Frequently Asked Questions
Our products are sold through an international network of distributors. If you are interested in becoming a distributor or would like to find a distributor near you, please call our customer service department 262-538-1122 or fill out the form on this page.
We would want to review with you what you’ve got in mind. Essential offers a full array of packaging options as well as product formulation capabilities.
We strive for 5 – 7 business days on Essential products.
No. Diluting Odor Digestant with water before use is critical. Adding water dilutes out the inhibitor (which keeps the bacteria stable) and allows the bacteria to go to work and digest the odor.
Essential Industries has the perfect product for this application. It is called Odor-Digestant (365CC). By keeping the pet stains “wet” with this product for a couple of days, it will actually digest the stain and odors through bacterial action. For really tough stains under the carpet backing you’ll want to inject Odor-Digestant with a hypodermic needle onto the sub-flooring.
Installation is simplified with a mounting plate which can be easily removed from the unit and placed directly on the wall. There is no need for cumbersome mounting templates. Easy to follow directions are found in each carton
Products are offered in 2-liter bottles for use through EMAX equipment.
Yes. Please contact your sales representative for further information, call our Customer Service Department or go to www.essind.com/private-branding .
All products are packed in 2-liter bottles, four per case. They are designed for use through our EMAX Product Line
Six of the ten products available carry Green Seal’s GS-37 designation. They are: Glass Advantage #41, Ultra Spray Cleaner #42, Daily Restroom Cleaner #43, Neutral Cleaner Plus #46, Multi-Purpose Cleaner #48, and Peroxide Concentrate #52.
You can go to the Green Seal website at www.greenseal.org. Click on “Product Recommendations” and then click on “Green Seal Certified Products” at the top of the page.
There are four generations (some say there are five) that are commonly used for formulating sanitizers and disinfectants. They include:
| Generation | Chemical Name (on product label) | Common Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride | ADBAC |
| 2nd | Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl / Alkyl Dimethyl Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chlorides | Dual Quat |
| 3rd | Dialkyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride | Twin Chain |
| 4th | Dialkyl Dimethyl / Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chlorides | Dialkyl |
Later generation does not necessarily mean improved disinfection efficacy, although they often perform better under heavier organic soil loads and high water hardness. They all still control or kill bacteria and viruses.
To calculate active PPM, you’ll need three things – the active ingredient list from the disinfectant label, dilution rate of the product and a calculator. Below is an example of how this would be done using Neutral Germicidal Cleaner (702DN):
- Step 1:
Add together active ingredient percentages from the label: 5.07% + 3.38% = 8.45% total active ingredients.
- Step 2:
Multiply by 10,000: 8.45 X 10,000 = 84,500
- Step 3:
Divide the result of Step 2 by the dilution rate (128 in the case of 702): 84,500 ÷ 128 = 660 PPM.
Quat-based disinfectants carry a positive charge. Bacteria, viruses and fungi carry a negative charge. When a bacteria-laden surface is sprayed or mopped with a disinfectant, the charge distribution of the bacteria cell changes from negative to positive. This results in the disruption of the bacteria cell wall and eventual death to the microbe.
There are six main factors listed below with a short description of each:
- Concentration – this is dilution rate. Proper dilution is very important. Read label for complete dilution directions.
- Contact Time – for quats, this is very important and is discussed more thoroughly above. For other disinfectants, such as bleach, contact time is not very critical.
- pH – certain disinfectants work best under acidic conditions (bleach) and others work best under alkaline conditions (quats).
- Temperature – certain disinfectants work best in cold water (bleach). Most, like quats, work best in warm water.
- Soil Load – quats and other disinfectants do not know the difference between soil and bacteria. That is why heavy soil should be removed before disinfecting. See explanation above for more details.
- Organism Type – not all disinfectants work on all types of organisms. When in doubt, read the product label for a complete list.
Yes. We only recommend using neutral pH disinfectants to clean finished floors. Use Essential’s Neutral Germicidal Cleaner (702DN).
