Floor cleaning advice with Hild Buffer

[jonathan75]

I have been taking advantage of the holidays and did a major cleanup in my garage so I can have room to finish my air compressor. The problem is I have dust and dirt everywhere and I need to finish painting. I really need to clean the floors and everything well before I get started. My floor is a normal cement pad.

Over the summer I picked up this Hild Buffer (HI-20A) for $80 on Craigslist. My plans are to stain and seal the floor next summer. So I don't want to clean with anything that will block penetration later on. I have Simply Green, can I mix that with water and spray it down and use the buffer to clean the floor? I have Simply Green already so if it will work I don't want to buy anything else unless someone has a better recommendation.

Also what do the colors of the pads mean? Which one do I use? They came with the buffer for free.

The handle for the switch is broken but it still works if I force it in and it stays in place. Does anyone know what a good source is to find a replacement handle?

 

[Highlux]

The red pad is the most aggressive....for deep cleaning. White ones for polishing.


Really doesnt matter what soap you use...just rinse well and squuegee off excess water to remove soap.


Keep the cord over your shoulder...do not let it get involved with the buffer or you will be sorry.

 

[jonathan75]

The red pad is the most aggressive....for deep cleaning. White ones for polishing.


Really doesnt matter what soap you use...just rinse well and squuegee off excess water to remove soap.


Keep the cord over your shoulder...do not let it get involved with the buffer or you will be sorry.

Thank you for the feedback. I guess I will use the red this time. I need to find something that can help me polish the floor that can attach to this buffer later this summer. I want that nice smooth shinny floor but don't want to pay for the polishing cups and machine. Hopefully this can do it with the right pads. I will buy a squeegee and tackle this tomorrow. Today I will sweep and vacuum.

 

[Highlux]

Thank you for the feedback. I guess I will use the red this time. I need to find something that can help me polish the floor that can attach to this buffer later this summer. I want that nice smooth shinny floor but don't want to pay for the polishing cups and machine. Hopefully this can do it with the right pads. I will buy a squeegee and tackle this tomorrow. Today I will sweep and vacuum.

They make sanding discs for these buffers as well...you could polish the floor up with those...just keep going finer and finer grade....depends on what kind of surface you have now.

Pic would help.

 

[jonathan75]

I will take a picture when I get back home.

 

[Jsf721]

Unfortunately your buffer is a hi speed burnisher. It spins between 1000 and 1500 RPMs depending in the motor. This is for polishing VCT that has been coated with floor finish not cleaning concrete. You need a 175 RPM machine. And a brush to do the job properly. Pads are for VCT. If you need more help PM me. This is my business and I am a Janitorial Supplier. Not trying to sell you BTW, just here to help in any way I can.

Pads colors are:
Low Speed Pads
Black Stripping pads
Brown Light Stripping Pads
Green Deep Scrub Pads
Blue Light Scrub Pads
Red Buffing pads

Hi Speed Pads
Natural Hair Pads (burnishing)
Champagne Pads
White Fine Polish Pads.
I have received a lot of help from others and this a chance to pay it back to the forum.

 

[Highlux]

Unfortunately your buffer is a hi speed burnisher. It spins between 1000 and 1500 RPMs depending in the motor. This is for polishing VCT that has been coated with floor finish not cleaning concrete. You need a 175 RPM machine. And a brush to do the job properly. Pads are for VCT. If you need more help PM me. This is my business and I am a Janitorial Supplier. Not trying to sell you BTW, just here to help in any way I can.

Pads colors are:
Low Speed Pads
Black Stripping pads
Brown Light Stripping Pads
Green Deep Scrub Pads
Blue Light Scrub Pads
Red Buffing pads

Hi Speed Pads
Natural Hair Pads (burnishing)
Champagne Pads
White Fine Polish Pads.
I have received a lot of help from others and this a chance to pay it back to the forum.

Well there you have it. I never knew red were for polishing. Good info.
I have an oreck floor machine and use black pads to clean up before I paint a floor. Gets loose paint off. You can tell I think in hardwood terms rather than concrete...lol.

 

[jonathan75]

Unfortunately your buffer is a hi speed burnisher. It spins between 1000 and 1500 RPMs depending in the motor. This is for polishing VCT that has been coated with floor finish not cleaning concrete. You need a 175 RPM machine. And a brush to do the job properly. Pads are for VCT. If you need more help PM me. This is my business and I am a Janitorial Supplier. Not trying to sell you BTW, just here to help in any way I can.

Pads colors are:
Low Speed Pads
Black Stripping pads
Brown Light Stripping Pads
Green Deep Scrub Pads
Blue Light Scrub Pads
Red Buffing pads

Hi Speed Pads
Natural Hair Pads (burnishing)
Champagne Pads
White Fine Polish Pads.
I have received a lot of help from others and this a chance to pay it back to the forum.

Thank you for your help. Will it damage the concrete if I use mine? I would like to use it if I can.

 

[jonathan75]

My main goal with the machine was to polish the floor to a shine. But I wanted to clean with it also if I can.

