A reader asks: "We have an old marble floor that the customer wants us to wax to give it a shine. What are your thoughts?"

As we discuss this subject, we may need a reminder that all hard (non resilient) floors are not the same. Some are more resistant to scratches and various chemicals; while others can be porous or totally resistant to any product that needs to soak/penetrate to be effective. My experience with seals taught me early on that a non-porous surface will not only cause a penetrating seal to simply sit on the surface but can also cause slip/fall issues.

One way of treating a marble floor is to use a paste product that when mixed with water or other solvents is scrubbed onto the floor with an appropriate pad while using a weighted buffer designed for this process. Check with your vendor regarding the best pad for this process since manufacturers are developing new configurations that are proving to be highly effective in many cases. Usually the product contains oxalic acid and other polishing ingredients that can smooth out the floor due to the reaction and abrasion. Please not that it is recommended all floor finish and seals are removed before this process begins.

You should have sufficient training and support from the manufacturer and/or distributor before attempting this process. As in all cases, test a small area first to work out any details. Be prepared to some mess and be sure to block off the area to eliminate foot traffic during this time. Always practice safe processes and factor in enough time to thoroughly clean up the area before proceeding.

This is a slow tedious process that will usually work but consumes a lot of time and energy. We will look at another idea in a future article.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.


posted on 12/8/2014