Yes. Since a disinfectant doesn’t know the difference between greasy soil and bacteria, it is best to pre-clean heavy soil first. This way there is more active disinfectant (quat) to attack germs instead of attacking dirt.
The chart below best illustrates the physical properties of various disinfectants:
| PROPERTIES | Quats | Chlorine | Iodine | Phenol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unpleasant Odor | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Skin Irritant at Use Dilution | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cleaning Ability | Good | Good | Fair | Poor |
| Organic Soil Tolerance | Good | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Hard Water Tolerance | Good | Poor | Good | Good |
| Stability / Shelf Life | V.Good | V.Poor | Good | Good |
| Toxicity | Moderate | High | Moderate | High |
Disinfection is the removal or destruction of pathogens from inanimate objects. Non-pathogenic environmental organisms (coliforms) may not be completely eliminated through disinfection.
Sanitization is the cleansing of inanimate objects to reduce the microbial count to a safe level.
In short, quats need time to work. The process explained above (under bullet point two) takes time to occur. The cell walls do not break down immediately – thus necessitating the 10-minute contact time
- Corrosive – this goes for human skin and metals. Contact time with metals should be minimized – long-term use will lead to premature wear of equipment and utensils.
- Volatile – bleach doesn’t stay effective in diluted form as long as quats do since it’s volatile and evaporates easily. Therefore, employees need to change sanitizer solution more often than they would need to with quats.
- Shelf Stability – bleach has a half-life (time it takes for 5.25% bleach solution to end up at 2.63% active) of about six months, assuming it is stored under ideal conditions (dark room, 70 degrees Fahrenheit, unopened bottle). Once opened, its shelf life/half-life drops dramatically. If proper inventory control and stock rotation isn’t administered, the product may not be efficacious at the recommended dilution rate.
- Poor Soil Tolerance – bleach is quickly inactivated by organic soils. If the wash and rinse stages during cleaning leave large amounts of soil residue, it will greatly reduce the sanitizing capacity of bleach.
- Poor Hard Water Tolerance – water used to dilute bleach should be soft. If not, the metal ions in water will slowly inactivate the bleach the same way organic soil does.
- Reactive – bleach should NOT come in contact with other chemicals. Deadly gases can form when it is mixed with amine/ammonia-containing compounds and acids.
- Offensive Odor – some people are sensitive to chlorine, others think of cleanliness when they smell bleach.
Yes. There are numerous kits available and new ones come to the market on a regular basis. We have experience with two styles that are each described below.
- The first one is from Neogen Corporation and is called,
Pro-Tect™. This simple, inexpensive swab test verifies cleanliness in food service and food-processing environments. The test is a useful measuring tool to indicate when re-cleaning is necessary. It also serves as a training tool for demonstrating proper cleaning procedures.The self-contained test tube with swab is easy to use. First, make sure test surfaces are visually clean. Then, swab surface – return swab to the tube – shake – and wait 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, a color indicator will tell you whether the surface is clean, dirty, very dirty or filthy.Kits are available in 50 or 100 packs and range in price from approximately $3.00 to $2.50 per swab depending on volume. Neogen Corporation can be reached at: 800.234.5333 or at www.neogen.com.
- The second style is called ATP bioluminescence. This method is more costly than Pro-Tect but has the advantage of producing more refined results. It works by detecting food residues.Food residues are common media for bacterial growth and contamination. They can easily be detected by measuring adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is a molecule found in all plant, animal and microbial cells. It is a highly stable compound that persists long after a cell has died – making it the perfect substance to validate cleanliness. Unclean food contact surfaces will have recoverable amounts of ATP.
ATP is measured by bioluminescence. Bioluminescence occurs when ATP is combined with luciferase, an enzyme derived from fireflies. This results in light output that is measured by a luminometer (hand held device). The amount to light output corresponds to the amount of ATP (food residue). Test results are given in a matter of minutes through the luminometer.
Some of the companies that sell ATP kits include:
Charm Sciences – www.charm.com.
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. – www.idexx.com.
