With so much emphasis on the importance of first impressions and the value of maintaining clean floors, imperfections can seem like a significant set back from meeting your appearance goals and standards. Common problems include poor after gloss and loss of gloss, black heel marks and scuffs, discoloured floor finish, and streaks in the floor finish. Fortunately, with these trouble shooting tips, causes of these imperfections are easily identified and with solutions close at hand, attaining your high standards of appearance are once again accessible!
POOR AFTER-GLOSS OR LOSS OF GLOSS
Poor after gloss is often a result of insufficient coats or when a recoat is not applied as scheduled. An easy remedy to the problem is to scrub, rinse and apply additional coats to the floor. It’s important that floors continue to be properly rinsed. An effective preventative measure is to follow a regular maintenance schedule. It’s equally as important to ensure the application of thin coats of floor finish as well as frequent dusting with a mop that will prevent accumulation of grit or sand. The cleaner or degreaser might also be too abrasive for the floor finish with an elevated alkaline content that may cause it to dull. Key components of a complete floor care program include ensuring that the right scrubbing or buffing pads are being used to ensure that floors are receiving the proper care.
Loss of gloss may result from using hot water, solvent or harsh cleaners but can be easily remedied with using neutral cleaners with lukewarm water temperatures as well as avoiding harsh alkalis or solvents on resilient flooring. Insufficient finish on mop during application will result in a loss of gloss so avoiding wrung-out mops and applying a finish at a rate of 2500 to 3000 square feet per gallon will ensure that floors retain their initial luster.
BLACK MARKING, SCUFFING OR SCRATCHING OF FLOOR FINISH
An obvious cause of scuffing of black marking on floors is inadequate floor finish but remembering to buff regularly will prevent marking. Once again, buffing pads can often be the source of problems that lead to marking on floors so ensuring that the recommended pads are used is of utmost importance.
When dust, dirt or grit accumulate, marking can easily occur so it is therefore essential to ensure frequent mopping and the use of approved mats. Not scrubbing or buffing enough might mean needing to re-evaluate floor maintenance for specific areas.
DISCOLOURED FLOOR FINISH
Bleeding is the transfer of colour from the flooring to the cleaning solution, and represents an attack of the flooring. Don’t use harsh cleaners and continue to rinse floors. A yellow film will occur when the floor is recoated every time it is cleaned. It is important that only traffic lanes are coated. Further, buffing, spray buffing or burnishing without proper cleaner will result in a yellow film. Any time a floor machine is used on a finish film, the floor must be totally clean first. Otherwise, dirt and soil will be driven into the finish film, giving it a yellow appearance.
If finish is applied with new cotton mops, it can cause discoloration so it is essential that new mops be thoroughly soaked first and that only rayon mops are used to apply finish. Incorrect concentration of cleaner will also cause discolour so recommended dilution rations must be followed. The most effective way of maintaining floor colour is to follow through with effective daily cleaning with the use of auto scrubber with proper cleaner and pads.
STREAKS IN FLOOR FINISH
Streaks can result from recoating too soon before the prior coat hast dried properly. For this reason it’s important to wait a minimum of fifteen minutes after finish is dry to the touch before recoating. Streaks might be the most common problem as it results from a myriad of causes including dirty mops or dirty equipment. If the floor finish is stored in extremely hot or cold temperatures, it will damage the product and require replacing. Too little finish in the mop will result in overworking the mop that produces streaks in the floor finish. Similarly, using a wet mop or inadequate rinsing will cause residue build up on floors. If finish is applied in too thick of a layer, it will need to be dry buffed with a blue pad and recoated to create a streak free, thin coat.
Floors continue to be an important aspect of an effect floor care and floor maintenance program and an idea of causes for common problems can be a helpful way of utilizing strategies that will produce high quality floor finish shine with every application.
