Armstrong Flooring Maintenance Recommendations – Integrated Stair Tread and Landing Tile

Following a regular and well-planned maintenance program will ensure a beautiful floor and increase its service life.

Initial & Ongoing Maintenance

Landing Tile & Stair Treads

  • Initial, Daily / Regular and Periodic Maintenance
    • Sweep, dust mop or vacuum to remove all loose dust, dirt, grit, and debris.
    • Damp mop the Landing Tiles and Stair Treads with a proper diluted neutral (pH 6 to 8) detergent solution, like S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner. Allow the cleaner to stand for 5 – 10 minutes. Scrub with a soft brush while still wet.
    • Wipe up any excess cleaner with a dry cloth. Allow stairs to dry.

Polish Option

Landing Tile (areas where a rotary machine cannot be used)

  • Initial Maintenance, Immediately After Installation
    • Sweep, dust mop or vacuum the floor thoroughly to remove all loose dust, dirt, grit, and debris.
    • Remove any dried adhesive residue with a clean, white cloth dampened with mineral spirits, carefully following warnings on the container.
    • Damp mop the floor with a properly diluted neutral (pH 6 to 8) detergent solutions, like S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner.
    • Apply a minimum of two coats of a high-quality commercial floor polish (like S-480 Commercial Floor Polish) to temporarily protect the floor until regular maintenance procedures can begin. The use of a high-quality stain-resistant sealer beneath the polish should be considered in areas of high traffic, high soil load and areas where staining potential is high.
  • Initial Maintenance and Preparation for Commercial Traffic
    • Sweep, dust mop or vacuum the Landing Tile to remove all loose dust, dirt, grit, and debris.
    • Damp mop the floor with a proper diluted neutral (pH 6 to 8) detergent solution, like S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner
    • Allow the Landing Tile to dry.
    • Apply 3 to 5 coats of high-quality commercial floor polish, like S-480 Commercial Floor Polish. In areas where the flooring will be exposed to heavy traffic and/or staining agents, the application of 1 or 2 coats of a stain resistant sealer prior to the application of polish, is recommended.
  • Daily / Regular Maintenance
    • Sweep, dust mop or vacuum the Landing Tile to remove all loose dust, dirt, grit, and debris.
    • Damp mop the floor with a proper diluted neutral (pH 6 to 8) detergent solution, like S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner.
    • Allow the Landing Tile to dry.
  • Periodic Maintenance
    • Sweep, dust mop or vacuum to remove all loose dust, dirt, grit, and debris.
    • Damp mop the Landing Tile with a proper diluted neutral (pH 6 to 8) detergent solution, like S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner. Allow the cleaner to stand for 5 – 10 minutes. Scrub with a soft brush while still wet.
    • Wipe up any excess cleaner with a dry cloth. Allow Landing Tile to dry.
    • If needed, additional coats of floor polish may be applied at this time.

Restorative Maintenance

  • Stripping for Landing Tile
    • Mix stripping solution to the appropriate dilution, depending on floor finish build-up.
    • Cordon off areas to be stripped.
    • Apply liberal amounts of solution uniformly on floor with mop.
    • Let stripping solution soak for the appropriate amount of time recommended by the stripper manufacturer.
    • Keep areas to be stripped wet. Rewet if necessary.
    • Machine scrub the floor (300 rpm or less) with a scrubbing brush (aggressiveness equivalent to 3M® blue pad or equal), or hand scrub with a 3M Doodlebug™, to break up the polish film. Do not allow stripping solution to dry on the floor.
    • Remove dirty stripping solution with a wet vacuum or mop.
    • TIP: Drizzling fresh, clean rinse water onto the dirty stripping solution will assist with more thorough removal.
    • Thoroughly rinse the entire floor with fresh, clean water. Remove rinse water and allow the floor to dry completely.
    • Apply 3 to 5 coats of high-quality commercial floor polish, like S-480 Commercial Floor Polish.

No Polish Option

Landing Tile (low maintenance recommendations)

  • Initial Maintenance
    • Sweep, dust mop or vacuum the Landing Tile to remove all loose dust, dirt, grit, and debris.
    • Remove any dried adhesive residue with a clean, white cloth dampened with mineral spirits, carefully following warnings on the container.
    • The surface may become dull by this process.
    • Machine scrub the floor, making a minimum of 5 passes, with S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner and a 3M Scotch-Brite™ Surface Preparation pad or equivalent brush. Areas that cannot be reached by the scrubber must be scrubbed with a Doodlebug type tool with a 3M Scotch-Brite Surface Preparation pad.
    • Thoroughly rinse the entire floor with fresh, clean water. Remove rinse water and allow the floor to dry completely.
    • Spray buff the Landing Tile by misting the tile with S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner (spray-buff solution one part S-485 to 32 parts water).
    • Using a low-speed floor machine, buff the tile making a minimum of 5 passes, with a 3M 3500 Natural Blend Tan pad until the area is cleaned and visually acceptable. Areas that cannot be reached by the scrubber must be scrubbed with a Doodlebug type tool with a 3M Scotch-Brite
    • Surface Preparation pad. Repeat if necessary.
  • Daily / Regular Maintenance
    • Sweep, dust mop or vacuum the Landing Tile to remove all loose dust, dirt, grit, and debris.
    • Damp mop the floor with a proper diluted neutral (pH 6 to 8) detergent solution, like S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner.
    • Allow the Landing Tile to dry.
  • Periodic Maintenance
    • When needed, after sweeping, dust mopping, or vacuuming, machine scrub the Landing Tile with a properly diluted neutral detergent solution, like S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner and a 3M red pad or equivalent brush.
    • Thoroughly rinse the entire floor with fresh, clean water. Remove rinse water and allow the floor to dry completely.

Maintenance Equipment & Accessories


Use a 3M® 5100 red pad or
equivalent brush or pad for a light scrub

Use a 3M 5300 blue pad or
equivalent brush or pad for a deep scrub

Use a 3M® 5100 natural blend tan pad or
equivalent brush for a light scrub

Updated on November 17, 2023

Article Attachments