Pressure washers have their place in the cleaning world but meat departments aren’t one of them. Foaming down equipment with a degreaser and scrubbing with a nylon bristle brush works very well. It cleans the best and reduces bacterial contamination. In addition, pressure washers are often misused. When directed into drains, dangerous bacteria can actually be spread through the air.
Definitely not. Rinsing is critical since it flushes away both detergent and soil residue. In addition, sanitizers work much better when they are applied to a residue-free surface.
Whenever possible, use warm water 80°F (25°C) for best results. The 1999 Food Code (4-501.114, section C) states a minimum temperature of 75°F (24°C) must be maintained.
Three things can be happening here. First, your dilution control equipment may have applied too much concentrate, thus the high readings. Secondly, old quat test paper isn’t very accurate and can sometimes read 75 to 100 PPM high. Third, water temperature should be maintained between 70°F and 80°F as higher temperature will give false readings. For best results, a quat titration kit should be used. These kits are accurate within 10 PPM.
Yes. Do not use Blue Concentrate to clean marble floors or marble fixtures. Blue Concentrate contains organic chelating agents that remove calcium and magnesium (hard water deposits) from all surfaces. Since marble is calcium-based, Blue Concentrate will slowly attack and dull it.
It is possible that mixing cleaners together will not only harm the surfaces, but some mixtures are hazardous or dangerous. Never mix chemicals together!
Blue Concentrate (2085FC) will not only prevent spotting, it will remove the existing spotting. And, it is gentle enough to use daily on finished floors.
Hot water will often soften finish allowing dirt to penetrate the floor finish film. Use warm water (80° -100°F) for best results. Generally speaking, warm water works best for cleaning. Hot water can be a problem on finishes floors and cold water can inhibit cleaning performance.
Neutral cleaner will remove soil without harming the floor finish. High alkaline floor cleaners can damage floor finish and leave a film on the floor. Essential Industries’ Nu-Tral Cleaner (507FC) does not leave any after-film.
Good ones usually are different. Since a good degreaser will work on both soil types, some vendors only sell one product. Essential Industries’ products are formulated specifically for the task at hand. Hi Power Degreaser (354DG), on the other hand, is specifically designed for industrial degreasing of soils such as cutting oils, axle grease and other heavy soil.
Orange Essence™ #2 (1182DG) is just the product you’re looking for. It contains only natural orange oils and surfactants that quickly clean without harshness. It is free of butyl, petroleum solvents, phosphates, caustics, acids or other harsh chemicals.
Citrus Degreaser (1185DG) is the perfect product for this application. It contains 90% natural orange oil and 10% natural surfactants.
Essential’s floor maintenance systems are designed to work as a system. Our cleaners and restorers work best with our floor finishes. Some competitive “neutral cleaners” can be very aggressive and can cause heavy soil penetration and marking. The other concern is slips and falls. All Essential floor care products are UL Classified as to slip resistance. We are happy to offer additional information regarding more specific questions. Please fill out the form on our contact page.
We do not recommend this procedure. It was popular many years ago and was called, “water waxing.” It will cause you to strip more frequently by introducing dirt into the floor finish film. If additional finish is needed on the floor, follow proper scrub and recoat procedures using Citrus Scrub ‘N Shine (525FR).
Yes. This process is called deep scrubbing and recoating. Our Citrus Scrub ‘N Shine (525FR) is an ideal product for this procedure. Auto-scrub with blue pads using Citrus Scrub ‘N Shine. Rinse, then recoat with the finish of your choice.
It is possible but proper care must be exercised. First, only use a solvent stripper. Avoid high alkaline strippers such as Upper Cut. A good choice is Annihilator (2911FX). Test in a small area first to determine the least amount of Annihilator that can be used to get the job done. We recommend starting at 1:10 with cold water. Do not let the stripper dwell for more than a few minutes before scrubbing. Finally, be sure to rinse very well with Nu-Tral Cleaner (507FC).
Many people believe that the higher the solids, the better the performance of the floor finish. This is not true. The only property that changes when floor solids are elevated is laydown gloss.
