Replace floor with Coretech. Do not have to remove orginal floor. Throw wax in garbage.

Thanks, Sherry. I am not familiar with Coretech. I will search for info.

I looked up ”Coretech flooring” and saw images laminate flooring in wood flooring look.

We have wide pine flooring throughout the house, in all but galley area of kitchen and part of bathrooms. A wood floor laminate would not work because it would abut real wide pine flooring.

The existing flooring looks like this:

Something in a brick, stone, slate, or bluestone pattern would work.

Alternatively, I might go for fluffy pink carpeting.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/6507427/if-you-have-coretec-flooring#n=20

Thanks. A grey/grey color wouldwork well with the pine.Looks like you found the stone color to work with your kitchen. That’s good.

I see ACE has some acrylic clear floor wax.

First, I have to get the floor clean. It took 20+ yearsto ask, cajole, beg, nag DH to help me reglue 10 of the missing or lifted floor tiles (20 min job). Iwas tripping on the uneven surface, many times.

ETA— maybe I should just pour it on over the un-washed floor.

If you like the floor, you will need to strip with ammonia. It will be a job. Then rewax. May not be Future, but I am sure A or a flooring store will have something.

This is why I do most things myself. I will not fool with waiting on hubby. He cuts the grass. Period.

^^^ my sympathies. DH does things that he likes to do —- old man comfort things, mostly. I mis-typed. Gray would not work here with pine flooring next to it.

You can use quick shine on your floor. It is pretty much like stuff you used previously.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/home-and-decor/cleaning-and-disinfectants/floor-polish/1485200?store=18552&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20155431095&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8KrFBhDUARIsAMvIApb0Qxb0YZXZXknigtgEMDKbYyeyIseVvO6tPp7bEAFUYlJqFqPxMbIaAgujEALw_wcB

Thanks, cat. I wish I could take the floor to a car wash; or borrow some municipal equipment like a sidewalk cleaner.

I have a nice gasoline power washer, but it’s not for indoor use ;)

Petalique, my sympathies about not being able to things because of the limitations of your body. I wonder if it would be in the budget to pay someone to do a deep clean on your floor once in a while? If I remember there might be some issues with him letting people into the house to do work? If that is true and you can spend a little money on something else, what about something like one of these?

I finally bought a steam cleaner to clean my kitchen counter grout and it's amazing. Mine is smaller and would be too hard to use on the floors, but with something like this one you could remain standing and go over it a little at a time, as you are able.
I hate to see you wax in the dirt and grime.
I wonder if something like this after it's cleaned would work? I might call a flooring store and explain what you have and see what they recommend.

Thanks Oly. I will look into those items. The DH is ok letting anyone in. He’s largely oblivious. (But will admit that he wouldn't want a colleague todrop by…..)

If I went and asked and told him please do this thing at 10 AM, he’d likely agree, but I would have to stay on him — remind, show him best way (from my extensive experience hahaha). He might go slowly. I acn do it. I have had to do a lot of things with painful body parts, although some, after a while grind me down. I can use a couple of foam garden pads. I like working with my body. Sometimes, I just need him to stay out of my way.

The kitchen was built by a non-cooking old batchelor builder. common style with that useless dead space in the corner. I run out of energy — a lot of hours in my life have been eaten up by fatigue. I want to move — for a lot of reasons. So I have to clean up, toss, all while doing repairs and other stuff and DH doesn’t get how abby normale things are, he is. Maybe he needs very limited, detailed, one item a half-day list. I’d still have to nag to get him going. Maybe give him a day off twicw a week. Oh boy. I kept telling him a decade or more ago that we need to think about aging, downsizing. He can be pig headed, increasingly so. I feel like I am babysitting between him and my daily backpain.

Nice weather lately, but otherwise so darn hot and humid. I grew up on an island and it was rarely hot. I have trouble with hot muggy weather. I feel awful seeing laborers outdoors in summer weather. They have no choice.

Is your floor tile or brick? According to Google you strip with ammonia and warm warter. If you can find a company that cleans it, that is what I would do.

I forgot about your hubby problems. I think I am having the same thing. It is hard to explain, but he has fossiled into even more unflexible than he was younger.

