Professional stripping products
Floors require regular cleaning, and stripping is one of the most technically demanding processes. For plastic, vinyl, and linoleum floors, a specific plastic floor stripper must be used to avoid damaging the surface, and the manufacturer's technical specifications must be followed.
Why and when should you strip a floor?
Most PVC, thermoplastic or linoleum floors require, if they do not have it when delivered from the factory, the application of a layer of wax (also called metallization operation).
This protective coating, consisting of a
wax or emulsion applied manually or in a factory, is not durable. It is subject to wear and tear from traffic, washing with detergents of varying suitability, the passage of trolleys, moving furniture, etc.
The protective coating, which is then maintained periodically with a
spray method , will at some point need to be completely removed because the degradation will no longer allow it to be maintained.
This process of exposing the surface is called stripping. This process then allows the surface to be waxed (or metallized) in order to start with a new protective layer.
How to proceed with stripping?
Stripping is a complex and delicate operation because it involves equipment and products that can damage surfaces if misused. Therefore, personnel must be trained before undertaking this type of work.
Stripping your floor will restore it to its original condition, making daily cleaning and disinfection easier. Certain types of flooring, such as metallic or factory-treated floors, should not be stripped; therefore, it is essential to consult the floor's technical data sheet to follow the recommendations.
Professional equipment for stripping your floor
Stripping is done using black, brown, or green
discs , depending on the fragility of the soil. The darker the disc, the more effective it will be, but the greater the risk of damaging the surface.
The different plastic floor strippers
Next, you'll need a stripping product. These products fall into two main categories: - Alkaline chemical strippers with a pH close to 10/11 or higher. In this case , rinsing with clean water to neutralize the surface is essential and will often need to be repeated several times. Advantage: the product acts quickly and effectively, but with a risk of damaging or discoloring the surface. - "No-rinse" strippers, generally solvent-based with a lower pH. In this case, rinsing is still recommended, but much less thorough. Advantage: safety and ease of use , but may be less effective than some alkaline strippers.
The Taski Diversey professional flooring range
Taski jontec N°1
Powerful, fast-acting paint stripper. No rinsing required.
Suitable for all types of water and alkali resistant floors (except wood, cork, painted surfaces and linoleum).
Taski jontec future
Powerful emulsion stripper. With rinsing.
For all types of water-resistant coatings (except wood, cork, painted surfaces and linoleum).
Taski jontec linosafe
Specific linoleum stripper.
Do not use on solvent-sensitive (e.g., asphalt) and non-water-resistant (e.g., unprotected wood) surfaces.
Taski Jontec Omnistrip
Dry stripper for Omni method.
Ideal for removing black marks and shoe scuffs from protected flooring. It also allows for deep cleaning of the protective film without closing the area to traffic.
Taski jontec solve
Solvent-based stripper for wood and cork coverings.
Do not use on solvent-sensitive surfaces such as rubber or asphalt.
Steps in stripping plastic flooring
Stripping PVC, thermoplastic and linoleum floors is a multi-step process carried out by professional cleaners equipped with professional products and suitable single-disc or automatic scrubber cleaning equipment.
Floor preparation and stripping: The first step is to prepare the surface by removing furniture, clearing as much of the area as possible, and sweeping with a damp mop with an impregnated gauze pad or a microfiber mop and a neutral cleaner, then vacuuming the floor thoroughly if necessary. Next, use a low-speed floor scrubber or a floor scrubber for large areas, equipped with a black /brown pad (or green if the surface is delicate) to deeply strip your PVC, linoleum, or thermoplastic flooring, removing layers of dirt, old wax, and accumulated residue.
Floor rinsing and chemical neutralization: Once the stripping process is complete, it is essential to rinse the floor thoroughly to remove all traces of the stripping solution. This neutralization step ensures that the floor is perfectly neutral, with a pH close to 7, before applying the protective coating via an acrylic emulsion (wax or metallization). This phase can be carried out using a wet/dry vacuum or a floor scrubber, provided the room is large enough. This neutralization phase can be significantly reduced with the use of "no-rinse" strippers, which still require rinsing but accelerate the return of the floor to neutrality. In the case of this type of stripper, it would be more accurate to refer to it as a stripper with limited rinsing. The pH can be checked using pH test strips or test strips.
The two forms of stripping: did you know?
Wet stripping: also called restoration for heavily soiled coatings.
Apply the stripping product as a stripping solution mixed with water using a flat mop, allowing the required contact time, followed by a single-disc scrubber. The stripping solution can also be applied with a floor scrubber equipped with a black, brown, blue, or green pad, depending on the floor's fragility. This is, of course, possible if the size and layout of the area allow. This will result in significant time savings, particularly when it comes to cleaning up the stripping solution. In this specific case, the floor scrubber will operate in two stages. First, apply and strip the product without vacuuming (with the mop raised), then use the floor scrubber's vacuuming power for washing and rinsing.
Of course, vacuuming or removing the residue from stripping and drying the surface can be done with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, a floor scrubber, or, as a last resort, with a floor squeegee.
Dry stripping (spray) : allows the total or partial removal of the floor protection by applying the principle of the spray method.
The product is sprayed onto the floor and the floor is cleaned with a single-disc scrubber using an appropriate disc (brown color).
This stripping method is suitable for floors that are particularly sensitive to water and without excessive wax buildup. For treating small areas.
Frequently asked questions about paint stripping
My floor is discolored after stripping.
In this case, it is essential to change products and refer to the manufacturer's technical data sheet for the flooring, which sometimes recommends solvent-based rather than alkaline formulations, for example. Discoloration can also be related to the age of the flooring, and in this case, a lower dilution should be used to promote mechanical action.
How can I check that my rinsing is correct?
A simple method involves applying a little clean water to various points on your surface and placing a pH test strip or litmus paper on each spot. These types of strips, used for testing the pH of swimming pools, are readily available. If your pH strip indicates a pH that is still alkaline , it is essential to repeat the rinsing process, otherwise the wax will not adhere properly in the next phase. Any remaining stripper in the surface will hinder the adhesion and durability of the acrylic emulsion over time.
I applied my wax but it's turning to dust: flour?
Probably, assuming the product quality isn't the issue, your rinsing step wasn't carried out correctly . In this case, the stripper residue embedded in the floor is resurfacing and attacking the emulsion. This reaction can occur on porous or old floors. In this case, it's best to opt for "no-rinse" strippers , which require much less rinsing than a highly alkaline formulation.
What color disc should I use to strip my floor?
Generally, the standard black stripping disc is preferred, but a preliminary test should be carried out. Alternatives include brown, blue, or green for very delicate floors.
Conversely, for stronger stripping, Hi Pro stripping discs allow for deeper action.
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