Think of it this way – Four coats of 18% finish: 18% x 4 = 76. Three coats of 25% finish: 25% x 3 = 75. Higher solids products allow for fewer coats. The timesaving advantage of fewer coats can quickly disappear if high solids products are not used properly.
When too many coats or too thick of coats of high solids finishes are applied without adequate dry time, water and some of the fugitive plasticizers can be trapped between coats and cause excessive scuffing, dirt penetration and premature wear. This is especially true during hot, humid weather. Many high solids products require more skill to apply. A streaky floor that needs to be re-stripped saves no time.
To obtain other floor finish properties such as ultra high speed burnishability, non-buff features, exceptional wear and reduced labor, one simply has to use finishes technically designed to meet those needs.
Static electricity sparks or shocks can be very startling to a person. The spark is painful because it is extremely hot. It actually creates a microscopic burn to the skin.
This phenomenon happens in very dry air (relative humidity less than 25%). Static electricity occurs when the soles of our shoes steal negative ions from the floor (insulator). We leave behind “electrified” positive footprints, and our bodies acquire an overall negative charge imbalance. After many footsteps – i.e., throughout a supermarket – our bodies attain a high level of electric charge and a very high voltage (10,000 – 40,000 volts)! The next time you touch someone or another object (especially a conductor like store shelving, a metal can or a light switch) you get shocked because the imbalanced charge (negative versus positive) gets shared between you and the object.
To prevent shocks, the negative/positive charge separation must be stopped. This can be done through:
1. Using leather soled shoes (thinner soles are better)
2. Raising the relative humidity in the building
3. Mopping floors with antistatic liquid
Mopping floors with antistatic solution has limitations. On hard surfaces, frequent applications are needed to provide optimal performance.
The use of conductive or electrostatic dissipative floor finish will not prevent all static electricity shocks since the finishes are humidity-dependent (most require relative humidity greater than 25% to work).
Therefore, raising the relative humidity in the environment is the best prevention against static electricity shocks. Raising the humidity can be done through Mother Nature (such as rain or a change of season) or through humidifiers.
- What type of floor are you stripping? Alkaline-sensitive floors such as rubber and linoleum should not be stripped with high pH, alkaline strippers.
- What type of environment are you working in? Will people other than the floor crew be present? Hospital and nursing homes may need to be stripped with a low odor product like Xlerate™ (2917FX).
- How many coats of finish will you be removing? When was the floor last stripped? Was a semi-permanent seal used? Answers to these questions will steer you toward a particular product and give you an idea as to the amount of time the job will require.
- What type of equipment do I have at my disposal? A heavy swing machine or large auto-scrubber will make fast work of most strip-outs.
Both finishing and cleaning pads can be laundered hundreds of times. Use hot water, a good detergent and tumble dry. Do not use bleach or fabric softener.
Consider the following:
- Appearance expectation
- Square footage
- Labor availability
- Equipment availability
- Facility down-time.
Our label states a dry time that is accurate under ideal drying conditions. If humidity is high, then recoat times should be extended. A quick test to determine finish dryness is to place a piece of loose paper directly on floor surface. Use your hand or the sole of your shoe to gently rotate the paper back and forth. If the paper rotates easily (without “ticking”) the floor is dry. If the paper doesn’t tear, the floor is usually okay to recoat.
There are basically two mechanisms that occur simultaneously to remove finish. The first involves amine (usually MEA) attacking the zinc crosslinking. This unlocks the polymers and improves the performance of the second mechanism. Alkaline builders and caustic are sometimes used to assist in this process. The second mechanism involves solvent (usually glycol ethers and/or alcohols) that dissolve and reliquify the finish. Together, these two mechanisms strip the finish. Surfactants are also used to assist in “wetting” the finish film.
For cleaning, neutral cleaner diluted to 1:64 will clean approximately 4,000 square feet. The KaiMotion hold 10 gallons, so you should clean about 40,000 square feet before reloading. It takes about six minutes, including time to fill the solution tank and change pads, to clean 1,000 square feet. This is three times faster than conventional mopping and faster than many auto-scrubbers.
