Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: ag on June 15, 2007, 05:24:07 pm
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I polished a marmoleum floor in a surgery this week. It came up a lot better than it was, but it did not come up the high gloss polish that I was hoping for. I gave it two coats. I used Premier products Platnium 25. Tomorrow I am going to give it a third coat. Then should I go over it with a high speed buffer to bring up the polish or will that make any difference? Is it just as it is? If so which pad - red?
Many thanks
Agnes
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Taken from their site
We recommend the use of our environmentally responsible cleaner and finish to ensure proper care of your Marmoleum. However, any pH neutral cleaner will work well in its properly diluted solution. Like the environment, Marmoleum does NOT respond well to the use of high pH, aggressive chemical cleaning agents traditionally associated with vinyl floor coverings. These types of cleaners should always be avoided.
Question
What do I need to do after my Marmoleum is installed?
Answer
You can use the floor at once. If you wish, sweep or dry vacuum the floor but wait at least 2-3 days after installation before wet mopping or moving heavy furniture. This gives the adhesive time to "cure" and become more resistant to moisture and indentation.
Question
What then?
Answer
Your floor may look fine and you may feel there is no need for any cleaning or maintenance at this time. However, adding a floor finish at an early stage will make cleaning easier and less
frequent in the long run. We recommend the following procedure:
1. Sweep/dust mop, or better still vacuum the floor.
2. Damp mop the floor with Marmoleum Floor Cleaner at the correct dilution. Do NOT flood the floor or use too much water. If there are any spots of surplus adhesive these should be removed by rubbing with a nylon kitchen pad.
3. Rinse the floor with a clean mop adding one tablespoon of vinegar per 5 liters (8 1/2 pints) of water. This ensures any alkaline residues are neutralized. Marmoleum is made from natural raw materials and harsh alkalis or high pH (such as Ammonia or similar products) should be avoided.
4. Allow to dry.
5. Apply 2 thin coats of Marmoleum Floor Finish. Use a clean lint free cloth, or better still, a well squeezed out fresh mop head (if the same mophead for cleaning is used ensure it is thoroughly cleaned) and apply the finish evenly, working backwards. Make sure you do not apply polish to wall base, carpets, furniture etc. ALLOW THE POLISH TO DRY BETWEEN COATS (usually between 30-40 minutes). If you prefer a higher gloss level apply a third thin coat.
Question
How often should I clean my floor?
Answer
This will depend on how much use it gets and whether dirt has been trafficked in from outside. Sweeping/dust mopping or vacuuming is likely to be the most frequent procedure. If the floor is muddy it can be cleaned with a damp mop, making sure the dirt is rinsed out of the mop and not spread back on the floor. If soiling is tenacious use Marmoleum Floor Cleaner as previously instructed. After several such applications, you may wish to apply one or more additional thin coats of Marmoleum Floor Finish to restore the gloss level. Do not over apply finish to areas (such as along wall base) which are not walked on as this just causes unnecessary build-up of polish. The need to apply Finish will vary dramatically according to circumstances, from perhaps every couple of months to annually.
Question
What if my floor is really dirty with ingrained dirt?
Answer
Adhered dirt will have to be removed with friction. A scrubbing sponge (i.e. SOS, Scotch-Brite) or nylon brush is ideal. On larger floors you can use mechanical methods. Small rotary floor machines and wet vacuum cleaners such as the Bissel system are very good at cleaning and removing the ingrained dirt. After cleaning, allow to dry completely before reapplying the Marmoleum Floor Finish.
If the soiling is severe, the old finish may have to be removed. To do this, follow the instructions on the bottle of Marmoleum Floor Cleaner.
Question
Accidents can happen. If I stain my Marmoleum, what should I do?
Answer
The vast majority of spillages can be cleaned off your Marmoleum
satisfactorily. Any prior application of Marmoleum Floor Finish, will make it even easier. With spillages or "accidents" with pets:
1. Act quickly.
2. Scrape or blot as much as possible.
3. Mop with diluted Marmoleum Floor Cleaner.
4. Damp mop with clean water.
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 if necessary.
If the stain persists, as it may with glue, varnish, paint, ink, tar, cosmetics, shoe polish, some wines, coffee and some other substances, the solution is to remove the surface finish and the stain with it. Rub the stained area with a nylon kitchen pad and undiluted Marmoleum Concentrated Floor Cleaner. Leave in contact with the floor for 2-3 minutes then rinse with clear water. Repeat if necessary. Once dry, apply a small amount of polish.
