Spray buffing this mess...advice please

[G.C.S]

How in the world would you even begin to spray buff this mess? This happens daily. The last pic is after we washed the floors and allowed them to dry and then applied a coat of wax. The 1st and 2nd photo's are before pics. Also since this is a 24 hr business we had to do one side and then move all the tables and do the other side.
The guy wants us to provide a floor maintenance program but it seems a bit challenging since this is what we come into nearly every other day. We tried spray buffing after we swepted and mopped several times but obviously that isn't going to work with all the ink and dirt that this floor accumulates over a two day period. What would you guys suggest? A nightly sweep, mop and buffing? We did try to just spray buff this but it just pulled all that dirt up and smeared it everywhere so we had to wash the floors and then add a coat of wax. Maybe we're not doing to spray buffing right? Any direction would be welcomed. Also I want to get the cove and corners looking better and scrubbing them by hand and with a doodle bug did nothing for it. I applied straight stripper on it and nothing happened. Unless we consider the pain in my hands Ive gotten on hands and knee's and it just didn't do any good. It looks like a bunch of dirt just caked around the corners and edges. Any ideas on equipment and chemical that will strip that dirt and old wax away without causing harm to the base? Thanks for all your help

 

[G.C.S]

Why was my post moved from Hardsurface to CleanRoom?

 

[hogjowl]

So somebody will see it.

 

[G.C.S]

So somebody will see it.

I understand. thank you

 

[hogjowl]

I'm only here to help.
ig:

 

[Doug Rice]

What chemical are you cleaning with? Is it a degreaser or a neutral cleaner, are you rinsing? What pad are you scrubbing with slow speed machine? This should clean right up if the surface is properly cured. Give us some details.

 

[encapman]

That's a tough situation! So often it's hardly worth servicing VCT. I know, I've done LOTS of it.

It sounds like the job has been spec'd badly. Perhaps not on your end, but nonetheless what's been spec'd falls below what's needed. They're asking for too little service considering the environment.

With that level of traffic and soil it most likely will need to be scrubbed daily, and then high speed burnished. I think that if you just attempt to mop & spray buff - the floor will go to pieces in a hurry.

So it comes down to 2 possibilities as I see it. (Scenario 1) Forge ahead, frustrated, with a view to giving them what they pay for. The downside to this is that you will hate the job, won't be able to give them a top notch job, and eventually they'll dump you because they don't like the floors. Obviously that's not a very ideal approach. (Scenario 2) Rework the proposal to include an adequate level of floor care.

Let me emphasize this... You can't achieve good results with a mop & spray buff program with that constant traffic and soil load. If you can elevate the floor care to a regular scrub & burnish program you'll improve the situation drastically. There's various ways to slice it, for example: You could mop every other night and scrub & burnish on the alternate nights. If you can get them into a more intensive floor care program you'll find it easier to tolerate the account, and the customer will stay happier with the work you're doing. Of course that would REQUIRE a different pricing structure than spray buffing. You'd also need to find a window to have some "down time" with their floor, even though it's in a "24 hour" setting.

Sorry for not providing a rosier picture. But it's a realistic one. Hope it gives you some insight.

 

[Jimmy L]

I wouldn't look at it as a challenge but time to move on to greener pastures.

 

[Onfire_02_01]

What is the floor matting situation like? Sometimes this can be solved by having more matts or the more likely case of cleaning/replacing the ones that they do have. Most people don't understand the need for proper matting. I have seen mats that have more dirt than fibers and people still want it cleaned, come on people they are $19.95 at menards, crack open that wallet and spend a penny.

 

[KevinL]

I'm only here to help.
ig:

That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. What do you think Chavez?

 

[Old Coastie]

Dang if Marty isn't right.
Ol' Chavez is the lodestone of thread drift!