I threw away some junk while he was at his fancy gun range. Old hoses from camping that were yucky looking and a semi broke table. There was also two floats for the pool that were filthy, but still held air. I set at the road while he was gone and people "stole" the table and hoses. No one would of bought them, but he would not have let me throw them away, ??????He hoards everything. clips, peanut butter jars, bags, whatever. You cannot walk in our two car garage. You also can never find anything, so you have to buy new, which adds to the mess. ARRGUH!

I heard an expression once that can sum this up, distill it:

(A jar of) “String too short to save.”

Our floor is a vinyl mix, 12” square tiles. It does not need anything temoved from the surface but dust and dirt. DH said he would wash it to my specifications.

One of the problems is that it’s a large house and requires routine upkeep, as does any house. I am encumbered by pain and fatigue, but still do things. After a few vertical hours, I have to crash onto a heating pad, lie horizontally, stretch or take a short nap before I can resume working. Sometimes I just keep going, but anyone bothering me when I have > 1/2 ofmy brain distracted by pain, will be grouched at, so it’s not wise for me to let things get to that point. Some days are better than others.

As for DH, there is some longstanding problem with him. He is extremely reluctand to even give thought to the why. We are very different. I think about the whys. He wants to always escape (it seems) or doesn’t know how to examine his psych-emotional-motivational issues. I think some from ”nurture” way back. Maybe a mixture of things. He ’s usually good natured, but in a few areas (like the reality of owning a house, whatever, and entropy), he just tunes out. Some realities are perilous to ignore (like water damage if not gutters or way to manage roof runoff). It can be challenging living with him — many times absolutely frustrating and infuriating. He has some bad habits (like wanting to switch the subject, blame me, etc., etc.). It can be exhausting and lonely and I do not thrive in chaos.

I don’t like the kitchen flooring, but will live w it. Another compromise. We also need to replace the 36 yr old builder grade laminate countertop. Not a lot of counter (hellfor someone who likes to cook). It gets cluttered and he only will clean the sink area. Miserable cupboard space — old style — bend down and lean over and peer into a dark hole with fix shelves. I am planning on getting some sort of wire or roll out bins; but even then….

I'm thinking that ammonia, while a powerful cleaner, might be a problem because of the fumes...?

FWIW, I bought a set of these brushes because someone on these boards mentioned how much they liked using them to clean their bathroom:

And you might try a foaming bathroom cleaner...

P.S. Yikes - I just looked up Kentile and all the results were for asbestos tile!?!

If this is not real tile or brick, just scrap up and throw away. Do not waste your time cleaning. Or as I said before just cover over.

Your Kentile brick is one of the highest quality vinyl floors ever made. It would be foolish to cover it with something inferior.

Your best option would be to hire someone to strip/scrub it and apply a couple coats of commercial polish over the top. If you find someone experienced they may already have products that are far superior to home store garbage like Quick Shine, Rejuvenate, Mop-n-Glo and the like.

If you must DIY, find a local janitorial supply and see if they have stripper and commercial grade vinyl wax in gallons. Another option would be to strip with Armstrong New Beginning stripper, then apply a couple coats of Shinekeeper.

Thanks all. Yes, the flooring is very durable. It wears like diamond.

I’m not concerned about the material. I do want to seal it well for aesthetics and protection.

A dropped jar or mug temds to bounce off the vinyl. It is warmer that stone or tile.

I does not need to be stripped — there is no buildup of wax. It is just dirty cuz it has not been cleaned.

It is almost certainly dirty. I used to employ a man to clean and wax vinyl and wood floors. I can't tell you how many times he'd be scrubbing a floor and the owner would ask what the brown liquid was he put on their floor. It was stripper in water, and dirt from their floor.

If you're going to go to the trouble to apply a couple coats of wax to the floor, which will make it look better and be easier to clean, the floor should first be thoroughly stripped/cleaned. If you do as I recommended, your floor will come out looking new.

How old is the flooring? When I Googled "Kentile" a bunch of articles about asbestos popped up. Apparently any Kentile made before 1987 probably has asbestos in it. So it's probably okay to leave it in place, but removal could be a problem.

If you want to clean it yourself, what about one of these that I have been looking at;

https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Scrubber-Cleaning-Replaceable-Adjustable/dp/B0DHS5M1KL

I can no longer get down on the floor to scrub. If it was scrubbed, I could then damp mop the dirty water up.

(I can see not replacing the floor if it looks good and especially if it has asbestos.)

