These procedures apply to VCT WITHOUT Diamond 10 Technology Coating. Follow this link for procedures WITH VCT WITH Diamond 10 Technology Coating.

Causes and Solutions

Possible causes of scratch whitening:

• dark floors enhance contrast between the floor and normal white scratches
• dark floors used in high-traffic areas and not adequately maintained
• too aggressive of a floor pad or brush (such as black)

To remove scratches from VCT flooring, use the following procedure:

1. Start with a 3M Blue or Green pad or equivalent brush.
2. Apply standard stripping solution over entire area.  Let it set for the recommended amount of time per the manufacture and then scrub; it is important to scrub the floor until the cleaning solution turns the color of the floor.  This will help to smooth out the major scratches.
3. Vacuum up dirty solution.
4. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.
5. Evaluate the appearance of the flooring and if some scratching still remains, continue with the following steps:
6. Wet area with water or a neutral detergent and scrub with a Red pad or equivalent brush making multiple passes over the scratched area; this should make the tile surface look almost as smooth as when it came out of the box.
7. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.
8. Apply sealer and polish as recommended by the flooring manufacturer.