How to Strip & Wax Your Floors
Floors define the character of any space, whether it is home or office.
Keeping them clean, polished and well maintained, goes a long way in giving any place a refined outlook. One way of doing that is to hire professional help, but if you want to do it all by yourself, get yourself apprised of all the basics, equipment required, and the safety guidelines, especially while dealing with resins and associated chemicals. This article will break down the process into a series of simple steps.
Instructions
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1
The first step is to prepare the working area. Clean and wipe it thoroughly with the help of water, and use rope to cordon off the area.
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2
Collect all the resources required for the job in an area adjacent to the working boundary. This area should have an electrical connection, for operating the auto scrubber or low speed buffer.
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3
Before you start the process, ensure that you have donned all the necessary protective gear like plastic glasses, rubber gloves and hazard shoes. This will save you from any untoward incident and a potential interaction with the chemicals.
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4
Sweep the area again to ensure that there is no debris left. Now take an automatic scrubber or a low speed buffer to roughen wax on the surface of the flooring.
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5
Take a stripping agent of your choice; read the instructions for dilution on it, and prepare a solution that is just appropriate – neither too strong (can cause damage to the flooring) nor too light (won’t give the desired results).
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Now apply the stripping solution on the floor gently and allow it to rest for five minutes, or the recommended time suggested by the stripping solution manufacturers. Take special care that the application of the agent is appropriate at the floor corners and sides of the wall.
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7
Use the auto scrubber or low speed buffer to completely remove the wax from the floor. After completing the process, inspect thoroughly and rework on the areas which remained untouched. Now use a wet cloth to clean off the stripping agent. Repeat the process three to four times.
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8
To deactivate the chemicals on the floor, you can use a neutralizer. In most cases though, mopping the area with a wet cloth is enough. Let the area dry out. The drying time can vary with respect to the size of the working area.
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The next step is the application of new wax. Open the wax jar, dip the mop in it, and start applying the wax on the dried floor. Do not apply the wax haphazardly; do it in a circular motion so that there is a uniform and thin coat.
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Let the initial wax coat dry out – this could take about an hour – and apply another coat. Let the second coat rest for another hour and you are done.
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Ensure no one enters the working area during the entire process and after it is finished, all the equipment which came into contact with the wax and the stripping agent should be properly rinsed.
