is a 25% high solids floor finish that employs patented optically enhanced polymer technology that amplifies the over all gloss appearance and clarity of your floors. The unique blend possesses cutting edge raw materials to form a high solids finish that provides total protection in just four coats of finish. iShine is a durable finish that has excellent scuffmark, water spot, black heel mark and powder resistance. The 25% solids floor finish is formulated to provide maximum protection. iShine has passed the Underwriters Laboratories testing for slip resistance! PH level: 8.0 - 9.0

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A durable, burnishable high gloss floor system. Eliminates dirt pick-up problems associated with some high speed finishes. 20% floor solids. A metal cross-linked sealer and finish combination. Covers 2500-3000 square feet per gallon. 4 per case. Exhibits high gloss, friendly application characteristics and long term wear in both no buff and spray buff maintenance programs. This bag fits in most wax applicator systems.

More Information

Low soiling, very repairable. Resists heel marks. Super tough finish with a wet-look gloss after burnishing. UL classified for slip resistance.

More Information

 

Strippers

BIG BITE

TOUGH JOB STRIPPER

FLOOR STRIPPER

GW BRAND 5 GAL

L.O.E. STRIPPER - 5 GAL PAIL  
Big Bite Floor Stripper

 

Powerful, fast, economical; our best stripper. Quickly penetrates built-up, aged finish and multiple coats. Low foaming. Economical 1:12 dilution.

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Its aggressive no-rinse formula allows rapid penetration of even the most stubborn finishes that have been repeatedly burnished with propane burnishers.  Formulated for detergent resistant floor finishes. This unique formula is ammonia free and caustic free.

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L.O.E. Stripper is an extremely aggressive finish and wax emulsifier, specially formulated for use in confined areas, and where typical, strong stripper odor presents a problem. L.O.E. Stripper is fragrance free and free of chemical substances that cause unpleasant odors. L.O.E. Stripper will not negatively affect indoor air quality. Excellent for use in health care facilities and confined areas.

More Information

 

Applicators

WAX APPLICATOR

WAX-IN-A-BAG

WAX APPLICATOR

18" W/ BLOCK

MOP-MD FINISH BLUE/WHITE  
 

Complete system includes: 54” aluminum handle assembly, 16” head frame, 8’ chemical feeder hose with cap and connector, heavy duty backpack, refillable chemical bag 1 ½ gallon capacity and one premium microfiber scrub / finish mop 18”.

More Information

Wax Applicator- 18" W/ Block

More Information

 

Wax Applicator Refills - 18"

More Information

Loop end construction, launderable, blue/white striped yarn, inside tailband to prevent marring of finish, blended fibers. -4-ply yarn -White mesh, double-wrapped headbands -Blue/White, 1" headband

More Information

 

Machines

FLOOR MACHINE, 20" 175rpm

P-15 TASKFORCE

WET/DRY VAC 15G

   

Tornado Floor Machine

   

Tornado® P Series Floor Machines
Built for years of trouble-free operation and long-lasting performance. Our patented, non-conductive one piece rotationally molded body is designed to absorb the torque and vibration normally felt when operating a floor machine.

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Tornado’s® P and S series of Wet/Dry Vacuums are the toughest, most versatile, and cost-effective tank vacuums on the market. Available in your choice of either a polyethylene or stainless steel body, these vacuums are mounted on four easy transport wheels for easy movement and stability.

More Information

 

   

Stripping Pads

PAD - STRIP, HI-PRO

PAD - STRIP, DOMINATOR 20"

PAD - STRIP, BLACK 20"  

 

Quickly and thoroughly removes old floor finish, dirt and buildup. Unique, open web construction allows stripping solution to flow through pad to rinse out dirt and reduce loading for increased pad-to-floor contact and efficient stripping.

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This pad is designed specifically for the heaviest duty stripping tasks. It has extra heavy denier fiber, more abrasive grit & more open weave. -Burgundy -5 per case

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For heavy-duty wet stripping. Aggressively removes wax, dirt and finish. -For use on standard and automatic floor machines -RPM: Up to 350 RPM -5 per case

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Cleaning Services Companies List       

 

How to Strip and Wax a floor

Author: Melanie Harris

How to strip and wax a floor

Over time the build up of wax, or other floor finishes, will give your hard floor surfaces a dull, hazy, or yellowed look. If burnishing or polishing your floor does not correct the problem, then the only solution is to strip off the old floor finish and refinish the floor.

The use of a good quality floor stripper will make your life much easier, it\'s better to have the floor stripper remove the wax rather than using elbow grease to do so. Purchase a stripper that can handle the job. For best results, use a floor finish stripper that is the same brand or better as the finish, be proactive not reactive.

