Learning Guide Maintain and restore hard floors 29391 Maintain and restore hard floor surfaces Level 3 10 credits Name: Workplace: Issue 1.0
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Contents Introduction... 1 Stains on floors... 2 Scrub hard floors... 3 What is a scrubbing machine?... 3 Strip hard floors... 7 Polish hard floors... 12 Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 3
Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 4
Introduction As a cleaner, what you do and how you do it makes a difference to cleanliness and hygiene for people working in, living in, or visiting the place you clean. It also makes a difference to other staff members and even to you. This learning guide gives you information about specialist cleaning of hard floors. How to use your learning guide This learning guide supports your learning and prepares you for the unit standard assessment. There are activities to do to guide your learning. This guide relates to the following unit standard: 29391 Maintain and restore hard floor surfaces (level 3, 10 credits). This learning guide is yours to keep. Make it your own by writing notes that help you remember things, or where you need to find more information. Follow the tips in the notes column. You may use highlighter pens to show important information and ideas, and think about how this information applies to your work. You might find it helpful to talk to your workmates or supervisor. Complete this learning guide before you start the assessment. What you will learn This topic will help you to: remove identifiable and unidentifiable stains from hard floors. machine scrub hard floors. strip floors ready for applying finishes. apply finishes to floors. polish floors. Media Watch this floor care training video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzjxx HHzcww Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 1
Stains on floors Specialist cleaning and maintenance of hard floors requires the floor to be clean, beginning with scrubbing. Remove stains from a hard floor before you scrub. Stains may be identifiable or non-identifiable. An identifiable stain is a stain that you are able to identify. This means you know what caused the stain and can find out exactly what you must do to treat it. When you know what type of stain it is and what type of floor it is, you can select your cleaning agent. You can select the correct cleaning agent by: reading the labels on the bottles of cleaning agent. looking at the stain removal chart. If you need to mix the cleaning agent, follow the instructions on the label of the cleaning agent. Do a colourfast test by applying a small amount of the cleaning agent in an area that is not visible. Apply the cleaning solution to the stain according to manufacturer s instructions. Neutralise the cleaning agent to stop it from working. Rinse the floor. Sometimes it is not possible to identify a stain. If you don t know what caused a stain, it is called an unidentifiable stain. To remove an unidentifiable stain, you will follow a similar procedure for removing an identifiable stain. However, because you are not able to identify the stain, you will first have to do a spot test on the stain, to find a cleaning agent that will remove the stain. More info The learning guide for unit standard 29386 clean hard floors has information on the process to remove stains from hard floors. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 2
Scrub hard floors The purpose of scrubbing a floor is to clean the floor and remove any dirt and apply an even shine to the surface. Scrubbing will not polish your floor and could even make your floor more dull. Burnish or polish your floor after scrubbing to achieve the best results. What is a scrubbing machine? Scrubbing machines are used to remove dirt and dirty marks from large areas of floor. They are used where there are large floor areas, like shopping malls, supermarkets and hospitals. There are both walk-behind and sit-on floor scrubbers. They come in both battery and electric types. Using a floor machine that runs at 175-300 rpm will make scrubbing your floors an easy task. Scrubbing machine Other names for a scrubbing machine are: floor machine. floor scrubber. polishing/scrubbing machine. scrubber/polisher/dryer. auto scrubber. You will learn about how to scrub hard floors with a scrubbing machine or scrubber/polisher/dryer. This learning guide does not include instructions for using auto scrubbers. Auto scrubbers lay down the water, scrub the floor, and pick up the water as you push it along. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 3
Select equipment You will need: scrubbing machine. soft brushes or medium to coarse nylon scrubbing pads coarse hand pad or doodle bug for hard to reach areas. scraper. dustrol for dust mopping. mops, squeegee and bucket. wet/dry vacuum cleaner. transformer or residual current device (RCD) isolating power cord. brush and pan for picking up dirt. warning signs. cleaning detergent. You should have personal protective equipment (PPE) including rubber gloves and safety goggles for handling the cleaning chemical. Prepare the cleaning solution following the instructions on the label. Make sure you choose the correct type of cleaning solution that is suited to the finish on the floor. The solution must be kept away from power points and electrical switches. Make sure the area is well-ventilated (aired). Open windows or use an air mover to keep fresh air moving into the area. Make sure you are not working near fire or flames. The area must be No Smoking. Electrical safety around water Your safety check for electrical equipment must include checking that there is a current electrical safety certificate. Working with electrical equipment around water can be dangerous. To minimise the danger: always make sure your hands are dry while you are using the scrubbing machine. always use a transformer or Residual Current Device (RCD) to reduce the risk of electric shock. While working, power leads to be kept behind machine at all times to prevent machine from cutting or damaging lead. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 4
