| Term | Definition |
| Automatic Floor Machine | A self-contained, single- or multiple-disc floor machine that dispenses cleaning solution, scrubs the floor, and takes up the spent solution in a single operation, leaving the floor clean and dry. Available in a variety of sizes, automatic floor machines can be equipped with either brushes or pads. |
| Buffable | Capable of improvements in gloss and/or overall appearance of a polish film by mechanical action. |
| Buffable Floor Polish | A floor polish with properties which respond to buffing to maintain and/or enhance appearance. |
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Buffing | A process which makes the floor polish smooth and glossy. To reach the desired result, the proper combination of pad/brush, machine speed and polish must be attained. There must be enough polish (three to five coats) to prevent the pad/brush from making contact with the flooring surface. Always follow flooring manufacturer’s recommendations for pads/brushes, polishes and when selecting the rpm of buffing machines. |
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Burnishing | A process which makes the floor polish smooth and glossy. To reach the desired result, the proper combination of pad/brush, machine speed and polish must be attained. There must be enough polish (three to five coats) to prevent the pad/brush from making contact with the flooring surface. Always follow flooring manufacturer’s recommendations for pads/brushes, polishes and when selecting the rpm of buffing machines. |
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Cleaning | Removal of minor marks, dust, grit and other extraneous materials from a surface. |
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Damp-mopping | This procedure involves the removal of fine dust, grit and spills from the floor surface with a mop dampened with a neutral detergent solution. Performed daily, this procedure helps to control grit and can reduce time and money spent on more intensive maintenance procedures. |
| Detergent Resistance | The degree to which a polish film exhibits no apparent deterioration when spot-mopped or cleaned with a nonabrasive, nonalkaline detergent solution. |
| Drag | Physical resistance to the spreading of a polish. |
| Floor Machine | A single-disc machine that can be equipped with either pads or brushes. It can be used for scrubbing, buffing and stripping. |
| Floor Machine Brush | A circular brush with the bristles of varying stiffness and abrasiveness, depending on whether it’s to be used for scrubbing, buffing or stripping. Bristles are made of natural or synthetic fibers or grit-impregnated nylon. Always follow flooring manufacturer’s guidelines for choosing the floor machine brush with the appropriate stiffness and abrasiveness. |
| Floor Machine Pad | A nonwoven nylon, polyester, or natural fiber disc up to 1″ thick. Each disc has various types and sizes of intertwined fibers, some of which may have grit particles bound to the fiber surface. Coarseness of the pad determines its use: least coarse for buffing, with increasing coarseness for scrubbing and stripping. Pads are color-coded to designate their coarseness and use. Lighter-color pads tend to be less abrasive, with darker-color pads being the most abrasive. Pad manufacturer’s generally follow these guidelines: 1. Natural fiber for burnishing; 2. White for polishing; 3. Beige for buffing; 4. Red for spray-buffing and light scrubbing; 5. Blue or Green (medium abrasive) for scrubbing and stripping; 6. Brown or black (extremely abrasive). Armstrong does not recommend the use of brown or black pads on any of our resilient floors. |
| High- Speed Buffer | A floor machine designed for buffing and spray-buffing at speeds of 300 to 1100 rpm. (For machines in the 1100 to 2000 plus rpm range, see Ultra high-speed buffer.) |
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Leveling | The ability of a freshly spread aqueous polish to dry to a uniform and streak-free appearance. |
| Neutral Cleaner/ Neutral Detergent | A mild (pH of 6 to 8) detergent that does not contain any strongly alkaline materials, and is designed to remove soil, not floor polish. |
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Polish | A temporary coating that enhances the appearance and protects the substrate to which it is applied. |
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Polishing | The application of a temporary coating that protects the floor from wear, abrasion, soiling and discoloration, while smoothing the surface and significantly improving gloss. Polishes are easily removed and replaced or refurbished. |
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Powdering | Partial or total disintegration of the polish film, resulting in a fine, light-colored material. |
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Recoatability | The application characteristics of a polish and the appearance of the film after successive coatings to a surface. |
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Scrubbing | Washing a floor by wetting it with detergent solution, then using a moderately abrasive nonwoven pad or appropriate brush, either by hand or attached to a low-speed floor machine, to vigorously agitate the wet surface. This procedure is used when a floor is heavily soiled, and less-aggressive cleaning methods have been unsuccessful. Always rinse thoroughly after scrubbing. |
| Scuffing Of Polish | Disfigurement of polish film resulting from an abrading or scraping action which is usually repairable without recoating. |
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Sealer | Acrylic coating used on floors to help smooth out the surface prior to the application of floor polish. Some sealers also provide stain resistance. |
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Sealing | The application of a semipermanent coating to the surface of a floor to act as a base for floor polish and/or to increase stain resistance. Sealers are more difficult to remove than polishes. |
| Self-polishing Floor Polish | A floor polish that dries to a shine. Also know as “dry bright” polish. |
| Spot-mopping | Damp-mopping isolated spots and spills. |
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Spray-buffing | The application and buffing of a dilute floor polish or a specially formulated spray-buffing compound. This procedure is especially useful in high-traffic areas. The liquid is sprayed on the floor and then immediately buffed with a floor machine until dry. Armstrong Commercial Resilient Vinyl floors with a UV Cured Urethane finish may be spray buffed instead of the regular polish option. Armstrong Commercial Resilient floors without a UV Cured Urethane finish may be spray buffed if the floor has a minimum three to five coats of polish applied before the spray buffing. |
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Stripping | The removal of old floor polish, using a strong, and usually very alkaline, detergent and scrubbing procedures. Stripping is done to small segments of the floor at a time, with each segment being thoroughly rinsed before moving to the next segment. Stripping (and necessary reapplication of polish) is a very aggressive floor maintenance procedure and should be done only when absolutely necessary. |
| Ultra High- Speed Buffer | Usually a single-disc buffer that operates in the 1100 to 2000 plus rpm range. It allows for quick buffing and burnishing, thus reducing labor costs. It should be operated only by properly trained maintenance personnel. It is to be used only on precleaned floors with enough polish (three to five coats) to prevent the pad or brush from coming in contact with the actual flooring surface. |
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Walk-Off Mat | A sheet of material placed at building entrances to remove gritty soil from the soles of shoes. Good mats should also trap soil so it does not get picked up by subsequent traffic. As a general rule, mats should be as wide as the doorway and ideally 8′ to 12′ long. |
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Washing | The floor cleaning method utilizing a detergent solution to wet the floor. While wet, a mildly abrasive tool, such as a cotton mop or a sponge, is used to agitate the surface.If required, rinse the floor thoroughly after washing it. |
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Wax | A temporary protective coating similar to polish but softer in composition. Must be buffed to achieve maximum gloss. |
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Wet-Vac | A vacuum cleaner that picks up aqueous solutions. It’s particularly useful when scrubbing or stripping a floor. |