New to Floors

[kimmierue]

Well, I'll admit it....I know about pine-sol, mr.clean, and lysol for kitchen and bathrooms and vinegar or swiffer for wood. I think I need some serious floor schooling. Or do I? Right now I have mostly residential clients - is there something better I could be using? Something I should be doing to their floors on a rotating schedule? The mopping chem that strips as well as cleans, what is that for?

[logan5127]

Kimberly, Pine Sol- Mr Clean and a lot of other of these type cleaners if used on floors are for no-wax floors. If you run across a waxed floor you need to use a Neutral Cleaner. Marble requires a speacial cleaner. There are cleaners that cleans and seals Granite counter tops and floors. You need to develope a good relation with a local janitorial supplier. They can be very helpful and give you some leads as well. I am sure there is plenty of help here at IJCSA as well.

[Grizzly]

Oh no, Kimberley Pine Sol in the wrong dilution ratio will strip finish of a floor and seriously dull the no wax finish on a no wax floor. Mr. Clean, Fantastic the same thing. all these are seriously alkaline and play havoc with floors, if used in the wrong dilution ratio and let me tell you even then there can be problems. Get a good neutral pH floor detergent (please don't take offense I don't know how much experience you have) that is a pH around 7-8.8. The other members on the board from the U.S. may be able to point you to brand names, Spartan probably has one, I know Buckeye does althoughI don't like theirs. With a neutral ph cleaner you are safe on all floors even the marble. Be sure to dust mop first, the granular dirt is worse on a floor than smudge dirt. No topical finish should ever be applied to stone, marble etc. , there are impregnators to seal these that retain the natural beauty of the stone , will not walk off will seal them against stain.
Dan has made some very good points, I hope this helps as well. Do not use vinegar, I know everyone says to but the reason it works on windows etc. is it is a mild acid. Putting a mild acid on someones hardwood floor will lead to trouble in the long run. Until you do get some training, find an experieced IJCSA member to strip and wax for you. You will be pleased with the result and will be able to learn in the bargain. It is not as simple as throw down the mop on, mop off strippers would like you to believe.

Bill

[logan5127]

Even with using neutral cleaner on marble, If it has color added to cleaner it can transfer into the marble. You should use a clear neutral cleaner to keep this from happening. You never know just how good it has been sealed. I 'm with Bill on strippers. I never found one that could just be mopped on and mopped off unless it was to get mop and glow up. Almost any supplier including places like Lowe's has neutral floor cleaner. We also use it diluted in spray bottles. It works well on showers, some counter tops, and to remove hair spray around sinks in beauty shops.

[kimmierue]

Hmm...I seem to have a slight problem identifying floor types as well. I think in one of the homes I clean they have a granite floor in their kitchen. What would I use for that? And yes I just met a local janitorial supply company a couple days ago; was doing some advertising in the area and saw the sign, didn't even know it was there. The people were very helpful and told me they would answer any of my questions. One of the problems though is that I can't buy in large quantities and the single items on the shelf are way expensive. I don't want to be talked in to buying something that I don't need. I mean in most of these houses, the owners have been using lysol, mr. clean, etc. on their floors for years. Is it really going to matter if I do to? Everyone uses that stuff. I use it on my own floors. And as far as the vinegar goes, I have about 10 clients who wish it to be used on their hardwood. Is it seriously bad then, should I break the news? Is there a neutral cleaner sold at Home Depot ? Oh, and about the marble thing - my sister in law spilled a bottle of windex on a marble bathroom countertop - you can imagine how that went!! $$$$$$!!!

[Pages Personal Cleaning]

Kim. Dan is right about the neutral cleaner for floors. You should always use a neutral cleaner. I get mine at Home Depot. Its the Zep Neutral Floor Cleaner and it comes in a gallon bottle and is concentrated so it lasts a long time. It is only around 8.00 a gallon. We also use the Zep Wood and Laminate floor cleaner on wood and laminate floors.
Patti

[logan5127]

I get my neutral cleaner from a janitorial supplier. They gave me special pricing at $5.50 gallon. Because I have sent them referrals and buy a lot of other supplies there. My customers gladly pay me $10.00 gallon for it. I even tell them they can get it for $8.00 gallon from the same supplier but they have to order $75.00 worth of supplies to get shipping free. They still want to get it from me.So with the profit , I pretty much get my neutral cleaner free.