Reason: To establish clean and sufficient finish base.
Benefit: Tile protection, safe walking surface, ease of maintenance and appearance.
Equipment Needed: "Wet floor" signs, wet mops and handles, mop buckets and wringers, edging tool, low speed floor buffer (we recommend a 20" buffer due to its weight for assistance in wax removal), floor stripping pad (black or brown), wet vacuum.
Chemicals Needed: A stripping solution.
Instructions:
- Gather all needed supplies and safety equipment.
- Dust mop floor.
- Position "wet floor" signs.
- Fill mop bucket with water and stripper solution following label directions.
- Fill second mop bucket with clean cool water. If using an automatic scrubber, fill the automatic scrubber with clean cool water in place of the second mop bucket.
- Install floor stripping pads on drive block of single disc machine. If using automatic scrubber for stripping machine, install floor stripping pads on drive block for automatic scrubber.
- Liberally apply stripper solution using a wet mop to approximately 10' x 10' section of the floor. Allow to dwell for 5-10 minutes before stripping. Do not allow stripper solution to dry on the floor. Re-wet if necessary.
- Strip with single disc machine and floor stripping pad. Multiple passes over the same floor area may be required to insure finish removal. If drying occurs re-apply stripper solution. If using automatic scrubber to strip, make the first pass with the brushes or pads down and rotating at high-pressure. Use the edging tool (doodlebug) to strip corners and other areas where the machine cannot reach.
- Pick up dirty solution with a mop, wet vacuum, or automatic scrubber. If using automatic scrubber, make a second pass over the floor with solution valve open, brushes or pads down, squeegee down and vacuum on.
- Rinse floor with clean water and a mop making sure to remove any marks, stripping solution or trails left by the autoscrubber. Allow floor to dry completely before removing wet floor signs.