What Does it Cost to Scrub & Strip Vinyl Flooring?

Tools and Products Needed

• The supplies to scrub and strip a vinyl for can be purchased at any home improvement or general merchandise store. You need at least 1 gallon of floor stripper, two mops, two mop buckets and a putty knife. The cost generally runs under $40 for these items as of publication.

Do-It-Yourself

• To scrub and strip a vinyl floor, you should have two mops and buckets ready: one mop bucket filled with the stripper and one filled with hot water. Unlike other floors, stripping vinyl floors does not require the use of a high-powered floor scrubbing machine. Find a 1-square-foot area of the floor to test the scrubbing and stripping process. Simply apply the stripper with a mop. Allow the stripper to lift the dirt and residue for about two minutes, then mop up the stripper with hot water in one small section at a time. The process should be repeated if several layers of residue or wax are on the vinyl floor. The stripper removes the dirt and grime on the floor. In most cases, 1 gallon of commercial stripper does the job. If edges and corners gather residue during the process, simply use a putty knife to remove it.

Cleaning Contractor

• A cleaning contractor can scrub and strip your vinyl flooring. Pricing is based on the market price for stripping and refurbishing any type of flooring and the size of the flooring area. Most cleaning contractors price scrubbing and cleaning a vinyl floor per square foot. If you choose a contractor, ask for references to ensure they can do the job. Most cleaning contractors start pricing no less than $80.

Making A Decision

• When making the decision of doing the work yourself or hiring a contractor, consider what you are willing to spend in time and money to scrub and strip your vinyl floor. Because vinyl flooring is one of the easiest floors to scrub and strip, it may be a good investment to do it yourself. If your vinyl floor has many coats of wax, you may wish to contact someone who has experience and the equipment to do the job.