Change pads on an as needed basis. The pads need changing when soil builds up from the leading edge all the way to the trailing edge of the cleaning pad. You should check pads frequently when starting an area to gauge how often changing is required for the floor surface you will be cleaning. The clean pads are to be stored in the wringer compartment and the dirty pads are to be removed and stored in the black pad tray.
Absolutely. Essential’s products are designed to work together as a system. Finishes, restorers and cleaners all work together to provide the best-looking, best-performing floors in the industry. In addition, Essential products, including cleaners, are all UL listed as to slip resistance.
Yes. Do not use Blue Concentrate to clean marble floors or marble fixtures. Blue Concentrate contains organic chelating agents that remove calcium and magnesium (hard water deposits) from all surfaces. Since marble is calcium-based, Blue Concentrate will slowly etch and dull it.
This is a classic case of “too much finish too fast.” What has happened is that the first few coats of finish haven’t cured which traps moisture and keeps the top layers of finish soft. This in turn leads to excessive marking and soiling. Apply a maximum of four coats* of finish per night.
For best results, we recommend stripping the floor and starting from the ground up. This removes all deeply embedded soil and provides the best possible appearance. However, most Essential floor finishes can be applied on top of competitive products. All that you need to do is aggressively deep scrub the floor with Citrus Scrub ‘N Shine (525FR) and a blue pad and recoat with any Essential floor finish.
No. An additional pass with your burnisher will provide the necessary repair. Over-use/over-dilution of restorers can cause floor finish softening which leads to soil penetration and heavy black marking.
Increasing the concentration can work with Annihilator, but do not go stronger than 1:4. However, with alkaline strippers such as Upper Cut (396FX), using more product actually decreases effectiveness. Stay with the 1:4 dilution ratio on the label.
It is possible that mixing cleaners together will not only harm the finish, but some mixtures are hazardous or dangerous. Never mix chemicals together!
Blue Concentrate (2085FC) will not only prevent spotting, it will remove the existing spotting. And, it is gentle enough to use daily on finished floors
Use warm water (80° -100°F) for best results. Hot water will often soften finish allowing dirt to penetrate the floor finish film.
Vinegar is not an effective rinse aid. Essential recommends using one or two ounces of Nu-Tral Cleaner (507) as your final rinse additive. This serves to remove alkaline stripper residue and dirt from the floor. Vinegar does not remove dirt and becomes ineffective at neutralizing the longer you mop without changing your water.
There may be a couple of reasons for this:
- The applied finish re-emulsifies the existing coats of finish.
- To avoid this problem make sure your finish application area does not extend beyond 50-foot “blocks”. After applying the bead, proceed immediately to spreading.
- Even though the previous coats of finish may be dry to the touch, they may not be ready for recoating.
- Always allow at least 30 minutes of dry time between coats – additional time needed under humid conditions
This problem is easily fixed and can be avoided with a little routine maintenance. The swivel at the bottom of the handle (where the clamp meets the handle) should be periodically lubricated with petroleum jelly or white lithium grease to prevent sticking.
Blue Concentrate (2085FC) is excellent for this purpose. It contains chelating agents and detergents that remove and neutralize salt residues. Plus it is safe for everyday use.
One gallon of stripper concentrate diluted with 4 parts water will strip approximately 500-1000 square feet.
Water-based urethane polymers impart some unique properties into a floor finish that acrylics can’t provide. They are noted for excellent flexibility (repairability), toughness and abrasion resistance. They give floor finishes good black mark and scuff resistance, durability and long-term gloss retention.
Choose your restorer based on the application method, i.e., spray applied, mop applied or automatic-scrubber applied. The amount of restorer or dilution ratio may change with machine speed so consult the direction label.
Ideally, the floor and surrounding area should be at room temperature (70°F / 21°C). If you must apply in a cold environment, we recommend that the absolute minimum room temperature be 55°F (13°C). Cold temperature application retards water evaporation and proper coalescing of the film. The result can be a soft, poorly adherent film that, when drying finally occurs, may be cracked or brittle (powders) with poor adhesion.
