How would you guys aproach this.

Eddie Prudhoe

Cleantalk Member
Hi guys I recently completed a carpet cleaning of a whole house and customer is delighted with the results. She has asked me if I can clean her amtico flooring. I have recently started hard surface cleaning and done a few tile and grout jobs and had great results after investing in rotary equipment and spinner tools. I have been on a training course but again as you know when entering a new area it can be forgotten quickly. Just wanted to know how you guys would tackle this job. I have a rotary and spinners however being a wooden amtico flooring I'm not using spinners and high volume of water. I was thinking of using a a good degreaserf from clover products as its all lower floor through kitchen diner. Misted down then rotary agitation with green pad then acid mop to neutralise then dry using air movers. Customer has also asked about sealing the floor. What would other people's approach be on this job? Any help or comments appreciated. New to this area so appologise if any silly questions.
 

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Jacob Ward

Cleantalker Veteran
Eddie

Antic is made in your city

Pop in and have a chat with them.

Degreaser might damage it or any topical sealer it may have.

How I would do this would be to use a little sts sprayed down and a go over with an excentr machine.

So much easier when you have the right tools.

J
 

Thomas Wright

Cleantalk Member
Hi Eddie, If it is Amtico LVT flooring, it is fairly easy to do. I believe Amtico and, definitely, Karndean provide their customer with 1-3 bottles of a stripper, maintenance, and dressing as an aftersale gift.- so if a customer can do it... Anyways, you can lay down a high alkaline (stripper) cleaner TM's No 1 is the common product for this, although I use No 3 (they say you shouldn't, but test first. I have used it to good effect. You can either use a sprayer and a mop to do this. allow this to dwell for 5-10 mins and then agitate, a TM 40 (with Pad C) or Floor mac (red or green pad) is ideal for this. In the absence of either a scrub with a doodlebug with a red pad or if not available just a mop, (you'll be trying to emulsify the old dressing). Next, extract the emulsified dressing either by a wet-n-dry vac, mop, or if your 'spinner has a vac to it use that if suitable.

Follow this up with neutralization of the area using a neutral cleaner and mop. Allow the area to dry (use blowers if needed). Next use a dressing (TM's 'Shield Matt') is the go-to (Nick also does an Xcalibur range of 'Hard Floor' products and sells some of TM's range). Two coats of a suitable dressing will/should provide a 'Satin' finish (which is the what is required) There is a 'gloss' finish, but that's a personal choice/taste thing...

Remember to put down the dressing e.g. east-to-west and the second north-to-south or visa versa. A flat mop is ideal for this. There is plenty of advice out there- speak to the guys at TM if needed. Mair does a good youtube video on it - here: Although they are using the TM 40 in the video.

The idea is to, as you alluded to not allow too much water, but enough to do the job- don't forget the liquid still has to dwell for a short period. LVT is a very robust floor (I see them in kitchens and bathrooms...) so they can take a reasonable amount of liquid on them because of the dressing layer.

PS make sure that it is an LVT (Amtico) floor by testing.

Just on the point that Amtio and Kardean provide the customer with an 'aftercare' package indicates that they allow the customer to do this, states that it is a relatively easy process -which it is.. Note both Amtico and Kardean provide their customers with great warranties (25yrs in some of their products!). So dependent on how long the floor has bee down (ask) as by using a 'third party' product (s) you may be invalidating the warranty!!! Speak to the customer on this matter, and inform them that you will be using 'third-party' products (which are better), or does the customer want you to stick to an Amtico product because of the warranty? In my experience, most are not bothered...

You can find advice about maintaining an Amtico floor: here on their website (its similar to what Karndean recommends ): https://www.amtico.com/flooring/products/cleaning-care/

The thought process in your post, is sound and about right; with the correct products either your own selection, TM's, or Nick's at World of Clean, you will be ok.

Hope this helps.
 
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