Floor Finish Trouble Shooting Guide

Floor Care Troubleshooting Guide

Most floor care problems are caused by improper product use. This quick reference guide will help identify problems, causes and solutions.

Problems

Floor Finish is Sticky/Tacky	Finish Swirls or Scratches
Discolored Floors	Streaks in Floor Finish
Circular Blemishes or "Fish-eyes"	Powedering or Poor Adhesion
No Shine or Gloss	Slippery Floors
Edge Build-up or Discoloration	Soft, easily scratched Finish

Finish is too Sticky or Tacky

Cause

Solution

Not enough drying time between coats. Under normal conditions, finishes dry in 20-30 minutes. High humidity extends drying time.

Restorer not properly diluted or applied too frequently. Follow label instructions. Overuse can leave a sticky residue.

Restorer/maintainer not burnished soon enough after application. When dry, restorer/maintainer will continue to soften finish if not burnished

Floor not properly rinsed before application of finish. Thoroughly rinse and neutralize floor after stripping. Use neutral cleaner in proper dilution.

Improper use of disinfectants. Measure carefully and follow label directions.

Separation of finish. Finish may have been exposed to prolonged heat or cold. Shake or stir before using.

Alkaline or detergent contaminated tile. Make sure to rinse floor until pick-up water remains clear. When recoating, make sure no cleaner residue remains on floor - rinse with clean water to prevent problem.

Finish is applied too thick. Apply thin coats and allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat.

Finish Swirls or Scratches.

Cause

Solution

Pad is too aggressive. Use the recommended pad for a particular task, whether it be burnishing or cleaning.

Pad is dirty or has build-up. Clean with a wire brush or put pad in deep sink and spray off the build-up. Hang up to dry.

Floor is dirty or sandy Use walk-off mats; dust thoroughly before burnishing.

Restorer not properly diluted Follow label instruction. Overuse may leave "soft" top coat which can swirl.

Finish applied too thick, excessive recoating Apply thin coats and allow each coat to dry before applying the next one.

Finish not completely "cured" before burnishing. Allow more time to dry. Many finishes should not be burnished for 24 hours.

Too much pad pressure. Do not place additional weight on the burnisher deck. Do not lift up on the handle when burnishing.

Residue from treated dust mops. Only use untreated mops. Oil and silicone used in treated mops can cause softening of finish film.

Floor not properly cleaned and neutralized after stripping. Always rinse thoroughly with neutral cleaner and water.

Make sure swirls are not coming from cleaning equipment Worn cleaning pads or brushes have been known to scratch finish in same circular pattern as buffer.

Use of alkaline degreaser or stripper for cleaning. This will soften film. Only use cleaners designed for daily floor care use.

Discolored floor finish.

Cause

Solution

Floor not properly rinsed after stripping. Vacuum up as much stripper and old finish as possible. Rinse thoroughly with neutral cleaner and water at least twice. A "hot" floor can cause finish to discolor. Change rinse water often and wring mop thoroughly.

All finish not removed in stripping. After stripping, check dry, newly stripped floor with thumbnail for residual finish. Strip again if necessary.

Finish applied with dirty mop and bucket Always clean mops before applying finish. Never use finish all the way to the bottom of the bucket because dirt, grit, and lint settle to the bottom. Always rinse bucket when switching from one task to another. Stripper residue left over in the bucket used for finish could ruin the finish. Line bucket with plastic bag to avoid contamination.

Poor maintenance procedures. New finish applied over finish that has not been cleaned will turn dark.

Too much finish; infrequent scrubbing. Use restorer to bring back the shine. Follow maintenance schedule of daily cleaning and monthly scrubbing. Apply new finish to traffic areas only. Avoid low traffic areas and baseboards.

Restorer is used too often or concentration is too strong. Follow directions for restorer dilution and usage.

Dirt, sand, and grit are ground into the floor. Dust mop before performing any maintenance. Clean with scrubber before any buffing operations.

Dark spots showing up in finish. SOS pads may have been used during strip. Soap from pads embeds in tile and causes dark spots when it reacts with finish.

