How to Strip Wax Buildup From Floors

Co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Last Updated: July 6, 2024 Fact Checked

As vinyl and linoleum floors age, waxing helps maintain their shine and protect them from further wear, tears, and scratches. Wood, tile, and epoxy floors may also be waxed. Over time, the layers of wax start to build up, turn yellow with age, and can make the floor look dirty even after you just cleaned it. To remedy this, strip the old wax buildup before waxing again. Before stripping the wax buildup, remove furniture from the floors you’re cleaning, sweep up any loose debris, and mop to remove dirt.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing Buildup From Vinyl and Tile Floors

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1
Strip old wax from vinyl with dishwasher detergent and ammonia. Use a sponge mop to saturate your floor with a solution of 2 gallons (7.57 L) of hot water, 1 cup (240 mL) of non-bleaching powder dishwasher detergent and 2 cups (480 mL) of ammonia. Allow the solution to sit on the floor for a couple of minutes. Scrub gently using the scrubber edge of the mop or a scrub brush, then mop up any extra liquid. Go over the floor again with clear hot water, using your scrubber to remove any remaining wax.^{[1]
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- You may need to scrub corners and around baseboards by hand.
- Dry the floor with old towels or rags.
2
Mop with a solution of water and ammonia. Combine ½ cup (120 mL) of ammonia with 2 gallons (7.57 L) of warm water. Use this solution to mop your vinyl or tile floor. Let it sit on the floor for at least ten minutes to eat through the wax buildup. Dry the floor with old towels.
- Repeat the process if needed to completely remove the wax.
- Use hot water to clean epoxy floors. Mix ½ cup (120 mL) of ammonia with 2 gallons (7.57 L) of hot water and mop with a hard foam mop.^{[2]
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3
Use ammonia, warm water, and laundry detergent on tile floors. Mop your tile floor with a solution of ¾ cup (180 mL) of ammonia and 1 cup (240 mL) of laundry detergent and 1 gallon (3.785 L) of warm water. Allow the solution to sit on the floor for about ten minutes. Scrub the floor with a scrubbing sponge or stiff scrub brush. Rinse the solution from the floor with clean water.^{[3]
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- Dry with old towels or rags before applying new wax.
- Try the same stripping method on your tile floors with a solution of 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar, 1 cup (240 mL) of ammonia, and 1 gallon (3.785 L) of warm water.^{[4]
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Pour club soda directly on a section of your floor. Scrub with a stiff scrub brush or scrubbing sponge. Let it soak into the floor for a few minutes, then wipe the floor dry.
5
Strip wax from stone tiles with a chemical floor-polish stripper. Buy a polish-stripper that is made for the type of stone you have. Apply a liberal amount of the polish-stripper to a section of the floor. Let it set for about 10 minutes, then scrub it vigorously with a wire brush. Wipe up the stripper with rags and mop the section of floor with clean water to remove any stripping product. Repeat this process until you have scrubbed and mopped the entire floor.^{[5]
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- You can scrub the polish with a floor buffer that has a stripping pad.
- Try wiping up the stripper with a wet/dry vacuum that has a squeegee attachment.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Stripping Wax from Linoleum

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1
Scrub with a solution of cream of tartar and vinegar. Mix 1 cup (240 mL) cream of tartar into 1 gallon (3.785 L) of white vinegar, stirring until the tartar dissolves. Saturate the floor with the solution and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Hand scrub a section of the floor in a circular motion using a nylon scrubbing pad. Wipe with a damp cloth or sponge, then move onto the next section of floor.^{[6]
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- Repeat this process in any areas that still have wax buildup.
Mix 3 parts water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. Before scrubbing the wax with this solution, put on rubber gloves and open your windows to ventilate the room. Scrub the floor using the water and alcohol solution and a stiff scrubbing brush or nylon scrubbing sponge.
Mop your floor with clear, warm water after you’ve scrubbed it with the cream of tartar and vinegar or the isopropyl alcohol solution. Dry the floor thoroughly with old towels or rags. Once the floor is dry, you can apply fresh wax.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Wax from Wood Floors

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Rub the mineral spirits into the wood. You can also use fast-drying naphtha. Scrub away the old wax using old rags or fine steel wool.^{[7]
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After you scrub away the wax, wipe up the old wax, mineral spirits or naphtha with clean, soft rags. Rub it dry with old towels or rags. Prevent damage to the wood by making sure the floor is completely dry. Finish up by applying fresh wax and buffing the floor.
Ventilate the room well as you scrub the floor and as it dries. Wear rubber gloves as you scrub and to dispose of your old rags and steel wool. If using naphtha, protect your eyes with goggles. Soak the rags you use in water and store them in an airtight container before you dispose of them at a hazardous waste disposal facility.^{[8]
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Question

How do you remove wax buildup from vinyl flooring?

Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Founder, Mulberry Maids

Expert Answer

To remove wax buildup from vinyl flooring, you do have a few options. You can use a solution such as 2 gallons of hot water, 2 cups of ammonia, and 1 cup of dishwashing detergent (or laundry detergent). Let the solution sit on the floor for a few minutes before you begin scrubbing the floor with your mop or a scrub brush. Alternatively, you can scrub the floor with club soda and a scrub brush or you can apply a store-bought floor polish stripper. Regardless of the method you choose, be sure to rinse the floor with warm water and completely dry the floor.

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Question

How do you get rid of wax buildup?

Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Founder, Mulberry Maids

Expert Answer

First, figure out what type of flooring you have, as every type of flooring has a different method for wax removal. You can either purchase a floor wax removal solution for your particular floor type or you can make a homemade version. For example, from tile or vinyl, you can use hot water, ammonia, and dish soap. For linoleum, you can use cream of tartar and vinegar, and for wood, it is recommended to use mineral spirits.

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Question

How do you remove wax buildup from laminate floors?

Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Founder, Mulberry Maids

Expert Answer

For most laminate floors, you can mix 2 cups of vinegar with 1 gallon of warm water. You can either hand wipe the floors using a cloth with the vinegar solution or you can use a cloth mop head. It is important to rinse the cloth often and not to scrub back and forth, work the cloth only in one direction. If there are large sections of built-up wax, you can use a plastic windshield wiper to scrape the wax off the floors.

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Tips

There are several products sold commercially to use for stripping wax from floors. Be sure to read the label carefully and make sure the product is safe for use on your floor type before you try it.

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It is a good idea to remove the wax buildup from your floors a couple of times a year to prevent the buildup from getting too thick. The thicker the buildup, the more difficult it is to remove.

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Warnings

Some commercial wax stripping products contain harsh chemicals that are dangerous to inhale. Be sure to open windows and ventilate the house properly when using these products.

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