Text Box: If these procedures are followed, the vinyl flooring will have a clean, polished surface. The life of the flooring will be considerably extended and maintenance costs kept to a minimum.
Poor maintenance or the use of the wrong cleaning materials will not only result in an unsightly vinyl floor, but may irreparably damage the flooring.

Initial treatment of new floors
Only water emulsion polish complying with SABS 1042 and detergents complying with SABS 825 must be used to effectively maintain the flooring materials.
1. SWEEP: Remove loose soil and dust.
2. SCRUB: Wash the floor with a light duty detergent complying with SABS 825 at a concentration no greater than 1:200 in clean water. Use either a mop or a normal speed scrubbing machine fitted with a scrubbing pad or a scrubbing brush. Remove the dirty cleaning solution from the floor using either a squeegee or a water  vacuum.
3. RINSE: Immediately after cleaning, rinse the floor twice with clean water using a clean mop.
4. DRY: Allow the floor to dry thoroughly (approximately 30 minutes depending on ambient conditions).
1. 1st COAT: Using a lambs wool applicator, evenly spread a thin coating of polish onto the floor, at a rate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
2. DRY: Allow the coating to dry thoroughly.
4. 2nd COAT: Apply a 2nd coating of polish changing the direction of the applicator stroke so as to cover any areas missed during the first application.
5. DRY: Allow the coating to dry thoroughly.
6. 3rd COAT: In areas of very heavy traffic, a third coating should be applied and allowed to dry.
7. After at least 24 hours, buff the floor using a normal speed scrubbing machine fitted with a buffing pad, polishing brush, or a polishing pad to obtain a higher gloss.

Maintenance procedures
1. SWEEP: Remove loose soil or dirt, daily. Preferably use a vacuum pick-up or dust mopping.
2. DAMP MOP: After sweeping, damp mop the floor once a week when necessary using a light duty detergent complying with SABS 825 at a concentration of no greater than 1:100 in clean water. Do not use a mop that is too wet since it will produce smear traces. Do not flood the floor.
3. BUFF: Periodically buff the floor (i) dry buffing, or (ii) spray buffing a fine mist of diluted floor polish onto the dust mopped floor area immediately ahead of the scrubbing machine. When either dry or spray buffing, use a normal speed scrubbing machine fitted with a buffing pad or a polishing brush. Dry Buffing Pads are usually white. Spray Buffing Pads are usually red. When spray buffing use a polish complying with SABS 1042 diluted with clean water to a ratio of 1:10.


PERIODIC STRIPPING & RE-POLISHING

Complete stripping should be done when the polish coating has become so worn or unsightly that regular maintenance will not improve its appearance.
1. STRIP: Dilute the stripping solution as recommended by the manufacturer. Using a mop, apply the diluted stripper over the floor, covering an area of approximately 10m2. 
2. SOFTENING: Allow the diluted stripper to remain on the floor for a time specified by the manufacturer.
3. REMOVAL: Using a scrubbing machine fitted with a stripping pad or stripping brush, scrub the floor to loosen the polish coat. Remove the dirty stripper solution from the floor with a squeegee or water vacuum.
4. RINSE: Immediately after stripping, rinse the floor with clean water using a clean mop. Once the 10m2 has been stripped and rinsed, commence work on the next 10m2 area to be stripped. When the whole floor area has been stripped and rinsed, repeat the rinsing procedure. 
5. DRY: Allow the floor to dry thoroughly.
6. POLISH: Apply a minimum of two coats of polish as described
in steps 1 - 7 of the “INITIAL POLISH” instructions.

Vinyl Floor Maintenance Procedures