Dark areas developing (especially at the end of isles). If cleaner/restorer is used with automatic, and product is based on pine oil or fatty acid soaps, residue could be softening film (especially where automatic trails are not picked up quickly) and causing floor to attract dirt.

Rust spots develop on tile with in a short time after stripping. Fines from steel wool used on problem areas during stripping are reacting with floor finish.

Streaks in finish.

Cause

Solution

Recoated before prior coat was dry. If streaks will not burnish out, strip, rinse well with neutral cleaner and water, and apply new finish. Wait 20-30 minutes between coats. Make sure each coat is dry. Do not continue to recoat if mop drags.

Finish is applied on new tile before factory finish is stripped. Strip, rinse well with neutral cleaner and water, and apply new finish.

Dirty mop or equipment. Use clean rayon mops and mop buckets when performing floor care tasks.

Frozen floor finish. Replace finish. Strip, rinse well with water and apply new finish.

Floor not properly maintained; maintenance schedule not followed. Strip, rinse well with water and apply new finish

Mop head not "loaded" with enough finish during application. Make sure mop is just short of dripping when removed from wringer. Turn mop over every 3-4 strokes to ensure proper delivery from mop.

Mop coming of floor when applying. Apply in smaller strokes. Do not extend reach with mop.

Circular Blemishes or "fish-eyes".

Cause

Solution

Application of finish too heavy. Apply in thin, even coats

Finish was agitated when poured in bucket causing air bubbles. Excessive use of wringer. Gently lean on mop in wringer to load. Do not use wringer excessively.

Floor contaminated with solvent cleaner or oil based product. Watch for use of dust mop treatments or silicone based polishes. Do not use alcohol or any other chemical to eliminate foam in bucket.

Powdering/Poor Adhesion.

Cause

Solution

Pad is too aggressive. Use pad recommended by manufacturer. Try less aggressive pad.

Pad is dirty Clean with a wire brush or put pad in a deep sink and spray off the build-up. Hang up to dry.

Restorer/maintainer mixed and applied improperly. Follow manufacturers directions.

Recoated before prior coat was dry. Allow 20-30 minutes between coats. High humidity may mean extra drying time.

Finish is applied on new tile before factory finish is stripped. Strip, rinse well with water and apply finish.

Treated dust mop residue. Oil and silicone from treated mops can cause on layer of finish to separate from another. Use untreated dust mops.

Floor not properly cleaned and neutralized in stripping. Always rinse thoroughly with water after stripping.

Wrong product for maintenance methods. Contact finish manufacturer to ensure that you have proper product.

Poor durability due to Metal buckets. Metal buckets affecting crosslinking. Use bucket liners if using metal or galvanized buckets.

No Shine.

Cause

Solution

Floor not properly rinsed after stripping. Deep scrub, recoat and burnish repeatedly. Use clean burnishing pad. If problem persists, re-strip and apply new finish.

Finish applied too thin. Scrub and recoat more frequently in high traffic areas.

Contamination in finish. Always clean mops before applying finish. Never use a strip mop to apply finish. Always clean out mop bucket when switching from on task to another. Never pour finish from mop bucket into its container.

Burnishing pad too aggressive. Use pad recommended by manufacturer.

Dirty Pad. Clean with a wire brush or put pad in a deep sink and spray off the build-up. Hang up to dry.

Floor has too much sand, dirt, or grit. Use walk off mats. Dust mop thoroughly before burnishing.

Floor finish diluted or tampered with. Have dealer check solids.

Inadequate dry time. Recoating too quickly hazes film and reduces gloss.

Stripping procedure opened pours of substrate. To harsh a stripper/dilution Reduce amount of floor stripper at once to lower dwell time. Make sure stripper diluted to manufacturers recommendations. Do not add any "accelerators" to stripper. If tile has been "opened", use sealer to help build gloss.

Slippery Floors.

Cause

Solution

Treated mops depositing oil or silicone. Use only untreated mops. Scrub and recoat slippery areas.

Lubricants, oils, polishes, or like products spilled on floor. Scrub and recoat areas spills occurred. Clean or replace soiled dust mops to avoid spreading the problem throughout the building.

