Method for stripping floor finishes using composition that thickens upon dilution with water
AssigneeEcolab Inc.
InventorsGregory Griese, Mark Levitt, Brian Leafblad, Minyu Li, Robert Hei
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Abstract
A method for stripping a floor using a concentrate prepared by mixing a substantially nonchlorinated concentrate containing a floor finish solvent and an at least partially unactivated water thickener. The concentrate is diluted merely with water at an intended use location to activate the water thickener and noticeably increase within ten minutes or less the viscosity of the resulting mixture, then applied to a hardened floor finish atop a floor and allowed to soften or dissolve the floor finish so that the finish may be removed from the floor.
Claims33
A method for stripping a floor comprising:
- a) providing a substantially nonchlorinated concentrate comprising a floor finish solvent and an at least partially unactivated water thickener;
- b) diluting the concentrate merely with water at an intended use location to activate the water thickener and noticeably increase within ten minutes or less the viscosity of the resulting mixture;
- c) applying the resulting thickened stripper to a hardened floor finish atop a floor,
- d) allowing the applied stripper to soften or dissolve the floor finish;
- and
- e) removing the softened or dissolved finish from the floor.
A method for stripping a floor comprising:
- a) providing a substantially nonchlorinated concentrate comprising a floor finish solvent comprising benzyl alcohol, a dibasic ester, an essential oil, a dialkyl carbonate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol phenyl ether, propylene glycol phenyl ether, or mixture thereof;
- an at least partially unactivated water thickener comprising Xanthan gum, diutan gum, gellan gum, natural clay, synthetic clay, or mixture thereof;
- and less than 3 percent water based on the concentrate weight;
- b) diluting the concentrate merely with water at an intended use location to activate the water thickener and noticeably increase within ten minutes or less the viscosity of the resulting mixture;
- c) applying the resulting thickened stripper to a hardened floor finish atop a resilient flooring substrate;
- d) allowing the applied stripper to soften or dissolve the floor finish;
- and
- e) removing the softened or dissolved finish from the floor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.