The gym floor requires frequent maintenance and cleaning in order to keep it looking great. The activities being carried out in the gym have made scuffs marks a common occurrence on gym floors.

Knowing how to get scuff marks off gym floors immediately they are noticed is very important because; as dirt and scuffs build up, the harder it will be to remove them later.

How to Get Scuff Marks Off Gym Floors

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Using Tennis Ball

This is one of the safest and easiest ways to remove scuff marks. You do not need any cleaning chemicals or special cleaning tools and it has a low chance of ruining your floor finish and floor glossiness.

Although it is most effective on gym or hardwood floor you can use a tennis ball to remove scuff marks on any type of flooring.

Before using a tennis ball to remove scuff marks from your gym floor, you have to make sure that the ball is clean to avoid grinding sand or soil into the floor which can lead to the creation of even more scuff marks and scratches

You also need to make sure the tennis ball is either standard light yellow ball because using dark-colored tennis balls may leave a smudge or stain behind.

To achieve a more effective result, attach the tennis ball to the end of a mop or broom handle before using it to remove the marks. The handle will give you better leverage against tough scuff marks.

To attach a tennis ball to a mop handle, carefully make a small “X” cut not more than 1/4 inch wide into the top of the ball.

Do not hold the tennis ball in your hand as you make this cut, because of the risk of cutting your hand during the process, Instead, place the ball on a firm flat surface or you can use a clamp to hold the ball securely in place.

After making an “X” cut on top of the tennis ball, insert the top of the mop or broom handle into the ball.

Then Flip the broom or mop handle over, and use the end of the ball to rub off the scuff marks. If the tennis ball is working, you notice that the scuff marks are lifted and the left-behind rubber will transfer onto the surface of the ball.

Using A Floor Buffer

If you have multiple scuff marks on your gym floor you can make use of a floor buffer with the appropriate pad.

Floor buffers are also known as low speed, 175 RPM, or swing machines, they are not to be confused with high-speed floor burnishers.

The floor pads you would need to use with the buffer have functions that can be identified by a standardized color scheme. Darker colors are usually used to identify aggressive and abrasive floor pad.

So when choosing a floor pad to remove scuff marks with, you need to be mindful of the floor finish. Using the wrong floor pad can cause damage to the floor finish and you may have to strip and refinish the floor.

Opt for lighter colored floor pads like tan, white, or melamine when trying to remove scuff marks. Lighter colored floor pads are normally used for polishing and buffing so they can pass as a scuff mark removal.

Not only do they remove light scuff marks, but it will also polish your floor and you do not have to worry about it damaging your floor’s finish or appearance.

Using A Floor Burnisher

You can also make use of a floor burnisher to remove scuff marks. It is easy to mistake floor buffers with burnishers but they are not the same piece of cleaning equipment.

Burnishers are high-speed machines, that have a rotation speed of between 1000 – 3000 RPM this creates enough friction which produces heat that is used to shine the floor.

This same feature gives floor burnishers the ability to remove scuff marks from the floor. They utilize high speed and friction which lifts the marks.

To use floor burnishers to remove scuff marks, it has to be paired with natural fiber burnishing pads. Natural fiber pads are more abrasive so they remove scratches and scuff marks more effectively.

However, floor burnishers are only suitable for some types of finishes and can damage your floor and finish if not used properly. Before using a floor burnisher on your gym floor, make sure to check in with the manufacturer to ensure it is suitable for your floor.

Removing Difficult Scuff Marks

If you happen to have tough scuff marks on your floor that doesn’t come off with a tennis ball or light pad, you may need to “up your game” and use a more aggressive pad. A floor buffer paired with a blue pad can be used in this case.

Floor Buffer Paired With A Blue Pad

Blue pads are more aggressive and abrasive cleaners and can be used to remove heavier and tougher scuff marks. However, using an abrasive blue pad poses the risk of removing layers of finish from your gym floor and damaging the glossiness of your floor.

In cases where using a blue pad is required, try not to hold the floor buffer machine in one spot for too long to avoid causing damage to your floor.

Conclusion

Knowing how to get scuff marks off gym floors is very important as allowing the buildup of scuff marks which is usually accompanied by grime can totally ruin the shine and beauty of your floor. Follow the steps above and rest assured you will have yourself a scuff mark free gym floor.