Water tracked in from outside. Use walk off mats during inclement weather. Replace them often. Keep areas dry.

Floor is not being burnished enough. Burnish floor regularly to restore "tightness" to floor.

Not enough finish has been applied. A finished floor is more slip-resistant than a bare floor. Use only finishes which comply with ASTM D2047 Coefficient of friction

Edge build-up and discoloration.

Cause

Solution

Poor maintenance of edges Follow tasks recommended in "How to section"

Finish too thick on the edges Apply recoats of finish to traffic areas only. Stay about six inches away from edges. Burnishing will feather the finishes together.

Restorer/maintainer applied too close to the edges. Apply restorer/maintainer to traffic areas only.

Soft, easily scratched finish.

Cause

Solution

Not burnishing floor regularly to harden finish and reduce dust Burnish floor on a regular schedule.

Too much dirt, grit, and sand being tracked into building. Use a sufficient number of walk-off mats. Dust mop more frequently.

Wrong choice of floor pads. Follow manufacturer's recommendations.

Wrong choice of floor finish Check with your floor care consultant to determine proper choice of finish.

Restorer/maintainer mixed too strongly. Follow label directions.

Cleaner use contaminating floor. Check for over use of floor cleaner. Cut back on dilution. Rinse floor with only water prior to recoating or restoring.

Cause	Solution
Not enough drying time between coats.	Under normal conditions, finishes dry in 20-30 minutes. High humidity extends drying time.
Restorer not properly diluted or applied too frequently.	Follow label instructions. Overuse can leave a sticky residue.
Restorer/maintainer not burnished soon enough after application.	When dry, restorer/maintainer will continue to soften finish if not burnished
Floor not properly rinsed before application of finish.	Thoroughly rinse and neutralize floor after stripping. Use neutral cleaner in proper dilution.
Improper use of disinfectants.	Measure carefully and follow label directions.
Separation of finish.	Finish may have been exposed to prolonged heat or cold. Shake or stir before using.
Alkaline or detergent contaminated tile.	Make sure to rinse floor until pick-up water remains clear. When recoating, make sure no cleaner residue remains on floor - rinse with clean water to prevent problem.
Finish is applied too thick.	Apply thin coats and allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat.

Cause	Solution
Pad is too aggressive.	Use the recommended pad for a particular task, whether it be burnishing or cleaning.
Pad is dirty or has build-up.	Clean with a wire brush or put pad in deep sink and spray off the build-up. Hang up to dry.
Floor is dirty or sandy	Use walk-off mats; dust thoroughly before burnishing.
Restorer not properly diluted	Follow label instruction. Overuse may leave "soft" top coat which can swirl.
Finish applied too thick, excessive recoating	Apply thin coats and allow each coat to dry before applying the next one.
Finish not completely "cured" before burnishing.	Allow more time to dry. Many finishes should not be burnished for 24 hours.
Too much pad pressure.	Do not place additional weight on the burnisher deck. Do not lift up on the handle when burnishing.
Residue from treated dust mops.	Only use untreated mops. Oil and silicone used in treated mops can cause softening of finish film.
Floor not properly cleaned and neutralized after stripping.	Always rinse thoroughly with neutral cleaner and water.
Make sure swirls are not coming from cleaning equipment	Worn cleaning pads or brushes have been known to scratch finish in same circular pattern as buffer.
Use of alkaline degreaser or stripper for cleaning.	This will soften film. Only use cleaners designed for daily floor care use.

