Statewide
How often commercial floors should be scrubbed, waxed or burnished
Floors are the most expensive surface in most commercial buildings and the first thing a visitor evaluates. A published cycle keeps finish on the floor and full restoration off your capital budget.
7 min read · Updated August 2026
A working cycle by surface
These intervals assume normal commercial traffic and a maintained entry-matting system. High-traffic entries and lobbies move to the shorter end of every range.
- VCT — burnish monthly to quarterly, scrub and recoat every 6–12 months, full strip and wax every 12–24 months
- LVT and vinyl plank — machine scrub quarterly; most products are not waxed, so follow the manufacturer's finish guidance
- Polished concrete — auto-scrub weekly to monthly, re-polish or densify every 1–3 years
- Ceramic and quarry tile — deep scrub and grout treatment quarterly to semiannually
- Terrazzo — burnish monthly, restorative polish every 1–2 years
- Carpet — traffic-lane extraction quarterly, full extraction annually
What Wisconsin winter actually does
Ice-melt salt is abrasive and alkaline. It scratches finish, leaves a white residue that dulls gloss, and if it sits in grout or at floor edges it will etch the surface. From November through March, the entry system does more for your floors than any machine.
- Thirty feet of matting at primary entries — scraper mat outside, absorbent mat inside
- Neutralizing cleaner during salt season instead of standard neutral detergent
- Increased entry-area mopping frequency, not increased whole-floor work
- Spring scrub and recoat scheduled for March or April to reset gloss after the thaw
Signs you are behind schedule
Waiting for a floor to look bad is what turns a $0.35 per sq ft recoat into a $0.90 per sq ft strip and wax. Watch for these instead.
- Gloss that no longer returns after burnishing
- Black scuffing that mops out but reappears within a day
- Traffic lanes visibly lighter or duller than the perimeter
- Finish wearing through to bare tile at doorways and pivot points
Frequently asked
Is stripping and waxing every year necessary?
Usually not. A disciplined scrub-and-recoat program can push a full strip out to 18–24 months, which is cheaper and easier on the tile.
Can polished concrete be waxed?
It should not be. Polished concrete is maintained with scrubbing and periodic re-polishing or densifying, not floor finish.
Who schedules the floor work?
Your provider should publish a 12-month floor-care calendar up front so it is budgeted and never scheduled as an emergency.
Ready for a property partner that shows up?
Tell us what your building needs. We'll walk it, scope it, and give you a fixed price.