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Post by snydertech on Jan 3, 2007 13:13:53 GMT -5
Here's the deal.. I have a commercial job I clean (janitorial) a few times a week. The main hallways are redish, clay looking tile with dark grout. They look absolutely horrible and I really, really want to strip and wax them. I talked to the owner there and she told me that she had someone come in a couple of years ago and give a quote for a strip and wax and it was $8000 to 'do it right'. That scared her, for sure! Now she says it is not worth it, and that I just wouldn't be able to do anything with it. I am always up for a challenge, but am wondering if there IS something special about this floor. It looks pretty standard to me. Any ideas of what I can do to test it, or how to figure out if this floor is strippable? I will post a pic as soon as I can. Thank you very much!! Dave - My Cleaning Fairy www.mycleaningfairy.com |
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Post by Kevin on Jan 3, 2007 13:57:00 GMT -5
Everything can be cleaned , very interesting , look forward to seeing the photos.  |
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Post by snydertech on Jan 3, 2007 14:52:51 GMT -5
I am cleaning the building tonight, I will bring back pics and post them.
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Post by seekingthefather on Jan 3, 2007 23:49:43 GMT -5
Can someone help.......Floors are not my favorite thing....but learning daily.... What is the best way to clean Red ceramic tile, like you find in restaurant kitchens..... A broom and mop just don't cut it...... Please let me know.... Thank you and God bless Joseph Class Action Cleaners www.classactioncleaners.com |
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Post by snydertech on Jan 4, 2007 10:19:11 GMT -5
That is the same thing that I would like to know. I am planning on renting a buffer, and stripping and re-waxing... but not sure on the process, or the pads to use, etc. I used to do it in the Air Force, but that was 11 years ago.
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Post by Grizzly on Jan 4, 2007 15:00:12 GMT -5
Ceramic tile can be cleaned with a neutral pH detergent and a swing machine. using mild grit brush driver. This will get into the grout lines and somewhat clean them as well. Do not apply finish to ceramic as it will walk off. You will get areas where the finish stays on and the traffic areas will look lighter and /or dirtier because the finish has walked off with traffic and dirtied the tile. Be sure that these are ceramic tiles, it is possible they could be quarry tile as well, which is more porous. However, the swing machine and neutral ph detergent can still be used. For the kitchen , you may want to consider using a degreaser and then rinse with the neutral pH detergent.
To test if the floor is strippable, (it has finish on it? or will the stripper discolour it, find an inconspicuous corner and try some stripper at the proper dilution rate, see what happens)
Bill
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Post by seekingthefather on Jan 4, 2007 23:02:57 GMT -5
Thank you so much for your information......Can I rent a swing machine at any rental store? God bless Joseph Class Action Cleaners www.classactioncleaners.com |
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Post by logan5127 on Jan 5, 2007 6:05:30 GMT -5
The hard surface floor cleaning has came a long way in the last 20 years. There is equipment that makes cleaning ceramic tile and grout easy. Years ago I used the conventional ways of cleaning these type floors. Never again. I would suggest that anyone doing hard tile floors check into all that is available today. We use the SX 12. There are alot of others on market. Just ask any janitorial supplier. With leasing and rental departments there is no reason that you should be working so hard. Even though the equipment makes this job easier, it also cleans much , much better. There are also cleaners designed just for cleaning ceramic tile. Just check in with your suppliers. I get most of mine from interlink supply.
Ceramic tile and grout is now my most favorite jobs of all. When doing it the conventional way it was the one I hated doing the most.
