Floor Wax and it can be applied to just about any flooring

surface such as ceramic tile, wood, concrete

Floor Wax is a wax-based preparation used to
and vinyl (although not all vinyls.) Floor wax has
finish and polish floors. It is meant to increase
been on the market as a finishing agent for a
hardness and glossiness in flooring and create
long time and is readily available to any
resistance against slips and scuff marks and
business that chooses to use it, it handles high
includes ingredients like polymer emulsions,
traffic well and is formulated to repel stains and
urethane and resins to achieve this. There are
resist scratches and abrasions.
some major considerations to take into account
for any business owner contemplating how to Cons of Floor Wax
coat and protect their floors, such as health
Although floor wax is suitable for almost any
effects, durability and
type of floor and has been popular for a long
Floor Wax Ingredients time, many businesses and flooring industry
professionals are starting to question it’s harsh
When choosing a floor wax it’s important to
chemical contents and the long-term effects
keep in mind what kind of chemicals you want
that might have for anyone in an environment
to come in contact with on a daily basis since
with floor wax. In addition many modern Vinyl
constant buffing and waxing is required to keep
and Vinyl Tile Composite Floors (VCT) are
floors looking spotless and new with the use of
classified as “no wax” floors, therefore ruling
wax. Traditional synthetic waxes contain
out wax as an option for those spaces, in which
ingredients like cresol, which causes liver and
case the business owner must look into
kidney damage, and formaldehyde, which has
alternative floor finishes.
been linked to numerous medical conditions
including asthma, cancer and reproductive Floor Wax Maintenance
problems and has mostly been replaced by
Floor wax requires a great deal of maintenance
other ingredients except in older waxes. They
to keep its shine in the face of heavy foot traffic,
also contain hazardous chemicals like
depending on the type of floor you may need to
nitrobenzene, perchloroethylene, phenol,
buff and even strip and reapply the wax at least
toluene and xylene. Synthetic waxes like floor
once a year.
wax have very little to no wax in them at all, so
the name is somewhat misleading. Whether or not you choose to use wax to finish
or refinish your floors, commercial spaces and
There are less chemical, eco-friendly floor
businesses need a protective coating on their
waxes available on the market using ingredients
floors in order to look keep the area looking
like carnauba wax to effectively seal off porous
new and to facilitate easy and regular cleaning.
flooring surfaces, they are specialty items and in
general are more costly. It is also possible to An Eco-Friendly Alternative
make your own floor wax, although this would
be not be recommended for large commercial If you are using or is considering floor wax, we
areas and businesses. invite to you try an eco-friendly alternative —
Green Shield Floors UV sealer. It’s got many
Pros of Floor Wax advantages over floor wax and you’ll also save
time and money on maintenance.
When applied and maintained properly floor
wax has a high shine to it which is desirable for Floor wax is a liquid mixture of chemicals that
many businesses and commercial spaces with, create a thin, hard, protective surface when
applied and allowed to dry on a surface. Floor polymer emulsions as bits of wax holding the
wax offers glossiness, additional hardness, slip potential to perform the tasks of glossiness, slip
and scuff resistance, while protecting the floor resistance, scuff resistance and so on.
from water or other liquid damage. Ingredients
Film Formers
within floor waxes fall into five main categories.
Film formers create a glue, bonding the polymer
Water
emulsions to the water, so that when dried the
Water is the main ingredient in most liquid- polymer emulsions do not produce crystals on
based drinks, cleaners and other solutions; the the surface of the floor. The film formers work
water used in the production of floor waxes to create a consistency in the mixture, hold the
must be de-ionized water--purified water from other ingredients together, and bind the floor
which the mineral ions have been removed.. wax onto the surface of the floor. The film
Using de-ionized water ensures that color- formers remain after the water has evaporated
causing impurities, such as iron, are not allowed and work to hold the natural oils of the floor in,
to dry into the floor wax, causing loss of clarity and keep harmful environmental factors from
and discoloration on the waxed floor surface. reaching the flooring. Ingredients used to create
De-ionized water also makes a better solution film formers include plasticizers, coalescing
to mix in the other floor wax ingredients. agents, anti-foaming agents, leveling agents and
wetting agents.
Preservatives
Modifiers
Because some of the ingredients contained in
floor waxes are vulnerable to the attack of Modifiers like wax emulsions, water-based
microorganisms, preservatives are added to urethanes, ultraviolet stabilizers, cross linkers
prevent the floor and floor wax from and resins are added to the polymer emulsions
deterioration, discoloration and unpleasant to improve the performance characteristics
odors. While formaldehyde used to be the desired of the floor waxes. Resins may be added
primary preservative used in floor waxes, to assist in leveling the floor surface, or
antimicrobial agents that are not known to producing gloss and clarity. Urethanes may be
cause health risks related to prolonged used to help the waxes better adhere to worn
exposure have replaced it. Despite the presence floors. Cross linkers are used primarily for
of preservatives, avoid cross contamination of durability and to make the wax removable from
used and new floor waxes. All used floor waxes the surface of the floor.
should be disposed of properly.
An Introduction To Floor Wax
Polymer Emulsions
SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 BY TCSFLOORS
Polymer emulsions Influence the performance
Floor wax is a solution that has been used
characteristics of the floor wax and provide the
extensively since centuries for floor care. While
connection between all other included
there are still several traditional agents
ingredients,. The polymer emulsions in the floor
available in the market today, most people
wax are created when the styrene and acrylic
prefer manmade and synthetic floor waxes that
type monomers are joined together chemically,
are comparatively easy to apply.
or polymerized. Once polymerized the polymer
used for the floor wax is suspended in water, Benefits of Floor Wax
creating polymer emulsions. Think of the
When maintained and applied properly floor agents. Also, waxes with synthetic or chemical
waxes offer high shine which is advantageous base will always be cheaper in comparison to
for both commercial and business spaces. They other floor finishes. Natural waxes are great for
can be used on just about any flooring including the environment but cannot last for too long
concrete, ceramic, and vinyl. Floor waxes are and are extremely hard to apply. Natural waxes
sold as finishing products from thousands of are also comparatively expensive. Certain kinds
stores around the country and are readily of solutions are also not safe for fragile floors.
available to anyone who wants to use them. Hence, it’s best to leave the decision to the
They take care of high traffic areas and are experts.
created to resist scratches and repel stains and
abrasions.

Types of Waxes:

With the advancement in technology, a variety

of materials have been developed to offer
better results and floor care.

Commercial Wax:

These waxes are normally made to last. They

comprise of synthetic materials or a mix of
artificial materials and natural ingredients. The
most common ingredients used in VCT
waxing and commercial waxes include shellac,
polyurethane, lacquer, perchloroethylene,
toluene and phenol. Commercial floor finishes
don’t require reapplication as frequent as
homemade or natural formulas.

Eco-Friendly Wax:

The incredible amount of synthetic materials

and chemicals used in most waxes is worrisome
to several eco-conscious people. It is believed
by some that such unnatural formulas can lead
to health problems or can damage living plants
due to daily exposure. As a substitute there are
certain Eco friendly materials that can be
utilized instead. Linseed oil, beeswax, carnauba
wax, rosemary oil and several other natural
waxes are utilized to create alternative floor
waxes.

There are a variety of things to keep in mind

about the ingredients used in making waxes.
Every floor will react differently to different