Strip New Floor Before Waxing

Check the label before buying to make sure it is safe to use on your type of floor.

Strip new floor before waxing.

The mop matters. From there apply the wax to the flooring. The general process involves using a floor machine to strip away the existing wax. Waxing is too labor intensive.

This may take several attempts depending how thick the initial wax was. If you don t strip the old wax off before putting a new layer down you re encasing dirt grime and debris between the old and new layer of wax. If your floor is new and relatively clean without visible dirt imperfections you could first try using a red pad and a neutral floor cleaner. Use the squeegee and vacuum to remove all liquid from the floor.

Prep before finish. For best results use a floor finish stripper that is the same brand as the floor wax you last used. Unlike applying the stripper be sure not to flood the floor area. Wash the surface well and apply finish to floor much easier and much quicker job than stripping.

Some floor finish strippers are step 2 rent an electric floor scrubber and a wet dry vacuum recommended. Proper application takes time and skipping steps can send you back to square one again. This will also neutralize the alkalinity of the floor caused by the stripper chemical. Use a clean cotton blend mop and neutral cleaner to mop the floor.

Anyone who ever had to strip and wax their floor knows it can take a lot of time and effort especially if you ve got multiple floors or large areas to cover. The post wax wait time is the same for existing vct as well. Step 1 purchase a floor finish stripper that is appropriate for your floor. If on the other hand there are visible marks and or scratches on the floor i d recommend using a blue pad for medium duty scrubbing or a green floor pad for deep heavy duty scrubbing.

Failure to do this will result in a poor bond between the wax and the floor. After the floor is completely dry fill the mop bucket with wax sealer. Again to avoid cross contamination between products it is often best to use a plastic trash bag as a liner for the mop bucket. For the best results have the vct stripped and waxed prior to moving furniture or people into the space ideally allowing a full 24 hours of cure time before it is walked on.

Use a clean synthetic fiber mop to apply the finish. When floors are stripped or it s a new floor we need to neutralize the floor then apply a floor sealer. Some types of floor especially hardwood may be damaged by certain types of floor finish stripper. Additionally you ll be able to see the discoloration in the floor because the dirt will be trapped between the wax layers.

If any wax if found on the knife you may need to re strip these areas. Applying wax to flooring. Once new vct is installed it must be properly stripped and waxed with at least two coats of wax applied. If you don t clean the tile well before applying wax you could encounter several issues including surface tension issues like the wax separating in circles adhesion or lay issues and a slue of unforeseables.

Thoroughly rinse neutralize and dry your floor before applying the finish.