Advice Needed - Rubber Gym Floor

[PrimaDonna]

Just got a call to do an estimate for a big prison in the city. We've done some work for them before. Very high security, must have security personnel with us the whole time we are there. Have to go through security checks, no cell phones allowed in facility, etc.

They just called and asked for us to come give a bid on cleaning the floor in the gym (we are going out on Tuesday). They said it's rubber.

We've never cleaned this type of surface before. We have a turbo/spinner. Would we use that? What types of products? Typical time to clean this surface compared to wanding or cimex so we can price accordingly?

Thanks for any help and input....and videos that you may have showing your process @Mark Saiger!

Meg

 

[Walt]

When I first did one, I called the maker. They recommended a floor machine, simple green and a red pad. We used a walk behind auto scrubber - one pass with the squeegee up allowing the cleaner to dwell, another to scrub it again and vacuum it up. If it was bad, we'd do it twice. It would take about 1.5-2 hours for the gym. A turbo tool would take most of a day and might leave marks. I'd be cautious.

 

[Ray Burnfield]

I would rent an autoscrubber and use Red pads and a neutral cleaner.
Anything more aggressive or a hot cleaner can permanently damage the floor.

 

[Desk Jockey]

http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/as...looringCleaningandMaintenanceInstructions.pdf

 

[Ray Burnfield]

http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/as...looringCleaningandMaintenanceInstructions.pdf

Some rubber floors like Tarkett floors do not have finish on them. All you can do is clean them.

 

[truckmount girl]

NO SOLVENTS!! Neutral cleaners are best, no turbo/high pressure tools and do not allow water to stand on surface.

Be really cautious using any brushes or pads, especially in any areas where the rubber surface is beat up or has wear.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[Mark Saiger]

The one we did here this past summer, we were trying to match old to some new....which wasn't totally possible....

I will look for my pics, but we ended up using a small CRB we have with the standard white brushes (on a 10 inch), and then ended up doing a turbo spinner on them (these were 10 years old and pretty good shape)

Think the psi was at around 800 psi....we set the psi to lowest setting to make the spinner spin.

We had done some testing with just a prespray and hard surface wand clean....then a crb scrubbing and alkaline cleaner and clean with a hard surface wand....

Then just Turbo....then CRB scrub and turbo....

The CRB scrub and Turbo gave us the best results....

 

[Mark Saiger]

Just got a call to do an estimate for a big prison in the city. We've done some work for them before. Very high security, must have security personnel with us the whole time we are there. Have to go through security checks, no cell phones allowed in facility, etc.

They just called and asked for us to come give a bid on cleaning the floor in the gym (we are going out on Tuesday). They said it's rubber.

We've never cleaned this type of surface before. We have a turbo/spinner. Would we use that? What types of products? Typical time to clean this surface compared to wanding or cimex so we can price accordingly?

Thanks for any help and input....and videos that you may have showing your process @Mark Saiger!

Meg

Hey Meg,

Here are some of the pics from the job. The first pic is our cleaning test area we had done previous about a month earlier, but then another company ended up being awarded the job....and the new building renter called because the other company could not match our test cleaning spot...Now the kicker....the surrounding area around our clean spot was just cleaned by the other company awarded the job....They ended up having to pay us to clean the place....at our price....

These are tough to clean just so you know....and some are harder than others...

I really was thinking that a Zipper would be my next choice to try, but honestly thought this could be a job the new CX-15 would shine...

We ended up going back and cleaning the carpets too....they couldn't quite match our clean spot of that...even had another local company try too....Love that

Other company in background trying to clean the carpets....

Almost done with the Flooring

Agitation with standard white brushes that come on this 10 inch CRB

 

[Mark Saiger]

Last pic we have

Both Aron and I after super long day, doing the job with 2 Butler Truckmounts and 2 spinners....

And Yes....I am on the phone....

 

[Matthew montanari]

So what did you use as a prespray?

 

[Ray Burnfield]

How long did it take you Mark?

 

[Mark Saiger]

So what did you use as a prespray?

A special Harvard blend that is alkaline based.....

This was a special situation, so we were trying to manipulate the colors back to a new condition to match new additional mat install that was joining the old matting.

I think the G Force Booster (Soy Based) in the formula helped to get back some of the shine and remove some of the deeper soils easier with suspension.

 

[Mark Saiger]

How long did it take you Mark?

What I recall, this was a quick add on at the end of the day....very long day....and with the 2 of us and 2 Butlers going and 2 Spinners I want to say it took about an hour (would have been over 2 hours with one machine)

 

[J Scott W]

I have tried a few of these floors. The best result I had was similar to what Mark did. Presprayed with midl alkaline, pH about 8. CRB machine (20" Brush Pro that is rated for use with standing water) to scrub. Rinsed with an SX-12 spinner tool (800 PSI) on part of the floor and a 14" Gekko wand in another area. I think the CRB did the cleaning. The other tools were for rinsing.

 

[Ray Burnfield]

I have tried a few of these floors. The best result I had was similar to what Mark did. Presprayed with midl alkaline, pH about 8. CRB machine (20" Brush Pro that is rated for use with standing water) to scrub. Rinsed with an SX-12 spinner tool (800 PSI) on part of the floor and a 14" Gekko wand in another area. I think the CRB did the cleaning. The other tools were for rinsing.

Or a standard 175 rpm floor machine to scrub. Wet vac with squeegee followed by wet mop rinse. I would worry about 800 psi damaging the seams.