First, start out by only applying a maximum of four coats* in one night. Keep the coat thickness on the medium to thin side. If drying conditions aren’t ideal, lengthen your recoat times. For a floor with trapped moisture, deep scrub using eight ounces of Citrus Scrub ‘N Shine (525FR) and lay another coat of finish. Continue to burnish the floor to assist in the curing process.
Warm water (~80°F or 26°C) generally works best. Hot water usually creates a very strong odor and reduces effectiveness because the most common solvent used in strippers (butyl) is very volatile and quickly evaporates from solution under high temperatures. Cold water doesn’t contribute to odor problems but does reduce stripping effectiveness. Warm water is the best compromise.
Discoloration, or yellowing of floor finishes, is caused when certain ingredients darken upon exposure to heat and light. These ingredients include highly styrenated acrylic polymers, certain varieties of polyethylene wax, and aromatic (cyclic) polyurethanes. At Essential, we take pride in formulating our finishes with little or no color. A great deal of research and development goes into producing these low color finishes. This is achieved through formulating with low styrene content acrylic polymers and incorporating non-yellowing polyethylene waxes into our finishes. Even our urethane-fortified finish (Eccothane®) is formulated not to discolor because it uses aliphatic (non-cyclic) polyurethanes.
Of course, proper maintenance will assure long-term beauty and extended stripping cycles. In short, Essential floor finishes are formulated to look great upon initial application and look even better one or two years later.
Shine, or reflection, is a product of optics. A very smooth, clean surface will reflect light in a parallel pattern producing a deep, reflective shine. As floors become worn, uneven and soiled, reflected light becomes scattered producing a dull, flat appearance. Essential floor finishes are extremely easy to clean and restore since they do not trap dirt or marks. Our finishes release soil when cleaned and buffed, thus producing a long-term, high gloss finish.
Neutral cleaner will remove soil without harming the floor finish. High alkaline floor cleaners can damage floor finish and leave a film on the floor. Essential Industries’ Nu-Tral Cleaner (507) does not leave any after-film.
Our urea hydrochloride-containing bowl cleaner called, Clinging Bowl Cleaner (2841RR), will work perfectly. Its clinging formula assures maximum contact time on fixtures for complete cleaning without the harshness and danger of hydrochloric acid (HCl). Another good choice is #44 Heavy-Duty Restroom Cleaner (2744SC). This product also uses urea hydrochloride that works nearly as well as HCl without the hazards or harshness
Quite honestly, it doesn’t matter if you use a registered or non-registered product. Areas where people put their hands contain high levels of bacteria – people don’t touch the inside of toilet bowls or urinals. Also, the acid content of any bowl cleaner is very effective at keeping bacteria under control. Therefore, registered and non-registered products work very similar to each other.
Upon entering the restroom flush all toilets and urinals. Spray disinfectant around the outside of all toilets, urinals, sinks, handles, etc. Next, move on to the garbage and restocking stage. Clean the insides of toilets and bowls and wipe all disinfectant-containing surfaces clean. This procedure allows the needed 10-minute contact time for the disinfectant-cleaner to do its job.
Most people, if asked this question, would say toilet bowls and urinals. In reality, the areas people touch with their hands are the areas that need disinfection most. This includes soap dispensers, toilet and urinal flush handles, door handles, hand dryers, baby-changing tables, sink handles and paper towel dispensers.
Yes. There are just two things to make sure you do before application. First, turn off the heating system a few hours beforehand. Then, after the last coat of finish is applied, wait another 36 hours before turning the heat back on.
In most cases, no. The dampened cleaning pad will pick up small and large dust particles that pass through most dust mops. However, large objects and paper items will need to be picked up prior to cleaning.
Slick floors are caused by a couple of things.
- Look for overuse of mop treatments.
- Lack of cleanliness is a big contributor.
- Water and sweat left unattended can also cause slickness.