Cause	Solution
Floor not properly rinsed after stripping.	Vacuum up as much stripper and old finish as possible. Rinse thoroughly with neutral cleaner and water at least twice. A "hot" floor can cause finish to discolor. Change rinse water often and wring mop thoroughly.
All finish not removed in stripping.	After stripping, check dry, newly stripped floor with thumbnail for residual finish. Strip again if necessary.
Finish applied with dirty mop and bucket	Always clean mops before applying finish. Never use finish all the way to the bottom of the bucket because dirt, grit, and lint settle to the bottom. Always rinse bucket when switching from one task to another. Stripper residue left over in the bucket used for finish could ruin the finish. Line bucket with plastic bag to avoid contamination.
Poor maintenance procedures.	New finish applied over finish that has not been cleaned will turn dark.
Too much finish; infrequent scrubbing.	Use restorer to bring back the shine. Follow maintenance schedule of daily cleaning and monthly scrubbing. Apply new finish to traffic areas only. Avoid low traffic areas and baseboards.
Restorer is used too often or concentration is too strong.	Follow directions for restorer dilution and usage.
Dirt, sand, and grit are ground into the floor.	Dust mop before performing any maintenance. Clean with scrubber before any buffing operations.
Dark spots showing up in finish.	SOS pads may have been used during strip. Soap from pads embeds in tile and causes dark spots when it reacts with finish.
Dark areas developing (especially at the end of isles).	If cleaner/restorer is used with automatic, and product is based on pine oil or fatty acid soaps, residue could be softening film (especially where automatic trails are not picked up quickly) and causing floor to attract dirt.
Rust spots develop on tile with in a short time after stripping.	Fines from steel wool used on problem areas during stripping are reacting with floor finish.

Cause	Solution
Recoated before prior coat was dry.	If streaks will not burnish out, strip, rinse well with neutral cleaner and water, and apply new finish. Wait 20-30 minutes between coats. Make sure each coat is dry. Do not continue to recoat if mop drags.
Finish is applied on new tile before factory finish is stripped.	Strip, rinse well with neutral cleaner and water, and apply new finish.
Dirty mop or equipment.	Use clean rayon mops and mop buckets when performing floor care tasks.
Frozen floor finish.	Replace finish. Strip, rinse well with water and apply new finish.
Floor not properly maintained; maintenance schedule not followed.	Strip, rinse well with water and apply new finish
Mop head not "loaded" with enough finish during application.	Make sure mop is just short of dripping when removed from wringer. Turn mop over every 3-4 strokes to ensure proper delivery from mop.
Mop coming of floor when applying.	Apply in smaller strokes. Do not extend reach with mop.

Cause	Solution
Application of finish too heavy.	Apply in thin, even coats
Finish was agitated when poured in bucket causing air bubbles. Excessive use of wringer.	Gently lean on mop in wringer to load. Do not use wringer excessively.
Floor contaminated with solvent cleaner or oil based product.	Watch for use of dust mop treatments or silicone based polishes. Do not use alcohol or any other chemical to eliminate foam in bucket.

Cause	Solution
Treated mops depositing oil or silicone.	Use only untreated mops. Scrub and recoat slippery areas.
Lubricants, oils, polishes, or like products spilled on floor.	Scrub and recoat areas spills occurred. Clean or replace soiled dust mops to avoid spreading the problem throughout the building.
Water tracked in from outside.	Use walk off mats during inclement weather. Replace them often. Keep areas dry.
Floor is not being burnished enough.	Burnish floor regularly to restore "tightness" to floor.
Not enough finish has been applied.	A finished floor is more slip-resistant than a bare floor. Use only finishes which comply with ASTM D2047 Coefficient of friction

Cause	Solution
Poor maintenance of edges	Follow tasks recommended in "How to section"
Finish too thick on the edges	Apply recoats of finish to traffic areas only. Stay about six inches away from edges. Burnishing will feather the finishes together.
Restorer/maintainer applied too close to the edges.	Apply restorer/maintainer to traffic areas only.

Cause	Solution
Not burnishing floor regularly to harden finish and reduce dust	Burnish floor on a regular schedule.
Too much dirt, grit, and sand being tracked into building.	Use a sufficient number of walk-off mats. Dust mop more frequently.
Wrong choice of floor pads.	Follow manufacturer's recommendations.
Wrong choice of floor finish	Check with your floor care consultant to determine proper choice of finish.
Restorer/maintainer mixed too strongly.	Follow label directions.
Cleaner use contaminating floor.	Check for over use of floor cleaner. Cut back on dilution. Rinse floor with only water prior to recoating or restoring.