Wood floor cleaning

[WillS]

We don't do a lot of this. Don't even advertise that we can properly do a deep cleaning on it. One of our commercial clients called today and wants a cleaning on their wood floor in the lobby. It was installed about 6 months ago, no scratches or major issues. I'm only charging .25c per sq. ft. It's around $120 total. I didn't turn it down and told them we just offer light cleaning on it. We are doing 3,000 sq ft. of carpet on top of it so I didn't want to turn them away on the wood floor cleaning. Having them maybe trying to call someone else to do it.

I'm wondering can I use one of those bonnet fluffy white pads with a wood floor cleaner? Should we just mop it? Any suggestions please!

 

[Cleanworks]

For a small job like that, I would just vacuum first then spray and mop with a wood floor cleaner and a microfibre mop. A soft bonnet should work but might be overkill.

 

[BIG WOOD]

For a small job like that, I would just vacuum first then spray and mop with a wood floor cleaner and a microfibre mop. A soft bonnet should work but might be overkill.

For .25/sq ft, he needs to use a bonnet. If his customer sees him use something that they can do, he might lose his contract. We always need to use professional tools if we're gonna charge a professional price. Even if all it needs is just a mop.

 

[Mikey P]

CRB and wand rinse for the best professional results.

 

[steve_64]

CRB and wand rinse for the best professional results.

Which brushes and product?

 

[Mikey P]

Any neutral cleaner that you can get at your janitorial store as long as it's a no rinse type and your medium brushes

 

[BIG WOOD]

CRB and wand rinse for the best professional results.

No no no. If the wood isn't installed or sealed good with a good poly, then too much moisture can cause it to curve up on the lips. I've seen it do that and it's not fun sweating it.

Just do the wood cleaner misted on and buffed off with the cotton bonnet after the dry sweep

 

[jcooper]

I'm wondering can I use one of those bonnet fluffy white pads with a wood floor cleaner? Should we just mop it? Any suggestions please!

White pad(red better) and some bona for wood(homedepot, etc.) and you are good to go.

For .25/sq ft, he needs to use a bonnet.

For .25/sqft they get a swiffer and a fan, if that.

 

[J Scott W]

The fluffy white cotton bonnets under a 175 RPM floor machine will work fine. Use Hydro-Force Wood Fresh Cleaner for hardwoods or engineered wood. Sweep or dust mop the floor first to remove any grit.

If anyone wants a 4 page guide on wood floor cleaning and maintenance, send an email to education@interlinksupply.com and ask for it. I can also send you a training DVD for wood floor care if you include your mailing address.

 

[SamIam]

http://www.proschoice.com/phone/wood-care.html

I used this once spray swiffer on let dry then protect.

 

[SamIam]

Music sounds like a FF game

 

[EDS]

CRB and wand rinse for the best professional results.

So this is an area that I want to get into but there seems to be a different of opinion on how to clean a wood floor. I see two different methods (A and B). (A) uses agitation and wet while (B) uses mop and cleaner with the option of buffing for shine.

(A) only people with the right equipment (ie. US) can perform

(B) anyone can do ... but only some can buff

I am primary interested in offering this to residential customers. Option (B) would be a tough sell for me (considering what I want to be paid for my time) since the customer can do this themselves. However, option (A) cannot be done by the customers and would be an easy sell. Especially if it is novel.

I clean tile and grout. I don't clean tile and grout that is brittle, missing chunks or loose. I point that out to the customer prior to cleaning. I stay away from those areas and areas in the immediate vicinity. Can cleaning a wood floor be similar in so far as If i stay away from the problem areas I will be fine? Matt point out issues about installation that may not be visible from the top of the surface. If that is an absolute then option (A) should never be done because of what could happen. But clearly we have a divergence of opinions on the matter.

If I am correct, Mikey process is applying a neutral (I imagine cleaning with a neutral ph a risk mitigation factor in and of itself) ph no rinse cleaner (not much I imagine ) and agitating with a crb then wanding it up at the lowest psi you machine can handle. Would a light fresh water rinse cause damage? Anyone have first hand experience? Pictures?