Some Helpful Hints...
DO...
Mop up spills as soon as possible, prevent SPOTS from becoming STAINS.
Remember to rinse the floor before applying polish.
Use a clean mop head
Try to clean your Marmoleum on a regular basis.
Make use of suitable door or barrier mats to help minimize dirt and grit getting into the home.
Protect your floor from sharp furniture legs by placing furniture caps or similar protectors on them. If moving a heavy object across the floor, place a piece of carpet (or similar) underneath it.
DON'T...
Mix cleaning chemicals unless specified by the manufacturer.
Apply wax, Furniture polish or silicone products onto the Marmoleum.
Apply finish to a floor with surface dirt. It merely seals the dirt in.
Apply thick coats of finish. Two or three thin coats are better than one thick one.
Use too much water.
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Forgot to add,
if you want to get a real high gloss shine you will need to use a super high speed rotary, minimum speed 1500 rpm.
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Hi Derek
thanks for that - I had already looked at their site, and followed all their instructions. It looks good already - i just wanted to get ahigher shine on it. I wasnt sure if it would make much of a difference - I have a Victor high speed - great machine. will let floor cure and go over it.
Thanks for your reply
Agnes
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I just checked the rpm of the Victor and its 400 - bought it second hand so dont have much detail. Im going to go over it anyway, for myself, to see if there is a difference. Using either light blue or white pad. Do you think I'll see any difference?
thanks
agnes
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I have tried many brands of floor sealers in my time but have found Selden products to be the best.
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My favourite comes from the carefree range, however as a helper theses products look the biz http://www.amtechuk.biz/floor_care_products_pioneer_cleaning.php
A 400 should do it (which most of mine are, never had a complaint)
Pads would go for red (3m brand seem to last longer after cleaning)
Would like to thank Cesar’s for being open on a Saturday morning satin saved the day.
Len
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Agnes, I use the Pioneer eclipse range from Amtech. Sta-brite I find ideal for hallways & floors that do not get a lot of maintenance. It is very shiny when put down and seems to be quite hard wearing. They have a new product which I have not used called Wonderglo which looks very similar. You can get away with using your red pad for the shine if you want with your machine, but to get a real burnished high gloss finish, then you will need a faster speed.
Len don't you ever sleep, you are posting about the same time as I am getting up in the morning.
I have also found 3M pads to be the best, especially their black stripping pad.
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Thanks Derek, I started using pioneer eclipse for all other stuff, however I had some of this polish from a previous sale and wanted to use it up.
how do you look after your pads after using them?
Thanks
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Derek
Sleep yes 4hrs today plus a catnap from 1 to 2.
Ag
If you need a faster one and are local, got a couple of strait liners victor 1000 which you can borrow.
Pressure wash them they come up a treat, then hang them on the washing line
Len
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Hi Len
I wish I was local, but unfortuantly am in Ireland. So many thanks for your offer, its very nice of you to be so helpful. The guy was pleased anyway, and Ive got the pharmacy shop floor to do now, so Im going to investigate getting a very fast speed for that (rent).
I have used 3M pads, and recently got some unnamed pads - I used a red one and noticed some of the red coming of on the floor. It was quite bad actually.Had to mop off the red dye left behind. Here's to better quality....
thanks for all your help, was nice to do something apart from carpets...
Thanks again
agnes
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Ag
Don’t for get to give the customer a maintenance schedule, do’s & don’ts! You may even get the buffing job.
And yes it dose make a change.
Len
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Hi Len
Actually now that you mention it, I was a bit unsure how to handle that side of things. they already have cleaners in, as its part of a whole clinic complex. I was a bit concerned that they would use some strong cleaners (not neutral) and take the polish back off. I dont really know what to suggest there as I dont want to act as if slagging off what current cleaners are doing?
What do you normally suggest after you do a polish and how often do you recommend a buff?
Thanks
Agnes
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Ag
A lot depends on their cleaning schedule and tasks! Time is money and money is time allocated. It could be no one thought of this.
With out knowing the job cant say, but some of the jobs I do head for the black marks (wish cc was that easy).
Len