Proper and regular maintenance is necessary to protect and prolong the life of the floor. A good maintenance routine involves the following:

Frequent sweeping, mopping or vacuuming to control loose soil and grit.

Prompt removal of stains and spills

Polishing to protect the floor surface and add gloss.



Always use a quality name and product and follow manufacturer recommendations to ensure the best results. Restrict traffic when cleaning, waxing or stripping due to the possibility of slipping. Use protective runways when moving heavy objects, even if equipped with wheels, to avoid causing adhesive displacement, marring, or gouging of the tile.



Maintenance for a Newly Installed Floor

Do not wash or scrub the floor for at least 4 or 5 days after installation to allow the floor tiles to bond to the underlayment/subfloor.

Keep heavy furniture and equipment off the floor for at least 48 hours to allow the adhesive to set.

Sweep or vacuum thoroughly, and remove any residual adhesive with a clean white cloth dampened with mineral spirits.

Apply a minimum of 2 coats of a high quality cross-linked acrylic floor polish to temporarily protect the floor until regular maintenance procedures can begin.



Preparation For Commercial Use

1. Scrub the floor using a good quality non-alkaline floor cleaner and a floor machine of 170-250 rpm equipped with a green or blue scrubbing pad.



2. Heavily soiled or scratched floors may be stripped, following the same procedure as for scrubbing, but using a floor stripping detergent.



3. Thoroughly rinse the floor (avoid flooding the floor) and allow the floor to dry completely.



4. Apply 3-5 coats* of a high-quality, cross-linked acrylic floor polish, allowing sufficient drying time (At least 30 minutes) between applications.



*TIP: Maintenance conditions vary. Contact the polish manufacturer to determine the specific recommendations for polishing based upon your equipment, schedule, traffic and desired gloss level.



Regular Maintenance



1. Clean floor frequently with a treated (non-oily) dust mop or clean, soft push broom.



2. Damp mop the floor, as required, using a dilute, neutral-detergent solution. Light scrubbing with an automatic floor machine may be required in heavily soiled areas.



3. Rinse the floor with clean water and allow to dry completely.



4. After damp mopping or light scrubbing, spray buffing or high speed burnishing may be performed to restore gloss.



Spray Buffing



Spray buff only when a solid base coat of at least 3 coats of polish already exists on the floor. Spray buff using a diluted floor polish (7%-8% solids) or a spray buffing compound. Before the liquid is dry, buff with a floor machine equipped with a white or tan buffing pad or a soft brush at 170-1100 rpm. After buffing the liquid dry, a thin, glossy film remains which protects the base coat of polish, reducing the need for stripping. Heavy traffic areas may need extra coats of polish on amore frequent basis.



High Speed Burnishing



CAUTION: Operators of ultra-high­speed burnishing machines should be well-trained. Careless or improper use of these machines can result in severe and extensive damage to the floor.



Ensure that the floor is free of all loose dirt and debris. High-speed burnishing utilizes a machine of 900 to 2000 rpm capacity. It is a dry buffing procedure performed on a floor already coated with at least 4 coats of polish specifically formulated for burnishing. This base coat should be periodically rebuilt by recoating to compensate for loss of finish from this operation. The machine should be operated in a straight line, with a push-pull method, rather than a sweeping motion. When the floor appearance no longer responds to high­speed burnishing thoroughly clean the floor and apply gloss restorer, spray buff or recoat the original finish (refer to Preparation For Commercial Use).



Stripping



Use of high quality maintenance products and regular adherence product to a quality maintenance program will greatly reduce the need for stripping. Strip floors only when necessary. Follow the manufacturer's label recommendations for proper dilution, use, clean-up and disposal of stripper.



CAUTION: High solvent content strippers (no-rinse/no-scrub) must not be used on tile floors installed less than two years.



Apply stripper liberally with a clean mop and allow it to penetrate into the floor finish for several minutes (without allowing it to dry). Scrub the floor with a single disc floor machine equipped with a red, green, or blue pad at 175 - 300 rpm. Remove all stripping solution with a squeegee and wet vacuum or a damp mop. Immediately rinse floor with clear water, and remove rinse water with a squeegee and wet vacuum or damp mop. Allow the floor to dry completely, then reapply polish (refer to section Preparation For Commercial Use).