How to Use a Buffer/Polisher Machine

Buffers thoroughly clean, polish, shine and wax floors.

They do a excellent job giving additional shine and polish almost every floor type.

Buffer machines tend to be heavy. However once you’ve got the basics down they will definitely make your floors look good.

Professional floor cleaners use buffing and polishing machines because they do the job a lot better than hand scrubbing and polishing.

You should always use safety goggles when you use a buffer machine or polisher.

Floor Buffers vs Orbital Polishers

The two main kinds of buffing machines: floor buffers and orbital polishers.

A floor buffer is a kind of sander with a polishing pad. It’s a durable unit and often used commercially.

Orbital polishers are less powerful but they are lighter and easier to use, much less costly and so more suited for home use.

When you’re finished buffing and polishing your floors, remove the buffer pad or scrubbing brush from your equipment.

You should clean the pads and brushes right away before the cleaner dries in the pads and ruins it.

Don’t leave the pads or brushes on the machine because the dampness and the weight of the machine will damage them.

Pads:

There are two kinds of pads: cutting pads & polishing pads. Cutting pads are more abrasive and effective, but harder to use. Cutting pads made of natural fibers such as wool.

Polishing pads are used for finishing the floor. They are much less abrasive and made of foam rubber.

Buffing:

To begin, look at the scrub brush or polishing pad to make sure it is clean and free of any dirt or debris.

1. Buff the floor beginning with the back of the room working your way around to the front.
2. Spread the polish evenly and consistently across the floor.
3. Start buffing and keep the buffer moving slowly while you do the job.
4. Check the polishing pad periodically to make sure it doesn’t become excessively dirty.
5. Buff just one area each time, beginning with the smallest amount of abrasive cleaning polish that’s effective.
6. Buffers turn clockwise, which means you need to clean from the left to right too. (clockwise) This helps prevent buffer burns.

Polishing:

High turning speed and the cleaners generate heat. This creates a glossy shine on the floor.

When you use a polisher, follow these steps to get a better cleaning and high shine on the floors.

Different floors and grime need different cleaners. Ask yourself these questions before you start:

• What kind of floor: Is it vinyl, linoleum, polyurethane, wood, stone, etc.
• What type of dirt: Oil, grease, varnish, glue, food, spilled liquid, etc.
• What type of cleaning product: Acidic cleaners, alkaline, ph neutral, disinfectant, etc.

How To Polish:

1. Scrub from right to left to keep the cleaning solution around the entire area to be polish
2. Work backwards from the back of the room to the front to prevent walking on the already cleaned area
3. Work in a straight line and overlap by approx. one third of the machine width
4. Work sideways when polishing from left to right.