Flooring surfaces tend to get dull and damaged with time, thereby creating the need for regular maintenance via stripping and waxing. These procedures help maintain the look and life of the flooring surface for many years. While choosing the right flooring material for your home is very important, it is equally important to opt for the correct cleaning product to clean the floor.
Some of the most common flooring materials include marble, linoleum, rubber, terrazzo, slate, quarry, vinyl asphalt, ceramic tiles, etc. Each of these materials is made of varying compositions and so, would need to handled differently when cleaning, stripping and waxing.
The Basic Cleaning Process Explained
A detailed look of how the floor stripping and waxing process is carried out would help one understand its necessity better. The first step would be to call a commercial cleaner who is experienced in cleaning floors. Make sure you call a company that has got a good reputation in the neighborhood. You could possibly ask friends or family members for suggestions regarding the same as well.
Step 1: The commercial cleaner you call would start by vacuuming the floor. This is done to remove loose particles located from the surface or invisible cracks. Vacuuming would get rid of the dust and dirt accumulated on the floor effectively.
Step 2: Then a stripping solution would be applied to the floor surface. The solution would clean the floor surface properly. The solution is left on the floor for a few minutes after which the cleaner would scrub the floor effectively. This is probably why you were better off calling a professional cleaner in the first place, as they would have the necessary expertise and experience to handle different kinds of floor surfaces effectively.
Step 3: After scrubbing for some time, the cleaner would be able to penetrate the layers on the floor surface. They would then resort to scrubbing away the wax with the help of commercial scrubbing tools. The floor is rinsed with clean water and the scrubbing is repeated until all the wax in the layers is removed completely.
Step 4: After scrubbing and rinsing, the floor surface is left to dry. Now the dried floor surface is coated with wax. Depending on the area that needs to be waxed, the process may take anywhere between 6 and 8 hours. This time would also vary for post construction cleaning (including drying time). Hence, this step must be carried at night to ensure as few footfalls as possible.
Waxing Requirements for Different Floor Types
The stripping and waxing requirements would vary for different floor surfaces. Here are some of the requirements expected for the following floor surfaces.
Vinyl Floor Surfaces:
For vinyl floor surfaces, it is best to wax it 48 hours after the installation is complete. You must clean the floor surface at least once in every six months. It is advisable to apply the wax coating directly on the floor surface.
Wood Floor Surfaces:
Wooden floor surfaces definitely need regular coatings of wax for extended life. It is best to apply new wax coatings to these floors at least twice every year. This would help retain the natural shine of the wood. Make sure you use waterproof wax as well in order to thwart damages due to water seepage.
Masonry Floor Surfaces:
The cleaning process does not vary for vinyl and masonry floor surfaces. However, masonry floor surfaces would require an additional floor sealer. You can get the sealer from any hardware store for the process as well.
Summary
Stripping and waxing your floor surface regularly would preserve its look and extend its life. So make sure you go through these pointers when calling a commercial cleaner for the same purpose. Also, ensure you adhere to the requirements for different floor types in order to avoid issues later on.
