How to Strip and Wax Floors: A Commercial Guide

Stripping and waxing a floor means removing every layer of old finish with a chemical stripper, rinsing and neutralizing the surface, then applying fresh coats of finish. It is done mostly on resilient floors such as vinyl composition tile (VCT), linoleum and terrazzo. It is slow, wet, chemical-heavy work, and in an occupied building it takes planning. Below you will find the process step by step, the equipment and safety controls, what it typically costs per square foot, and how to stretch the time between strips.

TL;DR

• Stripping removes all old finish. Waxing (or refinishing) puts down new coats. Do it on VCT, linoleum and terrazzo, not on wood, laminate or ceramic tile.
• The core sequence: stage the area, apply stripper by label, let it dwell, scrub, wet-vacuum, rinse and neutralize, check pH, let the floor dry, then apply finish.
• Never let stripper dry on the floor, and treat slips, chemicals and electrical equipment as the three hazards to control.
• Published estimates put the work at roughly $1.72 to $2.15 per square foot, and your site conditions can move that.
• Daily maintenance is what keeps strips infrequent. A good schedule matters more than a good stripping crew.

Table of Contents

• What stripping and waxing a floor actually means
• Do you need to strip at all?
• Equipment and supplies you need
• How to strip and wax floors, step by step
• Safety: where stripping jobs go wrong
• What does it cost to strip and wax floors?
• DIY, in-house crew or contractor?
• Making the finish last
• Our perspective
• Floor care from one vendor
• FAQ
• Sources

What stripping and waxing a floor actually means

The New York State Office of General Services defines stripping and restoration as the complete removal of existing floor finish with a chemical stripper, followed by several new coats of finish. That is different from scrub-and-recoat, where you clean the floor and add a coat on top of the finish that is already there.

Most people still say “wax,” though modern commercial finishes are acrylic polymers. The floor care industry says “finish,” and you will see “floor stripping and finishing” on bids and specs. It is the same job.

Which floors can take it

Stripping and waxing is mainly done on resilient floors such as VCT, linoleum and terrazzo. It is not recommended for wood, laminate or ceramic tile. Read the stripper label for the floor types it is approved for and test a hidden spot first, such as under a counter or in a storage closet.

One caution for older buildings. Rhode Island Department of Health guidance, developed with EPA Region I, covers vinyl-asbestos tile. It says stripping should be done as infrequently as possible, never dry, preferably when the building is unoccupied, and with wet methods, low-speed equipment and appropriate filtration. If your building has old 9-by-9-inch tile or you are unsure what is underneath, find out before anyone starts a machine.

Do you need to strip at all?

Stripping is the heavy option. Before you schedule it, look at the floor.

• Dull but clean, finish still intact: a deep scrub and recoat is usually enough.
• Yellowing, black heel marks that will not come out, heavy buildup in corners and edges, peeling or flaking finish: time to strip.
• Finish applied over dirt in the past: strip. New finish will not bond well to a bad base.

Nycoproducts’ training guide makes the point that properly maintained floors need stripping very infrequently, and that daily maintenance with the right chemicals and tools keeps them looking their best. There is no honest universal interval in years. Traffic, grit control, the cleaner you use and the finish you chose decide it. We cover a practical routine in our VCT floor maintenance schedule.

Equipment and supplies you need

A training manual from Ultra Distributors lists the working kit for a stripping job:

• Acrylic floor stripper, diluted per the label
• Stripping pads
• A 175-RPM rotary or rectangular orbital machine
• A doodle bug (a hand tool with a pad) for edges and corners
• Scrapers or razor blades for heavy buildup
• A wet vacuum
• Mop buckets and mop equipment
• pH paper

Add caution tape and wet-floor signs, rubber gloves, safety glasses and traction stripping shoes. Have the stripper’s safety data sheet (SDS) on hand and follow the label.

Two practical notes. First, a slow machine is not a weakness. It gives the stripper time to work and is easier on the operator. Second, bring more wet-vac capacity than you think you need. Slurry left sitting is the most common cause of a failed strip.

