Spray Buffing Procedures – How to Spray Buff Floors
- Place “Wet Floor” signs at easy-to-see locations near the entrances into the area being spray buffed.
- Dust mop the entire floor (start by dust mopping the perimeter of the area first).
- Wet mop (double bucket system or Auto Scrubber, corners and edges by hand).
Spray Buff Procedure: Spray Buffing is a two-step process
Step One:
Apply a light mist of Spray Buff in front of the floor machine of approximately 2-4 feet forward and 6-8″ wide. The first step in the spray buffing operation will evenly apply and spread the material to the floor and the second pass will produce the high gloss. Spray buff is to be applied in a fine mist, not directly on the floor, but a mist over the area. Avoid applying spray in a solid stream (this leads to build-up).
Step Two:
Once you have applied/buffed the area of approximately 4′ x 6′ now begin to dry buff the same area again with no spray buff being applied. Dry buff the floor until the floor surface is glossy and not tacky.
- Always spray buff from right to left / left to right (in a pendulum motion).
- Dwell on scuff marks – some to be done by hand with small red pad.
- Use as little spray buff as possible.
- If product starts to build up on pads, too much spray buff is being used.
- Dust mop the entire floor after you have spray buffed.
- Be sure to hit edges and corners (very important).
Things To Remember
- Proper mopping procedures should be followed as per double bucket mop procedure.
- Apply only enough spray buff to fog a small area should be used. Be sure to not let material build up on pad.
- Pad must be clean and free from debris.
- Do not move machine too fast.
- Allow adequate time for pad to clean floor.
- After procedure is complete, equipment—including machine, mops, pads, buckets, wringer, and spray buff bottles—must be cleaned thoroughly.
TIP
Did you ever wonder what that small circular cut-out in the center of the floor pad is?
This little circular disk is used for CLEANING the floor pad. Simply remove it and brush the entire surface of the floor pad (both sides) and re-insert it back in the center hole and re-use in the future.
High Speed Floor Care Points
Your cleaning procedure becomes a critically important step in a high speed maintenance program. Soil must be picked up and removed from the floor finish surface prior to high speed buffing. Any soil left on the floor will be ground into the finish by the burnisher. In a short period of time, the floor will develop a grayish-yellow appearance, which is difficult to correct without stripping.
Therefore, in high speed programs, remember that damp mopping is not good enough. Use of an automatic scrubber and a good quality cleaner is essential.
Safety
Maintaining a sufficient base of floor finish is necessary to the success of any maintenance program. It becomes especially important in high speed programs because of safety requirements. High speed buffing of surfaces with little or no finish on them will result in very glossy, slippery floors. Check to see that adequate finish is present in all areas. Also, be sure your floor finish does not loose its slip resistant properties after high speed buffing.
Floor Maintenance Pads
Pads must be carefully chosen to match the high speed machine you are using. Consider the aggressiveness, fiber type and structure when evaluating pads. We have found that no one type will perform on all machines. The wrong pad can result in excessive finish removal (powdering), productivity loss due to clogging and glazing of the pad, and high material costs due to premature pad wear-out. Unsatisfactory appearance levels are the highest cost, as they lead to customer dissatisfaction.
Spray Buff
Conventional spray buffing relies on the chemical cleaning and polishing action of the liquid spray buff, along with the mechanical action of the pad, to repair scuffs in the floor finish and to achieve high gloss levels. This technique is useful up to 1,000 RPM or so, depending on the machine weight and pad choice. High speed machines above 1100 RPM no longer require the use of such a liquid. The machine provides sufficient mechanical action to smooth the finish, permitting repair of the film, removal of black marks and achievement of very high gloss levels.
Printable How to Spray Buff Floors(pdf)
Suggested Cleaning Equipment