And why does option (B) not use a CRB for agitation? Both methods involve spraying a cleaner on the floor. For those using option (B) what is the ph of product used? Do results vary from each method? Why rinse a no rinse product and could the liquid just as easliy be mopped up? Are the risk associated with hardwood applicable to laminate and vinyl? Many questions...

Signed..

Lamenting my choices.,.(did you see that?)

 

[BIG WOOD]

So this is an area that I want to get into but there seems to be a different of opinion on how to clean a wood floor. I see two different methods (A and B). (A) uses agitation and wet while (B) uses mop and cleaner with the option of buffing for shine.

(A) only people with the right equipment (ie. US) can perform

(B) anyone can do ... but only some can buff

I am primary interested in offering this to residential customers. Option (B) would be a tough sell for me (considering what I want to be paid for my time) since the customer can do this themselves. However, option (A) cannot be done by the customers and would be an easy sell. Especially if it is novel.

I clean tile and grout. I don't clean tile and grout that is brittle, missing chunks or loose. I point that out to the customer prior to cleaning. I stay away from those areas and areas in the immediate vicinity. Can cleaning a wood floor be similar in so far as If i stay away from the problem areas I will be fine? Matt point out issues about installation that may not be visible from the top of the surface. If that is an absolute then option (A) should never be done because of what could happen. But clearly we have a divergence of opinions on the matter.

If I am correct, Mikey process is applying a neutral (I imagine cleaning with a neutral ph a risk mitigation factor in and of itself) ph no rinse cleaner (not much I imagine ) and agitating with a crb then wanding it up at the lowest psi you machine can handle. Would a light fresh water rinse cause damage? Anyone have first hand experience? Pictures?

And why does option (B) not use a CRB for agitation? Both methods involve spraying a cleaner on the floor. For those using option (B) what is the ph of product used? Do results vary from each method? Why rinse a no rinse product and could the liquid just as easliy be mopped up? Are the risk associated with hardwood applicable to laminate and vinyl? Many questions...

Signed..

Lamenting my choices.,.(did you see that?)

This is similar to Mikey's process. I did a very light prespray with wood floor cleaner, marooned it with my 175, rinsed at a very low psi with my squeeze tile wand, let dry, and applied 2 coats of polyurethane at the end. The homeowner was very happy, but I saw that the lips on the wood lifted from too much moisture.


After this job, I just do a dry scrub with my maroon pad on the 175, dry sweep with a dust mop, and then apply the wood floor sealer or polyurethane.

 

[J Scott W]

If you look at the wood floor videos I offered, you will see two methods. Both require equipment or skills thsat the typical customer would not be able to do by themselves.

One process uses a machine specifically for wood and hard surface floors such as Lindhaus, Karcher, Dirt Dragon or other machine. A faster process both due tot he way the chemical work and the aid of the machine.

The method that uses CRB and sprays down the liquid is similar but the wood floor machine offers more control and (IMO) less chance for a new person to over-wet a wood floor. Using a CRB works very well if you are careful about the amount of mositure you put down. That must be adjusted by the condition of the floor, the installation, the soil level and such.

The second method on my videos involves the use of 175 RPM floor machine and floor pads (usually maroon).

 

[Nate The Great]

This is similar to Mikey's process. I did a very light prespray with wood floor cleaner, marooned it with my 175, rinsed at a very low psi with my squeeze tile wand, let dry, and applied 2 coats of polyurethane at the end. The homeowner was very happy, but I saw that the lips on the wood lifted from too much moisture.


After this job, I just do a dry scrub with my maroon pad on the 175, dry sweep with a dust mop, and then apply the wood floor sealer or polyurethane.

And I thought I was lanky and a bean pole... Congrats, you take the cake!

Nice cleaning too btw

 

[Lint Basket]

I've been really wanting to see Mikey do a webinar on this subject. I've dabbled with Scott Warrington's method with a Lindhaus and his chemical. My customer loved the job and has begged me to keep doing it but I've been reluctant to take the plunge. I feel the investment doesn't warrant the man hour price I have to charge, so I guess it is something mentally that I have to get over.