- Newly refinished floors, lack of dry time and/or lack of proper ventilation can lead to slickness due to solvent rain-back.
Both finishing and cleaning pads can be laundered hundreds of times. Use hot water, a good detergent and tumble dry. Do not use bleach or fabric softener.
Film thickness is expressed in mils – one mil is equal to one thousandth of an inch. One gallon of 100% solids material covers 1600 square feet at one mil thickness (about the thickness of a sheet of copy paper). To figure the coverage of Sport Kote® PC (128SF) to achieve one mil thickness, you would take 1600 ft2 X 0.29 (29% solids) = 465 square feet. Since Sport Kote PC is used at 800 to 1000 square feet per gallon, users are typically getting 0.6 mil (465/800) to 0.5 mil (465/1000) coverage per coat.
Change pads on an as needed basis. The pads need changing when soil builds up from the leading edge all the way to the trailing edge of the cleaning pad. You should check pads frequently when starting an area to gauge how often changing is required for the floor surface you will be cleaning. The clean pads are to be stored in the wringer compartment and the dirty pads are to be removed and stored in the black pad tray.
Yes. Sport Kote® PC is easily restored with Citrus Scrub ‘N Shine (525FR) or Sport Prep™ (425SF) diluted eight ounces per gallon (1:16) in an auto-scrubber equipped with blue pads. Rinse the floor after scrubbing and burnish with a propane buffer equipped with a hogs hair pad.
Yes, but first wait for the oil-based product to cure. Generally, 48 hours after the last coat of oil-based product has been applied is the necessary waiting period before applying Sport Kote® PC.
NOTE: The sealer must be abraded before applying the Sport Kote® PC
Most definitely. If you just finish the floor as you would a normal wood floor, the boards will likely glue themselves together, making it impossible to take the floor apart down the road and likely resulting in expensive repairs or full replacement. The key is to finish the floor together (or in large sections if the floor is gymnasium size) and once the finish has been applied, immediately pull the floor apart and wipe all edges clean of finish. Let the floor dry apart, and then put it back together a few days later. This procedure requires good manpower since there is a lot of wiping that needs to be done but it is the only way these floors can be successfully recoated.
- The applied finish re-emulsifies the existing coats of finish.
- To avoid this problem make sure your finish application area does not extend beyond 50-foot “blocks”. After applying the bead, proceed immediately to spreading.
- Even though the previous coats of finish may be dry to the touch, they may not be ready for recoating.
- Always allow at least 30 minutes of dry time between coats – additional time needed under humid conditions
This problem is easily fixed and can be avoided with a little routine maintenance. The swivel at the bottom of the handle (where the clamp meets the handle) should be periodically lubricated with petroleum jelly or white lithium grease to prevent sticking.
An insufficient amount of finish on the floor is likely the cause. This allows the pad to dry out and drag. This is especially noticeable on the first coat after a floor has been freshly stripped. The second and third coats will not require as much finish. Increasing the amount of finish by increasing the finger setting width will reduce the drag. The same principle applies to the cleaning pad – adding more cleaning solution reduces the pad drag.
Flaking is most often associated with wax contamination and/or poor cleaning prior to recoating. Peeling is usually caused by incompatible products (some pre-finished engineered floors, for example), improperly dried seal or paint or improper cleaning/abrasion before recoating.
Paint manufacturers are constantly changing formulas. That said, we can only recommend using high quality 100% acrylic latex enamels. You should always test the paint with Sport Kote® PC for adhesion in an inconspicuous area first.
This is a common practice in many facilities. Short-term application of tape can work nicely to provide temporary game lines (24 hours or less). Tape left on the floor for longer periods of time is likely to pull finish off the floor when removed. The reason for this is that the adhesives in the tape eventually form a bond to the wood floor finish.
Using Sport Clean (1143), scrub your floor using an auto-scrubber equipped with red pads. Then, dust mop at least twice a day. To eliminate problems down the road, wet scrub your floor once a week and periodically burnish (when using Sport Kote® PC).