Make sure that the floor you are stripping does not and will not have traffic. Use warning signs to defer traffic from the area you are stripping.

You will need to start in the corner that is farthest from an exit and work your way toward the exit.

Removing the old floor finish is done in four steps.

Apply floor stripper and let it sit on the old finish for awhile

A Floor stripper is a chemical solution that helps to dissolve and loosen the old floor wax on your floor. Make sure that your floor has been prepared for stripping.  Clean the floor removing as much dirt and debris as possible. After the floor has been prepared vacuum or dust mop the floor to remove any dust.  We recommend that you spray your dust mop with a dust mop treatment to remove as much dust as possible.  Make sure to remove anything stuck to the floor because this will gum up and rip the floor pad.

Follow the directions for your specific floor stripping solution (some may need diluting), but most will require you to distribute the solution generously over the floor. Stripping a floor requires a mop bucket, cotton or blended mop, gloves, a black towel, floor machine (175-300 rpm\'s) and a black floor pad. Fill the mop bucket up 1/2 way with floor stripper.  Dip the mop into the stripper and lightly wring. 

Break the floor down into 6\' by 6\' sections and start applying the stripper. Apply the stripper in a figure 8 motion overlapping each stroke by about an inch.  After you have applied the stripper let it sit on the floor (follow the product directions for time frame) usually for 5-10 minutes.  This will give the stripper a chance to react with the floor finish.

Remove the floor stripper from the floor

Place a black floor pad on your floor machine.  When stripping a floor move the floor machine back and forth on the floor overlapping by at least 1 inch on each pass.  As the floor finish is removed from the floor it will become duller.  You may need to spend extra time on areas with finish buildup.  The main traffic area on the floor will have less buildup than low traffic areas.

Remove the stripper from the floor using either a blended mop or wet dry vacuum preferably one that has a front mount squeegee.

If you have a very large area to work on then an automatic scrubber floor machine will help your job go a lot faster. The same floor stripping pads you use on a rotary floor buffer can also be used for an automatic scrubber.

An automatic scrubber, either walk-behind or ride-on, can be used to vacuum up the stripping solution and dissolved floor wax in one quick pass, eliminating the slow removal with a wet-dry vac and hand squeegees.

Do not let the stripper finish mixture dry. If the area does dry apply more stripper to loosen the finish. 

Rinse the floor and neutralize the floor stripper.

After you have removed the floor stripper from the floor rinse the floor with warm water.  Rinse the floor two more times with cold water. 

After the third rinse with plain water, rinse the floor with a floor stripper neutralizer.  Neutralizer will reduce the white residue left by the floor stripper so that the floor finish can adhere to the floor easier and better.

After the neutralizer dries check for white residue on the floor using a black towel.  If residue still exists rinse one more time with cold water.  Once all these steps have been completed check the floor for shiny spots.  If shiny spots are evident you may need to re-strip these areas.

If you don\'t use a neutralizer you run the risk of your new floor wax gradually flaking or peeling off the floor.

Clean your equipment

You will want to thoroughly rinse out all tanks after each usage. If you used the solution tank to apply stripper, you would not want to put any stripper down when going to scrub your next floor, because it could ruin that floor. So, make sure to thoroughly clean out the solution tank after each usage. You also want to make sure you clean out all recovery tanks, vacuum hoses, and squeegees, because if any stripper or old floor wax were to dry in any of those areas, it can clog, or ruin your machine, putting you and your machine out of commission.

Apply the new Finish

Let the floor thoroughly dry before your next step of applying the new floor wax or finish. Floor fans or air movers might be necessary to speed up this process. When completely dry you\'re ready to apply your new finish.

Apply a commercial quality wax solution to the floor - If you really want to your floor to shine contact Peoples Supplies www.peoplessupplies.com  877-230-4390 to purchase some excellent floor care products.

Peoples Supplies-Changing the World One Product and One Client at a time since 1969. Your Single Source Supplier for Janitorial, Foodservice, Facility Maintenance, and Paper.

References/Resources: Rekhelman, Michael. General Chemistry Course-ABC Compounding. 'General Chemistry of Industrial Chemicals.' The ABC\'s of General Chemistry Volume I (Feb 1993): Course 1

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/remodeling-articles/how-to-strip-and-wax-a-floor-3759845.html

About the Author

Melanie Harris resides in Locust Grove, Georgia. She is a Service Consultant for Peoples Supplies & the Editor & Creative Director of N Tune Georgia. She also dabbles in freelance writing, and Website/Graphic Designs. Work is wedged in between parenting two children, a lot of diet coke and a limited amount of sleep. www.ntunega.com   www.peoplessupplies.com

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How to Strip and Wax a Floor  © 2011