My other concern is the learning process of what gunk could be on the wood floor and what can of worms I could be getting into? Is there nightmare wood floor jobs like there is nightmare stone jobs with a wax shine?

C'mon Mikey do a webinar.

 

[Lint Basket]

Maybe make a wood and vinyl webinar.

 

[J Scott W]

I've been really wanting to see Mikey do a webinar on this subject. I've dabbled with Scott Warrington's method with a Lindhaus and his chemical. My customer loved the job and has begged me to keep doing it but I've been reluctant to take the plunge. I feel the investment doesn't warrant the man hour price I have to charge, so I guess it is something mentally that I have to get over.

My other concern is the learning process of what gunk could be on the wood floor and what can of worms I could be getting into? Is there nightmare wood floor jobs like there is nightmare stone jobs with a wax shine?

C'mon Mikey do a webinar.

If Mikey wants to do a webinar, I would be glad to participate. I do have a training program on PowerPoitn that is usually part of a ahdns-on class. Hard to do hands-on webinar, but I can share what I have.

 

[EDS]

Maybe make a wood and vinyl webinar.

And laminate...

 

[Mikey P]

This is similar to Mikey's process. I did a very light prespray with wood floor cleaner, marooned it with my 175, rinsed at a very low psi with my squeeze tile wand, let dry, and applied 2 coats of polyurethane at the end. The homeowner was very happy, but I saw that the lips on the wood lifted from too much moisture.


After this job, I just do a dry scrub with my maroon pad on the 175, dry sweep with a dust mop, and then apply the wood floor sealer or polyurethane.

How many feet do your pre spray at a time and what psi?

 

[BIG WOOD]

How many feet do your pre spray at a time and what psi?

I did that job in about 8'X8' sections with my prespray before I scrubbed it. And my psi was around 250-300

 

[BIG WOOD]

I've been really wanting to see Mikey do a webinar on this subject. I've dabbled with Scott Warrington's method with a Lindhaus and his chemical. My customer loved the job and has begged me to keep doing it but I've been reluctant to take the plunge. I feel the investment doesn't warrant the man hour price I have to charge, so I guess it is something mentally that I have to get over.

My other concern is the learning process of what gunk could be on the wood floor and what can of worms I could be getting into? Is there nightmare wood floor jobs like there is nightmare stone jobs with a wax shine?

C'mon Mikey do a webinar.

Just dive in head first. Just remember to go very light on applying your floor cleaning chemicals. It's not like prespraing carpet

 

[Doug Rice]

Don't dive in you might get cupping. Very lightly dampen an 8 X 8 area with a NO RINSE NEUTRAL or other wood floor cleaner. The Bona brand and I think Basic Coatings Squeaky Concentrate have a fast evaporation that helps to keep things from getting too wet. Mop on lightly and scrub with a 175 and a white pad, nothing more aggressive. Pick up with damp microfiber mop or wet vac. Buff with cotton pad on 175 to finish off. This is more for show and to clean off any residual dullness. Do not let your customer see what chemistry you are using or they may do it themselves next time. Remember the old steak adage, you are selling the steak and the sizzle.

 

[Old Coastie]

Low moisture and fast evaporation are the keys. For really filthy wood, or wood I'm recoating, I scrub with the Duplex 420. Any CRB with a sprayer and recovery would work. You can clean 1000+ square feet with a gallon of solution. I often use ZEP glass cleaner from concentrate because it dries streak free. Yes, a microfiber mop to grab any dripsicles and to edge.

An alternative method I use is to sweep/vac, then use a steam mop head on my Daimer. The mop mist always move forward to prevent dropping soil and you have to have several cloths ready to rotate as they become dirty. The steamed floor dries almost immediately. Again, super low moisture.

For refinishing, you need to use wax stripper and do the floors three times. Then damp scrub with a maroon pad to degloss the finish. Then damp mop, barely moist at all to recover the dust. Then apply your product. I like the water based finishes, they dry fast and are as hard as Kelsey's nuts.