If you are looking for a cleaning service to make your floors shine, the services offered by many businesses can be confusing. What is the difference between buffing and burnishing? Do your floors need to be stripped? What is a hard finish? Most importantly, what on earth does your floor actually need? Read on to learn what basic floor cleaning terms mean as well as what floor buffing and burnishing services your business may need.
1. Floor Buffing and Burnishing: Key Differences
While it may seem to the untrained eye that floor buffing and burnishing are the same process, there are actually some subtle yet important differences between the two. Burnishing is done at a much higher speed than buffing, and burnishing machines are much heavier to allow for a more aggressive polish. Buffing machines are lighter, perform fewer revolutions per minute, and can be used in smaller spaces due to their greater maneuverability.
Both processes work by polishing the coats of finish on the surface of the floor. With burnishing, it is vital to have plenty of layers of finish on the floor beforehand. If an improperly finished floor is burnished, the burnisher can strip away the surface of the floor. This risk is greatly diminished with buffing. However, burnishing gives a shiny “wet” look to floors that buffing cannot quite provide.
2. Hard Finish vs. Soft Finish
There are various finishing products that your cleaning service can use. What they use will depend on what look you want for your floors and how much time and resources you want to spend maintaining their appearance. Hard finishes are generally easier and cheaper to maintain because they do not require as much attention. They are better than soft finishes at keeping dirt out, but they do not provide as much shine as soft finishes can. Soft finishes provide unmatched shine, but they require more frequent maintenance and application as a result. Talk to your professional cleaning service about which finish is best for your floor.
3. What is Floor Stripping?
You have probably come across floor stripping and refinishing at some point, but what is it exactly? Floor stripping is exactly what it sounds like: the top layers of finish are stripped away, often with chemical agents and abrasive materials. The layers of stripped finish are cleaned away, the floor is cleaned, and layers of new finish are applied.
Commercial Cleaning Services from A 360 Cleaning
A 360 Cleaning has provided Maryland with top-notch professional cleaning and janitorial services for over 12 years. We don’t cut corners and ensure that every customer is satisfied with their cleaning. Whether you need a glitter spill cleaned up or an entire office building, we are happy to help! We currently serve the following areas: Baltimore, Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Severna Park. To explore how we can help keep your facility clean all year long, give us a call at 410-852-5800 or visit us online. For more cleaning tips, follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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