Green Floor Strippers: Addressing Efficacy

In this article, industry manufacturers answer common questions asked by building service contractors.

Do green floor strippers work on all floor care chemicals?

Yes, green strippers for the most part work on all conventional floor finishes. Regular finishes have a reversible crosslinking mechanism that uses the metal zinc, which green strippers can unlock similarly to their non-green counterparts. The new green finishes also use a reversible crosslinking mechanism but without the zinc, which allows them to meet certain green standards. Like any chemical, some green strippers work better than others.

— Mike Tarvin, Vice President, Multi-Clean, Shoreview, Minn.

There are various ways to define a green stripper. Some are free of volatile solvents, some are less caustic, and some are highly concentrated for better dilution efficiency. Regardless of the definition, strippers are designed to remove finish, whether the finish is specifically green or not.

The most common stripping problems relate to dilution rate and dwell time, not the actual chemical interaction. Efficient stripping requires water. If stripper is too concentrated, the strip will be gummy and cause excessive pad load.

Many times, the user wrongly assumes the stripper is not strong enough and perpetuates the cycle by applying additional stripper concentrate. Likewise, dwell time is vital. Thicker film build means more dwell time. A stripper simply cannot efficiently get through heavy build-up without proper contact time. If the machine does not go through the finish in the first pass, it is far better to re-wet the floor with stripper solution and wait a few minutes longer. A little time up front is much better spent than a large amount of time doing a second strip.

— Rebecca S. Kaufold, Chemist, Spartan Chemical Co., Inc., Maumee, Ohio

Not always. Some green strippers will be more cost efficient than others.

— Dr. Vikram Asher, R&D Research Manager, Rochester Midland Corp., Rochester, N.Y.

How can I maintain the look of the floor, but prolong the need for stripping?

The answer to this question is the holy grail of floor care. So much falls back on prevention and proactive maintenance. The right type and amount of entrance matting is crucial to keeping floors looking their best and extending the strip-finish cycle. Removal of dry dirt through regular dust mopping helps remove abrasive soil. Wet cleaning with the proper tools like microfiber and automatic scrubbers will make floors consistently cleaner.

The most important process, however, is the ‘Scrub and Recoat’ process. This process, done properly removes one to two coats of finish before new coats are applied. It is these top coats that contain embedded dirt that makes finishes appear yellow/brown and eventually will necessitate stripping if not removed prior to recoating. More recently, processes that refer to ‘chemical-free stripping’ are nothing more than a very aggressive scrub and recoats, removing three to four coats of finish. This process can definitely help prolong the dreaded stripping, but removal of this many coats might also be considered wasteful.

— Mike Tarvin, Vice President, Multi-Clean, Shoreview, Minn.

The first step to a prolonged strip cycle is finish selection. If the finish is appropriate for the traffic volume and maintenance frequency, it will be much more successful. Second, apply adequate film build. Depending on the solids level and the burnish frequency, that is a minimum of four to five coats. Third, prevent damaging events. Long walk off mats at entrances, daily (or multiple times a day) dust mopping and regular damp mopping with a neutral cleaner. Finally, perform regular deep scrubbing and recoating. If recoating is done before the point of no return, the frequency between stripping is extended.

— Rebecca S. Kaufold, Chemist, Spartan Chemical Co., Inc., Maumee, Ohio

By regular maintenance at recommended intervals.

— Dr. Vikram Asher, R&D Research Manager, Rochester Midland Corp., Rochester, N.Y.