Why Commercial Facilities Need to Strip and Wax Floors

City Wide Facility Solutions
Published on February 1, 2023

The beginning of the year is a great time to be thinking about scheduling a strip and wax of your commercial flooring. Winter is especially harsh on your floors because, in addition to the normal soil and moisture accumulation, rock salt and other deicing chemicals are often tracked into your facility. These components are especially hard on your floor’s finish and will wear it away over time.

Even with regular vacuuming and mopping, your floors will eventually need to be restored with a strip and wax. City Wide Facility Solutions is a great partner because your dedicated facility service manager (FSM) will know your facility, its floors, and the local climate. They will be able to determine your strip and wax needs and proactively schedule the service to make sure your floors always look their best.

Read more to learn why commercial facilities need to strip and wax floors…

Benefits of strip and wax service

The top of your commercial flooring is covered with a finish designed to prevent the accumulation of dirt, grime, scratches, and spills. Overtime, this finish will wear down due to foot traffic and will need to be stripped and replaced (strip and wax).

The benefits of strip and wax include:

  • Restore flooring to like-new appearance
  • Removes grit and grime
  • Strips away old finish
  • Adds new finish
  • Restores brilliance
  • Improves first impressions of your facility

Why you need a strip and wax

Most facilities have experienced increased foot traffic due to employees returning to the office after an extended work from home period. An increase in foot traffic means your floor finish is wearing down faster and may need to be replaced.

Facility managers should take a look at the current state of their building’s floors. Do they lack luster or do they look dinged, stained, and damaged? The simplest and most cost-effective solution to poor-looking commercial floors is scheduling a strip and wax. Although this service can take some time to complete, it is much more favorable than replacing your floors.

If you are unsure about needing a strip and wax, contact your City Wide FSM to discuss your options.

When is the best time to schedule a strip and wax

When regular scrubbing, vacuuming and mopping no longer returns your floors to their original shine, it is time to schedule a strip and wax. Cleaners and day porters do their best keeping your floors clean throughout the day. But some floor finish damage cannot be cleaned away because it is ingrained or the finish itself is worn away.

If your facility’s floors have experienced a harsh winter or excessive wear and tear due to return to work, moving equipment, in-person events, or they simply do not look as good as they used to, a strip and wax is a great option for restoring your floors.

Keys to an effective strip and wax

The keys to an effective strip and wax are timing, scheduling, and finding the right vendor.

Timing is everything when it comes to your floors. Scheduling a strip and wax before the winter can effectively prevent floor damage. Scheduling it after winter can remove any damage your floors may have experienced.

Scheduling your strip and wax is important because it does take some time to dry. Depending on the size of your facility and the amount of flooring you have, this service may take a few days or even a week to complete. Your FSM will schedule your strip and wax when it works best for your operation to prevent downtime.

Finding the right strip and wax vendor is easy because City Wide pre-vets all specialist vendors we schedule for your facility. In addition to strip and wax, we can also assist with your janitorial and commercial cleaning needs, as well as over 20 additional facility services.