Prepare the hard floor The area is checked and made ready for scrubbing by the removal of loose soil and dust. Remove anything stuck to the floor because this could stick to or rip the floor pad on the scrubbing machine. Dustrol the area to be scrubbed. Damp mop area if necessary. Using tank scrubbing machine Fill the tank or tanks, following the manufacturer s instructions. When you start your machine the pad must sit flat on the floor. This will make your machine stay in one place instead of going forward. Allow detergent on floor only in sufficient quantities to generate even foam. Start moving forward. Walk in straight lines. Use an overlapping stroke. Scrubbing pattern Always keep the floor scrubber moving slowly and evenly and do not let it stay in one place while the scrubbing pads are turning. If you must stop, turn off the machine by pressing the off switch. Take care at corners. Check that there is nothing in the way of the floor scrubber before going around the corner. Avoid damaging furnishings, fittings and fixtures. Using scrubbing machine without tank Apply detergent by mop to an area of 10-15 square metres. Scrub by machine in pattern indicated above. Hand clean edges as required. Hand scrubbing Apply detergent over an area of about 4-5 square metres. Use the scrubber to thoroughly scrub the wet area. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 5
Rinse the floor If you have a wet dry vacuum with front mount squeegee, mop the floor wet and pickup water with the vacuum. Or, if you do not have a wet dry vacuum, use a mop and fresh water. Mop in a figure eight pattern rinsing and wringing your mop regularly. Change water frequently. Rinse floor using a clean mop and clean water. Do not use too much water. Mop as dry as possible using microfibre mop. After you have completed mopping your floor, check for dirt. If necessary, mop the floor once more using fresh cold water and a mop. Dry the floor. Use a fan or air mover to speed up drying. Dustrol the floor. Remove all marks and loosened dirt. Remove splash marks from the walls and skirting boards by hand with a doodle bug. Doodle bug Completing the job Cleaning solutions should be disposed of down a cleaner s sink or down the toilet. Do not empty cleaning solutions down storm water drains or in the gutter. Wash and scrub the scrubbing pad and hang it up to dry. Brushes, pads and mop head to be hung up to dry. Wipe down the scrubbing machine. Wind up the cord. If battery powered auto scrubbing machine is used, the LED display should be checked before and after use to see battery charge. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 6
Strip hard floors By carefully looking after a polished floor, you can increase the life of the finish. However, when a polished hard floor begins to wear, then it will need to be scrubbed, stripped and polished again. A floor will need to be scrubbed, stripped and polished if: the traffic lanes (the places where people walk the most) are worn. the floor is shiny on the sides, but dull in the middle. Select equipment The purpose of stripping is to remove polish or solvent wax from hard floor surfaces. You will need: slow speed scrubbing machine with anti-splash skirt or splash ring. coarse scrubbing pad or stiff brush. stripping pad. buffing pad. dustrol for dust mopping. buckets and mops for stripping and rinsing. sealer and sealer applicator (microfibre mop). doodle bug for edges and corners. squeegee. wet/dry vacuum cleaner. transformer or residual current device (RCD). fans or air movers. rubber gloves. goggles. respirator. non-slip shoes. Remove all furnishings and fittings from the area before you start. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 7
Prepare stripping solution Stripping is best done on a dry day as this helps for quicker drying. There are two types of stripping solutions: alkaline. solvent. Alkaline stripping solutions are generally stronger and are good for areas of heavy polish build up. However, alkaline stripping solutions are also difficult to use. They need more rinsing to remove all leftover chemicals. You may need to rinse the floor two or three times before applying the polish. Take care when preparing stripping solution. If it is too strong, it can burn the vinyl flooring. Stripper solution is to be made up according to manufacturer s instructions or follow the instructions on the label of cleaning agent. Do not breathe in chemical fumes. Use a respirator and/or air mover when working with chemicals. Apply stripping solution Area is checked and made ready for scrubbing, stripping and polishing, as you would for scrubbing. Using a large mop, apply the stripping solution evenly over an area of no more than 10 square metres. Take care not to splash stripper on walls, furnishings or fittings. When applying the stripping solution, break the job into smaller areas. Apply the stripping solution to one area of the floor at a time, so it doesn t dry out. Work backwards. Do the edges first and then fill in the middle. Leave the solution on the floor for 5-10 minutes. Check the instructions on the label for the dwell time. After about five minutes, agitate the area with your mop to break up the surface polish and let the stripper soak through to the hard floor. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 8
