Even with regular floor cleaning, proper maintenance, and proper use of mats, floors will still need to be stripped and refinished occasionally. This process is called floor resurfacing.
Sometimes the top coat of the floor has been stripped down to nothing or exposed to harsh conditions for so long the floor has changed color or becomes cloudy. In this case, the old coating must be removed, or stripped, and a whole new top coat must be applied.
The chemicals used in floor resurfacing, even with green products, can still be harmful to people. The following precautions must be taken by your custodial staff when stripping and finishing floors:
- Read all cleaning labels carefully.
- Clean dust, debris, and soil off floors with a microfiber dust mop or vacuum.
- Personal protective gear must be worn.
- Once the floor is resurfaced, transition to a green floor care system.
When first implementing a green floor care system, use traditional stripper solutions to remove the old topcoat. Only after you remove all of the old coating can you apply the green coating to the bare floor. This may require more than one application.
- If possible, use an auto-scrubber to apply stripping solution and allow the solution to stand for an indicated amount of time.
- Scrub the floor with an auto-scrubber, or mop in the traditional method and scrub using a standard floor-machine.
- After applying, scrubbing and removing the stripper, rinse and neutralize the floor with a mop.
- Apply the floor finish with a mop. This may require a couple of coats.
This is a process that only needs to be done when absolutely necessary. So don’t set a time and date for floor resurfacing, your custodial services should know when it’s time.