How to do floor stripping?

With use, the floors become clogged, damaged, and scratched, especially in places that are subject to heavy traffic. Indeed, the daily maintenance of the floors by a simple cleaning leaves residues of products used which accumulate little by little. That said, cleaning becomes insufficient in the long term.

Thus, it is very important to regularly strip the floor, which consists of cleaning it mechanically and thoroughly, to bring it back to the bare the floor before applying a new protection.

This article,  zooms in on floor stripping, how it is carried out and its specificities depending on the type of floor.

 What is floor stripping? and what are its specificities?

Stripping is an operation carried out to give new life to the floor without having to replace it. This operation consists of cleaning the floor using the mechanical action of a mono-brush and is recommended when the floor covering is very dirty or too damaged.

Indeed, stripping is a cumbersome and delicate operation because it uses materials and products that can degrade the supports in the event of improper use, hence the need to call on a specialized cleaning company.

When the floor stripping operation is entrusted to an experienced cleaning company, the latter studies the type of floor concerned and its condition to determine the stripping disc to be used and the additional protective treatment to be applied. In addition, when she is also responsible for the regular maintenance of the floors, she regularly plans stripping and renovation operations to keep the floor clean and in good condition.

 Stripping equipment

The material used is in the stripping operation generally consists of:

• a low-speed mono brush or, in the case of large unobstructed surfaces, a scrubber;
• Discs of black, brown, or green color depending on the nature and observed fragility of the soil. The darker the color of the disc, the more effective it will be, but the greater the risk of damage to the support;
• A Balai frottoir;
• An abrasive pad;
• A wet vacuum cleaner;
• Bucket ;
• In PH paper strips;
• A mop and cotton cloths, etc.

Pickling products

Pickling products are essential for carrying out the picking operation. There are two types of pickling products:

 – Chemical strippers 

These are alkaline stripping products with a pH close to 10/11. Their use requires rinsing with clean water to neutralize the soil. This rinsing is imperative and must often be repeated several times.

This type of product is more efficient and faster, but it presents a risk of degradation or discoloration of the floor.

 – “No-rinse” strippers 

These are generally solvent-based products with a lower pH.

When using this type of product, rinsing the floor is still recommended, but in a much more limited way.

This type of product presents more security and ease during use. However, it may be less effective than some alkaline strippers.

 Pickling characteristics

The stripping operation is carried out with plenty of water, using a two-speed mono brush equipped with a disk adapted to the type of soil. Then a water vacuum cleaner is used in addition to removing the water released by the mono brush. Finally, the operation must be completed by a wet sweep.

After stripping, which is an operation to expose the floor, it is very important to protect it again, so that it resists dirt and regains its initial properties, namely shine, resistance, waterproofing, etc.

 Thus, soils can be renewed by:

• The spray method or metallization for tiled floors;
• Vitrification for parquet floors;
• Crystallization for marble or natural stone floors;
• Polishing for thermoplastic floors, etc.

How to do floor stripping?

The stripping operation involves the use of very specific methods, materials, and tools which vary according to the type of coating to preserve it.

In addition, the stripping process is very complex and requires the intervention of a professional cleaning company that will be able to study the characteristics of the ground before intervening.

 Here are some specificities for stripping a floor according to its nature:

Tile floor stripping

Depending on the degree of dirt and damage, we consider chemical stripping with a specific product.

The stripping of a tiling is a must when the tiles become too dull over time and the joints are already black with footprints. Depending on the extent and dirt and damage, several solutions are possible.

Indeed, if tiles are no longer looking good due to tarnish because of impurities, grease, or others, the use of a basic detergent product such as black soap, white vinegar or baking soda does the trick.

However, if the surface still seems dirty, it is then necessary to resort to chemical stripping with a specific product such as stripping shampoo. As for the cleaning of the joints, using a metal brush for stripping and fixing the loose tiles with the help of suitable cement.

Stripping the parquet floor

Like other floor coverings,  wooden parquet tarnishes over time or waxing and inevitably ends up getting dirty.

Stripping parquet is an essential step, whether to revive its shine and/or prepare for the application of varnish or paint. 

Thus, its realization consists in applying a chemical stripper in the direction of the wood fiber to preserve it, while implementing a mono brush. When using a heat gun, it is important to be careful not to burn the wood.

For a waxed floor, you must apply a de-waxing product using a brush. The product must act for a few hours and the residue and we must remove with a couch brush.

It is also important to seek the intervention and advice of a parquet expert to avoid damaging the floorboards. In addition, the maintenance workers in charge of the stripping operation are required to carefully follow the instructions on the packaging and to protect themselves by wearing gloves and a mask while working with the window open because sanding gives off dust.

 Deep carpet cleaning

For non-solid coatings such as carpet, we do not speak of stripping but rather of deep cleaning. Even if it is for regular maintenance, carpet stripping is a must. You can then wash and shampoo with a suitable product.

It is also possible to program a steam cleaning to overcome stubborn dirt while getting rid of dust mites.

 Stripping the thermoplastic floor

For the thermoplastic floor, stripping allows it to be bare, that is to say, to get rid of the old protective layers.

This operation consists of:

• Soak the floor with a solution of stripper and water;
• Carry outstripping by the mechanical action of a mono-brush fitted with a highly abrasive black disc;
• Rinse the soil with a solution made up of acidic product plus water, until we get a soil pH equal to 7, therefore a neutralized soil;
• Protect the floor by applying emulsion;
• Proceed with metallization;
• Proceed to polish.

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