 

[Jsf721]

Damaging the concrete will not be an issue. Using it wet will more than likely burn out the motor on the machine since it is designed for speed not torque. Also, make sure the floor is a dust free as possible or you will find yourself smack in the middle of a dust storm with debris flying everywhere.

Hi speed machines are for burnishing vct or honed stone in a clean environments. They move in straight lines like a lawn mower. A 175 RPM machine moves side to side much slower and is designed for cleaning and slow speed buffing.

You wont ruin the concrete, you might kill the machine and spray dirt around.

Good Luck.

Thank you for your help. Will it damage the concrete if I use mine? I would like to use it if I can.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

10-4 on that machine, useless for what you want to do.

The simple green is a good choice for the cleaning. Products like tsp can hinder the staining process.

 

[jonathan75]

Damaging the concrete will not be an issue. Using it wet will more than likely burn out the motor on the machine since it is designed for speed not torque. Also, make sure the floor is a dust free as possible or you will find yourself smack in the middle of a dust storm with debris flying everywhere.

Hi speed machines are for burnishing vct or honed stone in a clean environments. They move in straight lines like a lawn mower. A 175 RPM machine moves side to side much slower and is designed for cleaning and slow speed buffing.

You wont ruin the concrete, you might kill the machine and spray dirt around.

Good Luck.

Thanks, I will let you know how it turns out. I will have a fire extinguisher ready since I will be pushing it well beyond the limits of what it was designed to do. Maybe it will be like the movie Mr. Mom and the vacuum cleaner.

10-4 on that machine, useless for what you want to do.

The simple green is a good choice for the cleaning. Products like tsp can hinder the staining process.

What about what I purchased the machine for in the first place? I got it for using abrasive pads under it to put a shine on the floor and a smooth finish? Cleaning it is just something I thought I would try to do with it since I have it.

 

[jonathan75]

Bob uses a Burnisher with a Twister pad.

Here is a twister pad I found. But it looks like they want you to use slow speed for the first two steps. Guess I can rent one for the slow speed steps and polish with mine for the last step and maintenance.

http://www.parish-supply.com/twister-diamond-floor-polishing-pad.aspx

 

[jonathan75]

Here is what my floor looks like now. It feels like 600 or 800 grit sandpaper. Smooth but not extra smooth and shinny like I want.

Maybe I can use this.

http://legacyindustrial.net/cart/hd6600-gloss-sealer-interior-p-257.html

Then find something to polish it with.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Two coats of HD6600 and it will be looking nice.
You can wax once cured to help preserve the gloss.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Jsf721]

Twister pads are diamond infused pads. They come in various grits and several are required to get the look you would want. I have used them to home terrazzo and stone. They will work on your hi speed burnisher but on bare concrete that is unfinished it will be a slow process. Many, many passes required to get smooth finish. Caution because a honed surface is slippery when wet so don't get to fixed on a super smooth surface if it will be subjected to foot traffic when wet. If you need and other advice let me know.

Good luck

Bob uses a Burnisher with a Twister pad.

Here is a twister pad I found. But it looks like they want you to use slow speed for the first two steps. Guess I can rent one for the slow speed steps and polish with mine for the last step and maintenance.

http://www.parish-supply.com/twister-diamond-floor-polishing-pad.aspx

 

[jonathan75]

Twister pads are diamond infused pads. They come in various grits and several are required to get the look you would want. I have used them to home terrazzo and stone. They will work on your hi speed burnisher but on bare concrete that is unfinished it will be a slow process. Many, many passes required to get smooth finish. Caution because a honed surface is slippery when wet so don't get to fixed on a super smooth surface if it will be subjected to foot traffic when wet. If you need and other advice let me know.

Good luck

Thank you for some good news finally! Can I use high speed for all the grits in the steps?

I just finished sweeping and getting everything off the floor. After lunch I will wash and scrub it. I am going to scrub the floor with the burnisher to work on the stains. We will see if the world ends as predicted.

 

[jonathan75]

So I am done cleaning the floor in half of the garage. I could only do half because I still have too much to move everything out. Actually there is some shelving and a cabinet I had to leave in also. Before I do the complete floor makeover I will have everything out and can be more detailed.

The floor burnisher worked well but the pad did not perform well. It self destructed and wore out too fast because the floor is too rough. I really need a nylon brush wheel if they sell one for my machine. It was not hard to handle and I could move it side to side. The machine did not sound like it was under a heavy load or had any issues. The burnisher did help scrub the floor but I didn't like the pad.

In the pictures you can see the before and after pics. Near the drain pipe for the water heater you can see where I had a problem before that is now fixed. When it released the water it soaked the boxes and they stuck to the floor and mold. You can also see the over spray from my painting. It made the floor Saylor Beall green.

There are some spots I couldn't get up I need advice on. Some are rust and some are just white. There is some discoloration also that I would like to fix. I am not sure when I stain the floor if it will help cover most of these issues or not.