How to strip and wax floors, step by step

The sequence below combines the Ultra Distributors procedure with the University of Western Ontario job hazard analysis. Always defer to your stripper’s label for dilution and dwell time.

1. Clear and stage the area

Remove furniture, mats and obstacles. Dust-mop the floor and remove gum or glue. Post wet-floor signs and caution tape at every approach. The UWO procedure puts these steps first, before any chemical is opened.

2. Mix and apply the stripper

Dilute the acrylic stripper according to the label. Apply only as much as you can scrub and extract before it dries. UWO’s procedure specifies an area of about 3 by 3 meters, keeping it wet for about five minutes or the label’s dwell time. Ultra’s guidance is a dwell of 10 to 15 minutes. These are different products with different labels, so use the one printed on your jug. The rule that does not change: never allow stripper to dry on the floor.

3. Agitate

Scrub slowly with the machine, working in two directions. Keep the slurry wet. Work edges and corners with the doodle bug and scrape heavy buildup by hand.

4. Pick up the slurry

Wet-vacuum the dirty solution right away. Inspect the floor. If finish remains, apply stripper again and repeat. Do not hope that rinsing will take it off.

5. Rinse and neutralize

UWO calls for two or three rinses with water or a neutralizing solution before drying. The Ultra procedure scrubs with a citric acid solution, wet-vacuums, then checks that the surface pH reads between 6 and 8 using pH paper. Mop with clean water and, if you want to speed things up, use an air mover to dry it.

6. Make sure it is truly dry

Square Scrub’s chemical-stripping guidance says the floor is ready for finish only when it is dry and no residue can be felt when you wipe your fingers across it. This is where rushed jobs go wrong. Finish over damp or residue-covered tile clouds, peels or hazes.

7. Apply the new finish

New York State OGS advises a clean rayon or rayon-blend finish mop. Load only the lower half of the mop, press out excess in the wringer, and make sure finish drips rather than running continuously. Apply thin, even coats and let each one dry before the next. Check the finish label for the number of coats and the recoat time. Keep traffic off until it is dry to the touch and the label says it can handle foot traffic.

Safety: where stripping jobs go wrong

Stripping combines wet floors, chemicals and electric equipment. The UWO analysis lists the controls that address each hazard:

Stripper chemistry is the part that is easiest to get casual about. A written procedure for labeling, storage and training matters, and a workplace chemical handling plan is a good way to organize it for the people who supervise this work. Never mix a stripper with other products unless the label says you can.

Slip risk does not end when the job does. A freshly finished floor that is wet from tracked-in rain is a hazard of its own, which is why entrance matting and walk-off strategy belong in your plan. See our guide on slip resistance floor care for the details.

What does it cost to strip and wax floors?

Homewyse’s cost calculator puts the basic cost at $1.72 to $2.15 per square foot as of January 2026, and says it varies with site conditions and options. Treat that as a ballpark for a straightforward job, not a quote. What moves the number:

• Size and layout. Large open sales floors are faster per square foot than a floor cut up by aisles, shelving and corridors.
• Floor type and condition. Heavy buildup, scratches, damaged seams or an unknown old finish take more passes.
• Furniture and fixtures. Moving them adds labor.
• Number of coats. More coats mean more drying time and more material.
• Hours. Night and weekend work, which most occupied buildings need, usually costs more than daytime work in an empty space.
• Access. Elevators, loading restrictions and parking all affect crew time.

A fair bid lists square footage, the number of strip passes allowed, the finish and coats, the hours, and who handles waste disposal. Ask for those in writing so you can compare bids on the same basis.

DIY, in-house crew or contractor?

A small stockroom is a reasonable in-house project if someone has the equipment and has done it before. A sales floor, hospital corridor, school hallway or multi-site portfolio is another matter. You have to schedule around operating hours, keep the public out, control chemicals and keep the finish consistent from site to site. Consider a contractor when:

• The building cannot close, so work has to happen overnight.
• You manage more than one location and want the same result at each.
• You have no trained staff or the right machines.
• The floor may have asbestos-containing tile, or the history is unknown.
• Your insurance, a client or an audit expects documented procedures.

