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| Thursday, July 29, 2010 |
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| [Tuesday, January 24, 2006] |
| I have to strip, seal, and finish a vinyl floor in a truck transport building. There is a heavy build-up of grease from the repair floor being tracked onto the vinyl floors in the offices and break rooms. What is the best chemical on the market to remove the grease from the floors? Or, will plain stripper do the job?
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| Contract Cleaning - RICHARD SCHOOLCRAFT |
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Answer #1:
Strippers are not cleaners, nor are they designed to be degreasers. The proper way to do this (for the best results) is to clean and degrease the floor first. Then strip it, rinse completely, and apply your finish. Be sure to check the floor after stripping and rinsing to be certain it is really clean. If there is any doubt - clean it again BEFORE applying any coatings. It ALWAYS costs more to re-do a job than to do it right the first time.
There are many excellent cleaner/degreasers on the market. If you don't already use one, simply ask your distributor for a recommendation. Be sure to explain that you are cleaning automotive, not food, grease. Follow the label directions for the level of soil and grease in your facility - and be sure to follow all safety and disposal instructions.
One other point - unless there is a specific reason for using a sealer AND a finish - save yourself some time and money by using a reputable sealer/finish (i.e. one product.) Modern finishes rarely require the application of a separate sealer. Again, explain the traffic conditions to your distributor and ask for recommendations for a product that will deliver the level of gloss, durability, and maintenance performance you require.
We sometimes find ourselves in positions where the "bid" or price is tight and we look for ways to shave some time or cost. In this case, it is tempting to skip the degreasing step and just use a stripper. It MIGHT even work. But chances are, it won't, and you'll spend much more to fix the job (losing even more money and damaging your reputation as a professional) than had it been done correctly the first time.
David Holly
Don't Panic Productions, Inc.
david@dontpanicproductions.com
P-612-605-6651
Answer #2:
If the floor area is large and you have only limited time (perhaps they run a second or third shift) you may wish to test the stripper first. Many strippers run a pH of 13 and degreasers are 10, the sodium metasilicate in the stripper computes to a pH/power increase of 1,000 fold. You can test a small area. If the stripper, in fact, removes all of the floor finish, you will know that it had to first digest all of the grease before it was able to get to the finish. A one-step operation saves time.
Make certain the floor has been stripped 100%. It is not uncommon to strip a neglected floor twice to remove heavy buildup. Once you run the first rinse, the appearance of the wet floor will be exactly the same as after 4-5 coats of finish. Inspect closely to ensure removal of discoloration as well as uneven appearances - where hidden finish residuals cause the rinse water to show uneven rises.
Initial strip jobs often require considerable hand scraping around edges and doors. My preference is a 5" blade, then a doodlebug, prior to squeegeeing the wasted stripper/finish slurry. If the floor is vinyl, you will want to pull the scraper toward you at a 45-degree angle. When you push the scrapper with a new blade it inevitably catches on the vinyl, leaving unsightly cuts.
Gary Clipperton
National Pro Clean Corp.
(719) 598-5112
www.nationalproclean.com
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| ICAN representative |
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