Machine scrub the floor using a stripping pad If you are using a machine with a vacuum, check that the vacuum motor is switched off before you start. Pass the machine slowly over the area to which the solution has been applied. Strip close to edges, walls and furniture. Strip edges and corners using a coarse hand pad or a doodle bug. Work from the furtherest point back towards the door. Use a hand pad around the edges. Use the machine on the main area. Check pad or brush. Turn the pad frequently. Change to a clean pad or brush as and when necessary. Mop up sludge with a different mop than was used for applying stripping solution, or use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. Remove any splashes from the skirting boards or walls while it is still wet. Remove splashes by hand with a scouring pad. Continue operation until the entire floor area to be stripped has the desired appearance. Squeegee or wet vacuum up the stripping solution Rinse the floor with clean water to remove all polish and stripper. If you have a wet/dry vacuum with front mount squeegee, mop the floor wet and pickup water with the vacuum. Or, if you do not have a wet dry vacuum, use a mop or squeegee and clean water. Mop in a figure eight rinsing and wringing your mop regularly. Change water frequently as it becomes dirty. Rinse twice with clean mop and water. After rinsing, check the floor. If there is still polish or stripping solution, keep rinsing the floor until all polish and stripping solution is removed. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 9
Rinse the floor again and neutralise the surface Rinse the floor again using clean water and a neutral detergent. This will remove any leftover stripping solution. If you are using an alkaline stripping solution, you may need to rinse the floor two or three times to remove all stripping solution. Dry the floor Use a fan or air mover to speed up the process. When the floor is thoroughly dry, buff with a buffing pad. Turn the pad frequently. If needed, use machine to dry burnish area to give uniform appearance. Dustrol the floor to remove any dirt or dust. Air mover Media Watch this video on how to strip and wax a floor www.youtube.com/w atch?v=97siwoq4txk Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 10
Seal the floor Make sure there adequate ventilation for sealing. All doors to be opened. Apply the sealer using a microfibre mop. Check that the mop is dust free. When you apply the sealer, start at the edges first, then fill in the middle. Read and follow the manufacturer s instructions carefully. The instructions will tell you how many coats of sealer to apply. It is important to let the floor dry thoroughly between coats. The sealer must be totally dry, before applying the next coat of sealer. Use a fan or air mover to speed up drying. Clean your equipment and store it away Wipe down the scrubbing machine and the vacuum. Wash and scrub the scrubbing pad and hang it up to dry. Brushes, pads and mop head to be hung up to dry. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 11
Polish hard floors The purpose of applying synthetic polishes and waxes is to enhance the appearance of hard floor surfaces. Select equipment You will need: high speed polishing machine. buffing pads or soft brushes. clean mop to apply polish or wax. polish or wax. electrostatic dust mop. Prepare the area Remove furnishings and fittings. Remove all surface dust with dust mop. Do not apply polish or wax to a dirty floor. Follow the manufacturer s instructions to tell you how many coats of polish or wax to apply. Apply polish or wax Use a clean, dust free microfibre mop to apply a thin, even layer of polish or wax around the edge of the area to be treated. Do not attempt to heat wax. If the polish turns a milky colour either you have not rinsed and neutralised the floor properly, or the weather is too cold, damp or humid. Apply the first coat of polish or wax thinly, using overlapping strokes. Work in sections 2 metres wide, covering the entire area, right to the edges. Do not lay the 2nd, 3rd coats to the edge. Overlapping strokes Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 12
Dry Allow the polish or wax to dry. Fans can be used to speed up the drying if is taking too long. If fans are used, turn them on and blow around the area before you start the job, to remove dust and debris. Otherwise this can end up on the wet polish. The polish must be totally dry, before applying the next coat of polish. Some types of polish should be buffed between coats. Check the instructions on the label. Lay the second coat of polish or wax at right angles to first coat. Lay the coats at right angles Finish the floor The polish may take 24-48 hours to dry. Once completely dry, buff the floor with a fine pad or soft brush. Dust mop the area. Repeat high speed buffing and dry mopping until the required finish is achieved. Clean your equipment and store it away Wipe down the polishing machine. Wash and scrub the scrubbing pad and hang it up to dry. Brushes, pads and mop head hung up to dry. Maintain and restore hard floors (US 29391) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016 13