Slate Floor Cleaning / Waxing -- Sealed? Problem with white crud on surface after cleaning...

[Jamie Dolan]

HI,

I just moved into a new home,, (acutally I am moving into my grandparrents old home). The front foyer is slate, I think it is vermont slate, There are a couple different colors of slate in the floor.

I assumed it was sealed. (Home was build in 1963, everything in the home was build on the high end side of things, so I imangine some type of sealer was used). Water does not seem to asorb into the slate very much, if at all.

I have had some kind of dull whiteish area on the surface a little bit, wasnt sure what it was, I assumed it was something on the surface(dirt) or old layers of wax. I used a good detergent and scrubbed the entire floor,, then I used a strong dose of a commercial floor stripped and scrubbed it well. Then I came back and scrubbed it with a mix of 1 cup a gallon of ammonina, then I washed it down with a very mild mix of a floor cleaner that works as a neturalizer after stripping. I just followed this same procedure, (at the same time tonight) on my kitchen vinyl floor as well. The kitchen floor is looking great, Ill give it a clean hot water wash, then I will wax it with a commercial floor wax.

Ok here is the situation (and my point in describing the kitchen floor situation): The slate floor now has a while residue over about half of it in random spots. It does not come up even with vigerous scrubbing with a mop. I got down and tried to rub this off with a rag,, none of it came up at all. I scratched at it with my thumb nail and I was able to clear off a little bit of it. The best description of it I can thing to say is that it is kind of kind watered down laytex paint on the floor.

I don't know what else to do to get this clean short of scrubbing every square inch of it with a wire brush, and I am not sure that is a good idea, i fear it will damage the slate.

Once this is cleaned up (however that is going to happen), then, I don't know if I need to try and seal it again or if I can just throw some comercial flor wax on it the way I am going to do on the kitchen vinyl floor...

Any help is greatly appricated. (I have been up all night scrubbing both floors!! big project!, but it really really needed it)

Thanks again

Jamie Dolan fox cities, WI

[m Ransley]

Did you use a wax remover like Lundmark. There are electric floor scrubbers for 100$ or so or you can rent a commercial unit, I have used them on slate. Another option is a pro who knows what to do to make it right the first time and guide you on maintenance.

[JoeM]

[Jamie Dolan]

I don't know exactly what the lundmark brand is, but I used a comercial stipped that removes all wax from a floor.

I found that if I use a commet type cleanser and scrub very very hard, I get the tiles very very nice and clean. Although it is going to be a increadable amount of work to do that by hand, so I may see if I can rent one of the units you refer to. I am also going to try my da sanded with a cotton pad on it using the cleanser on it and see if that works at all.

thanks!

jamie

[Jamie Dolan]

The more I look at it, the more I think it was some type of sealer, but it is all spotty and half worn off now.

I think I will be able to get it up with lot of scrubbing...

But then what do I do, Apply several coats of wax or try some type of sealer?

jamie

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