Tile Floor Stripping
When do I need to Strip my tile Floor?

Suppliers of high-performance floor finishes emphasize the durability of their products in terms of "life" of a floor finish ... although floor finish survival is largely dependent on the maintenance procedures in between stripping such as sweeping mopping, burnishing, etc.

Before you lay a finish, lay out a maintenance plan for the life of that finish.

Even great finishes fail in time. Here’s are some indications that the floor needs to be stripped and refinished .

Spills will leave a stain; yellow, gray or patchy appearance indicating wax buildup; flaking, chipping appears; the floor is dull, with visible "wear" spots that may appear to be dark; bare floor shows through finish and sealer. Scratches won’t burnish out . Heel marks are waxed into the finish or discoloration are all reasons a floor needs to be stripped.

Stripping Techniques

Sometimes problems result from the poor performance characteristics of a low quality chemical product purchased to hold down costs, even though the use of a more effective product would reduce follow-up maintenance time and overall costs. Other problems can result from a failure to follow procedures essential to a good floor maintenance program.

The following is our step by step procedure on how we strip tile floors.

Surface Preparation

The first step in stripping the floor is proper preparation of the area to be stripped. Have your staff remove all displays, furniture, equipment and other objects that can be moved. Note the location of each item so it can be replaced properly. We start by scraping gum, tape, labels or other debris that may have adhered to the floor,

We then dust mop the entire floor and place caution signs and barricades at each location where it is necessary to prevent traffic from entering the area during treatment. If possible we also lock access doors.

OUR CREW SAFETY

Before beginning work, all workers are thoroughly briefed on the material safety data sheets (MSDS) for the chemicals being used. Each technician are completely trained before operating equipment.

Crews wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts to prevent contact with splashed chemicals. Staff footwear is worn to protect the feet, ankles and lower legs and is waterproof and chemical resistant.

All equipment, tools and supplies are placed near the stripping area. Equipment is parked on matting to prevent damage to floor surfaces. Tanks on all machines are empty, power cords are free of cuts or breaks, and plugs have three terminals in place.

Our Application

Stripper solution is dispensed from a mop bucket, a solution tank mounted on a floor machine or from an automatic scrubber. Stripper is mixed according to the manufacturer's directions . Hot water aids in the penetration of the stripping solution but is not essential. We use a measuring pitcher to ensure proper mix ratio.

Dirty mop heads in otherwise good condition are used to apply stripper solution and disposed of later.or a new 24-ounce, cotton, cut-end mop head mounted on an appropriate handle is submerged in stripping solution. Without wringing, the solution is applied directly on the floor flooding the floor with stripping solution. Solution is then allowed to sit on the floor for at least 10 minutes, but it is not allowed to dry completely before scrubbing the floor.

STRIP IN STAGES

Large floor areas are stripped in stages to maintain control over the process. The floor is scrubbed with a machine mounted with a stripping brush. A splash guard fitted around the machine prevents solution from spraying on walls and fixtures. The scrubber is moved across the floor in sweeping, overlapping strokes. Scrubbing in one direction, then reversing to ensure total coverage.

When using an automatic scrubber, , a double pass over all areas is taken with the squeegee up and the vacuum off. To remove old finish from floor edges, corners and baseboards we use equipment such as a hand scrubbing pad and baseboard or edge brush with a high performance stripping pad.

All wet areas are scrubbed twice, then checked along the floor edges and areas where finish was especially heavy to ensure that all finish has been removed.

COMPLETION TEST

To determine if all finish has been removed, we pull back the solution with a water wand squeegee. We then slide a putty knife several inches along the floor, pressing firmly but taking care not to gouge the floor, if white or blue jelly appears on the blade edge, the floor finish has not been completely removed.

When all areas check out, we remove the stripper solution with a wet/dry vacuum or automatic scrubber. Immediately after removal of the dirty solution, we flood the floor with neutral cleaner and clean water. We remove the rinse water with a vacuum or scrubber, then repeat the rinse process. We search once more for patches of leftover finish and remove any remaining finish with a putty knife or scrubbing pad.

FINAL TOUCH-UPS

For the finishing touch we immerse a fresh cotton mophead in clean water in a clean bucket and wringer. We thoroughly saturate the mophead, then ring it thoroughly dry. Using sweeping strokes, any squeegee or dry solution marks are erased on the floor. Any remaining marks or lines are removed with the hand scrubbing pad.

Because you won't have another chance to erase stripping-solution marks after finish has been applied, we make one more thorough inspection of the floor, paying close attention to any solution that may have been left underneath baseboards. A wet mop is used to clean up any solution remaining along the border areas. Once we are satisfied the floor is entirely clear of old finish and is thoroughly dry, we begin the finishing process.