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Hard floor advice needed

Posted by Cloverleaf (Cloverleaf), 20 September 2003
I have recently begun hard floor cleaning and sealing for my existing and new customers. Vinyl floors not a problem.
I need to know what products and the best solutions are available for cleaning and sealing stone floors, limestone, marble, york stone, teracota tiles and the like.
Bearing in mind that these jobs need to be done in a day, I need products with half hour drying times.
Also whats the best solution for cleaning grout, rotary scruber? This is what I use at the moment.
This seems to be a good sideline for carpet cleaners like myself as many affluent people have a problem with maintaining these types of floors.
Any advice from you guys or galls out there will be much appriciated, John.
Posted by Mr._One_Step (Mr._One_Step), 21 September 2003
On old or worn vinyl tiles because they become porous its worth using a sealer prior to coating with finish. I apply 2 coats of sealer and 3 coats of finish. On new vinyl its not necessary so I’ll apply 5 coats of finish and advise the customer how to maintain it using the manufacturers recommended maintenance products in conjunction with their own burnishing system.

When stripping stone floors its essential that the floor is neutralised with an acid and then fresh water rinsed (Always test the floor with pH strips to ensure its on the neutral to slightly acidic side). It must be completely dry before the application of 2 coats of hard floor sealer (I use air movers to assist the drying process). Its essential to do this to this to provide a good foundation for the floor so that the 3 coats of floor finish bond correctly.

I use a stripper solution with a low speed rotary fitted with black stripping pads or super stripping pads depending on the build up of soil & polish. With regard to quick drying products, most are touch dry and ready to walk on in about an hour but remember they  take 24-48hrs to cure. Also if the relative humidity is high then the seal or finish will take longer to dry and in some cases where the humidity is extreme then it will not dry at all. If this happens it will be necessary to strip the floor and start again to then ensure conditions are right for application.

I would recommend that in addition to a good heavy low speed rotary (around 100lbs in weight plus-you can then use it for disc sanding wooden floors), wet pickup and air movers that you invest in a hygrometer for checking humidity levels, also pH paper or strips. You probably already have these for carpet care. Also for seal and finish application use clean specific synthetic mops for application of the products.

Regards

Steve Carpenter



Posted by Cloverleaf (Cloverleaf), 21 September 2003
Many thanks Steve for your reply, I have also been using air movers to dry after cleaning but as you say drying times of sealing products do vary a lot with different conditions.
I have been rinsing off with slightly acid solution using a carpet cleaning wand, but could realy do with a squeege attachment, does anybody know where I could obtain one?
I think I may go on the Prochem hard floor course, has any body been  on this course and what do you learn?
John Milnes

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