ETA: I also have a 15 to 30 minute window before I have to sit for the same amount of time.

Petalique, the problem with those old floor waxes is that they look great for the first application ever, but it goes downhill from there. That is why you have to strip it, if you have previously used it on that floor. Adding more on top makes it worse, not better. It just gets more cloudy and grungy looking.

If you have previously used a clear and brite, future, or any other glossy product on that floor....sadly, I know of no way around stripping it if you want it to look clean again. Sorry. 🙁

To strip you only have to use nonsudsy ammonia and water. The ratio is online if you google. If you can get a flooring company to come and deep clean, I would do that.

We had a company paint the house outside and install a new side door to the garage for the first time EVER! in 50 plus years!

I finally convinced him we could not do it and since he wanted to go to his fancy gun range and play, it was okay with him.

ETA: I am the one who stayed home for them to come and gave the dog dinner and cooked dinner for us and all the other crap. He went to the fancy gun place and played.

I agree with the ammonia Sherry. It isn't a hard job, per se. But it is tedious as heck and I hate it. 😄 I used a glossy product on a new vinyl floor maybe 25 years ago.....and found out why (some) people hate the stuff. It is banished from any home of mine ever again.

Looks great. The first time. However it is all downhill from there. Never again for me so I am out here trying to save others from breathing ammonia, unless they really want to of course.

Thanks all. I dont have funds for hiring out. DH says he will scrub it. we use a very stiff nylon bristled brush.

The thing carolb pointed out might work, but I have tried scrubbers like some suggested and they do not offer enough torque and the brustles wimp out. Hand-held very stiff nylon bristle brush works best alone w a towel rag.

I’m not sure what to put on it but fir the liquid acryllic ”wax” and may try to get some serious stuff as suggested by Timothy W..

Even just cleaned, it will look better, but the acryllic keep it cleaner longer.

"Apparently any Kentile made before 1987 probably has asbestos in it."

Incorrect. This is obviously solid vinyl tile, not vinyl asbestos tile.

"old floor waxes is that they look great for the first application ever, but it goes downhill from there"

That's the point of floor wax, to absorb the wear instead of the tile, after which it can be cleaned and recoated, or stripped and coated twice. Newer formulation commercial floor wax is used in industrial settings and wears very well.

It has not been washed or waxed in a long while. I doubt that many other floors, given zero attention, would look as ’good.’

If it has asbestos or strontium 90 or cesium 137 in it, it will be better with a few coats of wax. Wear into the wax coating, not the tile.

Where I grew up was essentially on gneissic salt water ledge and clam flats. Small house, lots of feet, no mud porch or foyer. Our kitchen floor always took a beating. My parents were challenged to find any affordable, durable kitchen flooring. We went through many many ”linoleum” floors. The kitchen was more of a fisherman’s gear room

Finally, they got some butt-ugly tile and installed it themselves. It was sort of a putty color, matte texture with some darker stresks through it. New England thaw mud, sand, dirt driveway, then steps, then the kitchen.

The floor always looked awful and depressing and embarassingly grimey. When I was a HS senior and I thought my friends or boyfriend would come by, I tackled it on my hands and knees when everyone was in bed. (It was a thoroughfare.)

I sometimes used medium stainless steel to get the whatever off the floor. I would wash and rinse it. Let it dry. Then put two coats of Future acrylic wax on it (drying between each coat).

It never looked great. Never pretty. But it was clean and had a shine. Screw the National Honor Society! That floor needed to look clean

With all the sandy foot traffic, it only stayed looking okay (for all hours of labor) for about 8 days.

I went off to school, the floor stayed dull but intact.

Years later I discovered that the floor tiles were so durable (if homely) because (apparently) they contained asbestos.

Who’d a thunk it.

It looked a lot like this:

That just triggered a flashback - looks like so many of the floors at our schools and public buildings back in the day 😀

I'm sorry about your resentful helpmeet. My DH wants to spare me, but he is slap-dash, then has his feelings hurt if I have to finish a job. He was brought up with 'help'. I think there's a saying about children being eager to "Help Mommy" before they are old enough to do something, then pulling a vanishing act by the time they are able.

Is there a flooring store you could call to ask about products AND possible cleaning services? Your kitchen floor is 'making you sick.' Get that off your mind.