Common Mistakes to Avoid When Stripping and Sealing Floors
16 June 2021
5min read time
Guide
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Knowing how to strip and seal a variety of surfaces is important in providing your facility with a beautiful, high shine, durable floor.
Although, there are a few common mistakes to avoid that are good for all commercial and non-commercial contractors to note.
1. Incorrect Floorcare Products Used:
Make sure that you have the right range of products for the floor you intend to strip and seal. Some floors such as wood and vinyl might require a different chemical stripper than one that might be used for another floor surface. To ensure that you pick the correct floorcare product for your surface and facility, check with your supplier. Otherwise check the label and SDS for any information.
2. Poor Application:
This is a very common mistake, and the cause is often a lack of knowledge or laziness. Either way, it’s crucial not to rush the job but rather make sure that you are following the requirements and instructions on your floorcare product label. Double-checking the label of your selected stripper and sealer is crucial to avoiding key mistakes as they tend to have the correct directions for use and always do a patch test just in case.
3. Wrong Tools or Used Mops:
Another area to not cut corners on is the machinery and tools you choose to strip your floors with. As a commercial contract cleaner, it is vital that you know the right tools you need to strip and seal floors. For example, scrubbing, stripping, slurry removal and finish application processes all require different tools for the job. If you are unsure where to get started, don’t hesitate to call Abco Products to help you get the right tools and chemicals for the job.
Pro Tip: Whatever you do, do not reuse a mop or bucket that was used for something else. There can be a chemical residue that can harm the stripping and sealing process and leave you with a bad result.
4. Improper Clean-Up
Another common mistake to make is not properly cleaning up or poorly finishing the floor. Brown, uneven, and yellow tones can appear in your finish if you do not fully rinse the stripping solution from the surface of the floor.
Pro Tip: More is not always better! Do not make the amateur mistake of applying too many coats of finish as it can create problems not only in the drying time but the whole finishing process itself. That is why it is best to follow your product’s directions exactly. Also do not try to speed up the process by drying with fans or air conditioning as dust particles can blow on the surface and ruin all your hard work. Let the surface dry naturally.
Common Questions:
How long do you leave the stripper on a floor?
Most of the time, the stripper must dwell for 10-15 minutes before any agitation takes place with an auto-scrubber. However, always check with the recommendations on the label or from the supplier directly as some solutions need less time.
How long does the floor stripper and sealer take to dry?
Often, the sealer only needs to be a thin layer across the floor and should not take too long however reserve 45 minutes unless directed otherwise in between coats. Always follow the label directions and guidelines and it never hurts to check with your supplier!
Recommended Product:
Powerstrip: Fast Acting Floor Stripper
Abco – your local supplier of commercial cleaning supplies in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney – we have been providing contract cleaners and facility manager with environmentally sustainable cleaning products, powerful industrial cleaning supplies and commercial cleaning equipment for over 20 years. For information about our commercial cleaning consumables or machinery, please call us on 1800 177 399 or email us on sales@abcopro.com.au.
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