Making the finish last

Stripping is an expense you want to postpone. The Forbo commercial care guide for its linoleum floors says to clean at least daily, depending on traffic and operating hours, remove spills promptly and remove soil, and use a neutral cleaner with a solution pH of 6 to 8. It also says not to flood the floor. Routine habits that protect the finish:

1. Put walk-off mats at every entrance and replace them when they are saturated.
2. Dust-mop or vacuum daily, before any wet cleaning.
3. Use a neutral cleaner, not a harsh one that eats the finish.
4. Wipe spills immediately.
5. Burnish and recoat high-traffic lanes on a schedule rather than waiting until the finish is gone.
6. Keep a log of what was done and when, so you know the real age of the finish on each floor.

Our perspective

In more than 30 years of keeping commercial buildings clean, the pattern we see is that stripping is rarely the problem. The problem is that floor care is split between a janitorial vendor, a construction contractor and a facility team, and nobody owns the floor from the first coat to the next strip. The finish gets damaged by one party and repaired by another.

We think floor care should sit inside the same contract as daily cleaning. The crew that mops your floor every night knows when the finish is wearing and can recommend a recoat before a full strip is needed. The same company can handle the repair when a tile cracks, and respond when a pipe leak floods a corridor at 2 a.m. That is why we offer cleaning, construction, handyman work and 24/7 emergency response as one service, with one contact and one set of standards across your sites.

Stripping and finishing should be scheduled, documented and done with the right chemicals, protection for occupants and a clear plan for waste. If a contractor cannot tell you that plan before the job, find one who can.

— Nationwide Maintenance.

Floor care from one vendor

If you manage commercial, retail, healthcare, school or government space in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut, our interior and floor care team can handle stripping, finishing and the daily maintenance that follows. If your tile needs replacing rather than refinishing, our VCT and ceramic flooring services cover that too. As a WBE-certified vendor, we can help you consolidate vendors under one contract and meet supplier diversity requirements. To discuss your sites, start at nationwidemaintenance.com.

FAQ

How often should floors be stripped and waxed?

There is no fixed calendar. Properly maintained floors need stripping very infrequently, and daily cleaning with the right chemicals and tools is what makes that possible. Strip when the finish is yellowed, heavily buildup-laden or no longer cleans up, and use recoating in between.

What do I need to strip and wax floors?

You need acrylic stripper, stripping pads, a low-speed floor machine, a doodle bug for edges, scrapers, a wet vacuum, mops, pH paper and floor finish. You also need wet-floor signs, gloves, safety glasses and slip-resistant shoes. Read the stripper’s label and SDS before you start.

What is the average cost to strip and wax a floor?

One published estimate is $1.72 to $2.15 per square foot for basic work as of January 2026. Your actual price depends on size, floor condition, number of coats, access and whether work has to happen after hours. Get written bids that list the same scope.

Can I strip and wax a wood, laminate or tile floor?

No. Stripping and waxing is for resilient floors such as VCT, linoleum and terrazzo, and it is not recommended for wood, laminate or ceramic tile. Check the manufacturer’s care instructions for your floor.

Sources

• Floor Care and Maintenance, New York State Office of General Services
• How to Strip and Wax a Floor, Janitori
• Suggested Guidelines for the Maintenance of Floor Coverings, Rhode Island Department of Health
• Floor Care Program, Nycoproducts
• EPIC Training Manual, Ultra Distributors
• Job Hazard Analysis: Floor Stripping, University of Western Ontario
• Commercial Chemical Stripping, Square Scrub
• Cost to Strip and Wax Floor, Homewyse
• Commercial Floor Care Guide, Forbo Marmoleum

Recommended

• Slip Resistance Floor Care for Facility Managers
• VCT Floor Maintenance: A Schedule Facility Managers Can Use