 

[jonathan75]

Here are some more after pictures. You can see some of the issues I mentioned in my previous post.

Overall it is much improved but not the results I was hoping for.

I forgot to mention that my floor is very thirsty. It drinks water like nobody's business. You can mop one spot and you turn around and the water is just gone. That could be why my floor stains so easy. Everything soaks right in.

 

[jonathan75]

The humidity level in the garage is up to 65% right now! The water is really starting to come out of the floor. I turned on the heater to dry things out so my tools and parts don't rust.

 

[Jsf721]

On the coarser grinds we typically use a slower heavier machine. I am not sure if this is just a better way or a requirement. I know you own the hi speed machine so you can give it a try. Keeping the floor wet with water is best. Use a trigger spray bottle to keep it wet, not soaking. The water acts a lube to keep the diamonds cool and they will last longer.

Thank you for some good news finally! Can I use high speed for all the grits in the steps?

I just finished sweeping and getting everything off the floor. After lunch I will wash and scrub it. I am going to scrub the floor with the burnisher to work on the stains. We will see if the world ends as predicted.

 

[jonathan75]

On the coarser grinds we typically use a slower heavier machine. I am not sure if this is just a better way or a requirement. I know you own the hi speed machine so you can give it a try. Keeping the floor wet with water is best. Use a trigger spray bottle to keep it wet, not soaking. The water acts a lube to keep the diamonds cool and they will last longer.

Do you know a good source with reasonable prices I can pick it up for my old Hild? And do you know if I can get a brush attachment for it to clean the floors. That pad didn't last very long and makes a mess when it falls apart. Worse then a shedding dog.

 

[Jsf721]

Pick up what? The brush? Your hi speed machine will not take a brush, only a pad holder. Only the slow speed machines can take either a pad holder or a brush. The pad is really designed to be used on a smooth surface like VCT so I am not surprised it did not last long on a rough concrete floor. If you are cleaning, keeping the floor wet with a cleaner will help extend the pad life.

Remember you are using this hi speed polisher as a low speed buffer so it is really an off label use. I am surprised the breaker in the machine or in the wall is not pop while you were wet cleaning.

If you give me a town you are near I can try to find you a Local Jan San Dealer. You can go to the ISSA.com website and it will allow you to search members by zip code.

You can PM me for the name of my company (We are ISSA Members) and you can tell the GM down there that you are a close personal friend of mine and I hope he will give you some professional courtesy. I have extended that several times in my time as owner up here.

I hope I answered you question but in case I did not, please let me know and I will do my best to get back to you.

Do you know a good source with reasonable prices I can pick it up for my old Hild? And do you know if I can get a brush attachment for it to clean the floors. That pad didn't last very long and makes a mess when it falls apart. Worse then a shedding dog.

 

[jonathan75]

Pick up what? The brush? Your hi speed machine will not take a brush, only a pad holder. Only the slow speed machines can take either a pad holder or a brush. The pad is really designed to be used on a smooth surface like VCT so I am not surprised it did not last long on a rough concrete floor. If you are cleaning, keeping the floor wet with a cleaner will help extend the pad life.

Remember you are using this hi speed polisher as a low speed buffer so it is really an off label use. I am surprised the breaker in the machine or in the wall is not pop while you were wet cleaning.

If you give me a town you are near I can try to find you a Local Jan San Dealer. You can go to the ISSA.com website and it will allow you to search members by zip code.

You can PM me for the name of my company (We are ISSA Members) and you can tell the GM down there that you are a close personal friend of mine and I hope he will give you some professional courtesy. I have extended that several times in my time as owner up here.

I hope I answered you question but in case I did not, please let me know and I will do my best to get back to you.

I need to pick up the pads for polishing the floor. My machine has a 18" pad area.

It is too bad I can't get a brush to clean the floor or make it work somehow because the machine is a champ. It didn't trip the breaker or give any sign of giving up. I kept the floor wet but the pad still thinned out very fast.

Can I use vinegar and baking soda on the floor to help clean some of the stains? I need to stick to things that won't prevent my acid staining later on down the road.

I will PM you for more personal information. Thanks!

 

[jonathan75]

What do you think about this brush?

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...RPgs_156MT8C18J_N2RL3FHWVK_GPD0K8BC31gv)&rt=d

Edit: Never mind, I just saw the price. $362.08!

 

[jonathan75]

Hey what about my angle grinder to sand the floors smooth? Would it be too uneven since a small surface area? It would be a lot of work but I can do a little at a time.

 

[jonathan75]

Here is another brush pad combo I found that is cheaper then the 3M version.

http://www.unoclean.com/Malish-7853...ad-Driver-Gray-19-Inch-Block-15-Inch-Pad.aspx

 

[dandan111]

Did you ever look at the twister pads? I think that's what I'd go with.

 

[JL350]

Why not look at renting a grinding machine with the diamond disks. Once you get to the right surface roughness then the polisher will work, but otherwise the pads will not last on the rough surface. Do it right and you will save a ton of money and time.