Polished vinyl and sealed floors in shops, schools, clinics and offices look great when the finish is fresh. Over time, layers of polish, dirt and scuffs build up into a dull, yellowed film that no amount of mopping will fix. That's when it's time to strip and re-dress.
Signs your floor needs stripping
- A yellow or grey tinge, especially along edges and corners
- Dirt trapped between layers of old polish
- Patchy shine, with dull traffic lanes
- Polish building up against skirting boards
What you'll need
- A floor stripper at the right dilution
- A rotary floor machine such as the B-Line Polisher with the correct stripping pad
- Mops, buckets, a wet vacuum (very helpful) and wet floor signs
- Gloves, eye protection and non-slip shoes
The process
- Clear and sweep the area thoroughly. Put out wet floor signs and close the area.
- Apply stripper with a mop, working in manageable sections. Don't let it dry out.
- Leave it to work for the time on the label, then scrub with the machine and an aggressive (usually black or brown) stripping pad.
- Pick up the slurry with a wet vacuum or mop while it's still wet.
- Rinse twice with clean water. Any leftover stripper stops the new finish from bonding.
- Let it dry completely.
- Apply new floor dressing in thin, even coats, letting each coat dry before the next.
Choosing pads
Floor pads are colour-coded by how aggressive they are. Darker pads are for stripping, mid-colours for scrubbing and lighter pads for buffing and polishing. Using a stripping pad for daily buffing will scratch the floor. Match the pad size to your machine: a 400mm pad suits a 400mm (16") machine.
Stock up
Floor Stripper, the B-Line Polisher and E-Line Floor Pads in a range of sizes are available from maxproducts.co.za.
Products mentioned in this guide
Available now from our sister company Max Products at maxproducts.co.za, in trade sizes and delivered in Cape Town.
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Floor Stripper
B-Line Polisher
E-Line Floor Pad 400mm
