The meeting focused on the topic of the percentage of solids in floor care products, particularly waxes used on vinyl floors. Jerry Bauer, a senior sales consultant at Chem Station of Boston, addressed common misconceptions about the percentage of solids and provided insights based on his expertise in the chemical and cleaning industry.

Key Points Discussed

Importance of Percentage of Solids

• The percentage of solids refers to the proportion of solid material in a liquid or semi-liquid product.
• This measurement is commonly used across industries, including wastewater treatment, coatings, cosmetics, and floor care.

Misconceptions Regarding High Percentage Solids

• A common misconception is that a higher solids percentage in floor wax equates to better quality or better performance.
• Floor care wax percentages typically range from as low as 10-12% up to the high 20s.
• Contrary to common sales pitches, higher solids content waxes are thicker and more complex to apply evenly.

Application and Performance Considerations

• To achieve proper coverage (e.g., a total of 100% solids), multiple coats of wax must be applied.
  • Example: A 20% solids wax requires 5 coats for full coverage.
  • A lower percentage wax (e.g., 16-18%) requires more coats (6-10 coats) but may be easier to handle.
• Higher solid waxes take longer to dry, negating time savings from fewer coats.
• Using lower-solids wax and applying multiple, thinner coats leads to better leveling and handling.

Maintenance Benefits

• Proper floor maintenance involves stripping and recoating rather than full stripping and re-waxing.
• Floors can be scrubbed and recoated several times (2-3 cycles) to maintain the finish without full stripping.
• Thinner coats and more frequent maintenance are more economical and less labor-intensive long term.

Recommendations

• Prefer waxes in the 16-18% solids range for ease of application and better leveling.
• Apply multiple thin coats rather than fewer thick coats.
• Focus on proper maintenance with periodic scrub and recoat cycles, rather than relying on high-solids wax to reduce coats or time.
• Avoid believing sales claims that higher solids always mean better or faster results.

Contact Information and Further Engagement

• Jerry Bauer invited listeners to reach out with questions for future podcasts.
• Encouraged subscribing, sharing, and engaging with his Hospitality Cleaning blog and online community.

Different Sites Below
https://direct.me/jerrybauer

Jerry Bauer
Hospitality Cleaning 101
[email protected]