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Post by snydertech on Jan 5, 2007 11:05:42 GMT -5
I have attached the picture of the floor I was talking about... mycleaningfairy.com/Floor.jpg I met with them yesterday, and here is the problem points... The company is a chemical supply company. They may spill any kind of chemical on the floor. They are looking for a very strong sealer of some sort that will make it look very nice and won't come off easy with walking, spilling. Is there such a thing? Polyurathane? ;-) They are saying at least now, it is all dirty, and it doesn't look as bad as if it was nice on the sides, and terrible down the middle... Thanks, Dave www.mycleaningfairy.com |
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Post by logan5127 on Jan 5, 2007 12:41:25 GMT -5
Dave, I recently did a floor that looked just like this. We stripped it with a conventional strip machine and then cleaned with the SX12. The wax is very hard to get out of the grout. You may have to strip several times and use grout brushes to scrub the lines. May even have to take steel brushes to it in some spots. Also take close up pics of the tiles. The variations in the colors will show more after it has been cleaned. Make any notices of discoloration in centers of tiles to the owner prior to stripping. I think the edges on the ones we did where darkened instead of the tiles being lighter in center. I never reccommend putting finishes on ceramic tile. There are powders with diamond dust in it that you can grind and polish the tiles with if they are not to porus. This is an expensive process and would cost them around $3 a foot. If a customer insist on a finish we use buckeye castleguard. What ever finish you use make sure it is a flexible finish. To determine this put a thin layer on a piece of plastic. After it dries flex the plastic. If it is not flexible it will cumble the finish easily. Also make owner aware if you put any type of urethane on the floor that it will cost a lot more money the next time you strip it. If they are a chemical supply company see what they can come up with and have them sign a disclaimer saying you will not be responsible for how finish performs. Also let them know that if it does not bond to the tile that they will have to pay you to strip the rest back off.
The floor we did like this was 1600 sq feet. We charged $1800.00. Did not put any finish back on and they were very pleased with the job.
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Post by snydertech on Jan 5, 2007 15:01:28 GMT -5
Dan, thanks a ton for your input, it is very helpful. So you are saying to strip it and leave it alone? Will that just make it look dull and dirty all the time?
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Post by logan5127 on Jan 5, 2007 15:21:17 GMT -5
It will look dull. But that is the way it was designed to look. If people want shiny ceramic tile floors then that is what they should buy to start with. I think the dull is cheaper and more slip resistant. Also if you add a finish it takes away the slip resistance of the floor rating. Just let them know all that. No matter what you tell some of them they will still want you to apply a finish. Make sure you have something in writing as to not garantee any of the performance of the finish. Tell the client to be sure to keep floors mopped regularly using neutral cleaner in mop water. An occasionaly use of deck brushes may also help to keep pores cleaned out.
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Post by quality on Aug 13, 2007 2:37:08 GMT -5
what I realy like to do with these floor is take a broom and some soapy water and deck brush it. It is simple or rent a buffer type machine and then brush it clean. It looks great after words. I have seen the floor and it will look great and brand new after you do that and she will make sure that she calls you for her every need. Take care and great luck to you.
Quality
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Post by everclean on Jan 24, 2008 2:38:18 GMT -5
hello, Im a newbie on this site, however I will tell you what I would do if your dealing with a red tile floor with dark grout, and if you dont own special equipment, I would go to your local home depot, Lowes, or janitorial supplier and get phospheric acid tile and grout cleaner, 25 year tile and grout sealer, neutral cleaner. then rent a swing machine with medium- stiff brush. two seperate mops, wet dry vac, defoamer.
next, sweep floor, then put thick llayer of phospheric acid cleaner(dilluted per instructions in mop bucket) as if stripping on a strip job, let soak for 15-20 min( not letting it dry), scrub with swing machine, then suck it up with wet dry vac(with defoamer in it), next mop it up with neutral cleaner and rinse with water, when dry you can apply sealer per intructions, when all said and done water should bead on the grout from it being sealed. This is How I have done it before, some floors just arent that good to wax, unless you have a special wax for it,
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Post by evetsclean on Feb 13, 2008 4:41:29 GMT -5
Phosphoric acid works well, just don't get it on ANY metal. I mean doors, desk legs, whatever may be there. Not even stainless steel. It will rust it within the day. Having said that, every time I've used it, I've been happy with the results, esp in the grout. I would agree with Dan. This floor is not meant to be shiny. It is not meant to have any kind of finish. I personally would not even use the tile and grout sealer. I have seen it used, and in one particular case, after the tile installer sealed the floor, I was hired (only a week later) to come in and remove it, because it made the floor look like crap. And that stuff does NOT come off easily. It would protect against wear(not that a ceramic floor wears a lot), but not necessarily against chemical spills. It would depend on the chemical. When all is said and done, you really have to do what the customer wants done. The best you can do is make sure they have all the information, and if you don't like what they want done, inform them that you do not recommend it, and cannot guarantee it.
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