How to Remove Wax from a No-Wax Floor

No wax floors are not intended to be waxed and don’t require any special finishes. However, once a wax is applied, it can be difficult to remove it without damaging the protective coating of the floor. This certainly isn’t the first time someone has waxed a no wax floor, and we have found a variety of solutions that will remove it. It is important to always run a test area to ensure there are no damaging effects to the flooring while stripping off the unwanted wax.

• Ammonia
• Floor cleaner (ex: Spic and Span or Armstrong)
• Water
• Bucket
• Mop

1. Begin by choosing one of the mixtures below. They range from the mildest to strongest:

• • ¼ cup Armstrong cleaner, 1 cup ammonia, 1 gallon of warm water
  • ½ cup powdered floor cleaner, 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup cool water
  • Straight ammonia

1. Mix the solution in a bucket, or use straight ammonia.
2. Working in small sections, apply the stripper to the flooring. Apply a good layer of liquid. Puddling on the floor is desired in this situation. It allows plenty of solution to work on the waxy coating.
3. Allow it to set for 5-10 minutes to loosen the wax.
4. Use a mop to scrub the floor and remove the solution.
5. Rinse with clean water.

• Ammonia is the stripper in each of these solutions and has strong fumes. Open the windows and use fans as necessary to maintain proper ventilation.
• Never mix ammonia with cleaners containing bleach. This can produce toxic fumes.
• If the floor does not return to its original, shiny condition, the protective coating has been removed or damaged. Simply apply a new protective coating. This can be done by applying a wax or specialized floor coating. These coatings are available at flooring, hardware and home improvement stores. For best results, contact your floor’s manufacturer for recommendations.