Floor Care Training Module

Floor Care Training Module

Traditional Floor Stripping

Traditional Floor Stripping

Floor stripping is the process that comes before applying floor finish when mopping or scrubbing are not enough to restore a floor’s appearance.

Instructions

Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling chemicals: gloves, goggles, and stripping boots, which can prevent accidents on slippery floors. Review the product labels and chemical SDS. Stripping solutions are very alkaline and can cause harm.

Prepare the floor

A

Remove furniture and fixtures, then dust mop the floor.

B

Place wet floor signs around the area that is being stripped.

C

Use a scraper to remove any gum or sticky debris from the floor surface. Be careful to avoid gouging the floor.

D

Add the correct amount of stripper to cold water in the bucket to prevent unnecessary foaming.

TIP: The label directions will outline the correct number of ounces per gallon of water depending on the build-up condition of the floor.

E

Working from the area farthest from the exit apply the stripper to the floor using a wet mop. Apply generous amounts of stripper to the floor walking parallel to the baseboard and then spread evenly across the floor in a figure 8 motion.

F

When the mop becomes dry, immerse it into the bucket and continue applying stripping solution. Work in small areas 15 x 20 feet so that the stripper does not dry on the floor surface.

G

Allow the stripper to dwell on the floor for a minimum of 5 minutes. This gives the solution time to emulsify the layers of floor finish.

H

Apply Spray N Strip baseboard stripper to the coving and baseboards if they need the finish to be stripped.

I

Using a doodlebug edge cleaner & stripping pad, agitate the baseboard and scrub until the finish is removed. Wipe the area clean with a towel and clean water.

Using a swing floor machine

1

Center and attach the strip pad to the drive 1 brush. Plug the floor machine into the outlet.

2

Lower the head to the floor and adjust the machine so your hands rest at belly button level.

3

Turn the machine on and move left to right by gently raising and lowering the handle. Step forward and continue from left to right in an overlapping motion. Proceed over each area a minimum of 3 - 4 passes to make sure the stripper is removing all the coats of finish. Repeat until you have completely scrubbed the treated area.

4

Plug in the Wet/Dry vacuum. If there is not a front mounted squeegee, attach the floor tool to the wand into the suction outlet.

5

Turn on the power switch and suction up the stripper slurry residue making sure to remove all the liquid.

6

Inspect the floor for any area where the floor finish may not have been completely removed. In small spots you can use Spray N Strip baseboard stripper then use a doodlebug or scraper to remove any floor finish.

7

Using a fresh bucket of water and a clean mop add Floor Neutralizer to the solution according to label directions. Apply a generous amount of water to the floor and rinse.

8

Vacuum up the rinse water with the wet/dry vacuum. Using the mop, perform a second rinse and vacuum up the second rinse solution. If the rinse solution becomes visibly dirty, change your rinse water.

9

Allow the floor to dry completely before applying floor finish. Applying finish to an improperly rinsed or wet floor will result in poor finish adhesion and appearance.

Using an automatic scrubber

1

Fill the auto-scrubber with cold water and Floor Neutralizer according to label directions. Add a small amount of defoamer to the recovery tank. Follow the label instructions for the correct size of the tank.

TIP: Do not put stripper in an autoscrubber.

2

Attach the stripping pad to the center of the pad holder on the machine.

3

Move the scrubber to the side of the floor to be stripped. Lower the brush head/pad to the floor and begin scrubbing. Repeat the scrubbing several times to completely loosen and emulsify all the floor finish.

4

On the final scrub, lower the squeegee, turn on the vacuum, apply water from the solution tank and remove all the stripper slurry solution.

5

Inspect the floor to make sure all the floor finish has been removed. If finish remains you must repeat the stripping process.

6

Replace the strip pad with a new red scrub pad.

7

Open the solution valve and apply rinse water to the floor. Scrub the floor twice with the solution and on the second pass vacuum up the rinse water.

8

Clean the scrubber by emptying the recovery tank and rinsing it clean. Remove the squeegee and wipe down the auto-scrubber.

9

Remove and rinse the floor pads and properly charge the batteries.

TIP: It is very important to thoroughly clean the entire machine of slurry solution.

Knowledge Quiz

Test your comprehension by completing the knowledge quiz.

EXTRAS

Featured Products

Swing Floor Machine

Automatic Scrubber

Floor Care

Traditional Floor Stripping

Floor stripping is the process that comes before applying floor finish when mopping or scrubbing are not enough to restore a floor’s appearance.

Orbital Floor Stripping

Orbital floor stripping is a safe, chemical-free process that allows for the even removal of floor finish across the entire cleaning path.

Applying Floor Finish

Floor finish should be applied immediately after a floor has been stripped or deep scrubbed in order to protect the floor, increase the safety of the surface, and enhance the appearance.