Professional Vinyl Floor Polishing and Strip and Seal in Melbourne
Total Cleaning Melbourne buffs, polishes, strips and reseals vinyl and linoleum floors in homes, clinics, offices and commercial kitchens across Melbourne. We measure and assess every floor before we quote, and apply two to three coats of polish or seal depending on its condition. We also work after hours and on weekends, so the work does not disrupt your normal operating hours. The photos on this page are from our own jobs.
What we do:
- Buff and polish: machine-clean and buff the existing finish, then add fresh polish to bring back the shine
- Strip and seal: remove the old polish back to bare vinyl, then lay down two to three new coats of seal
- Restoration: bring dark, patchy or neglected vinyl back instead of replacing it
- New-build and handover polish: lift builder’s dust and residue from new vinyl plank before move-in
- Linoleum care: strip, seal and buff natural lino with products that suit it
Real Vinyl Floors We Have Restored
These are real jobs completed by our team, photographed on the day. We never name our customers: homes are identified by suburb only, and businesses by type and region.
A 10-year-old vinyl floor the owner was going to replace (Preston)
The owner of this home had about 34 square metres of tile-pattern vinyl that had not been stripped in around ten years. Years of polish layers had darkened it and left black spots, and they had decided to replace the floor. Before spending money on new flooring, they asked us to try restoring it. We stripped the old polish back to bare vinyl, rinsed and dried the floor, and resealed it.
New vinyl plank with builder’s dust before move-in (South Morang)
A brand-new home had 127 square metres of wood-look vinyl plank coated in a fine powder residue left by the builders. The owners were moving in at the end of the week. We buffed and polished the plank with a product suited to it, so the floor was clean and protected on the day they moved in.
If the rest of the house also needs a post-construction clean, see our builders clean service.
Treatment rooms and hallways in a beauty clinic (north-west Melbourne)
A beauty clinic had four treatment rooms and three hallways of wood-look vinyl, about 41.5 square metres, that had gone flat and scuffed. We measured on arrival, then buffed the floors and applied two coats of polish on a weekend so the clinic did not lose a trading day. We quoted the bathroom tiles and grout on the same visit.
Three coats on a commercial suite (outer east)
The common area of a commercial suite inside a shopping-centre building had blue commercial sheet vinyl that had worn dull. We machine-scrubbed the floor to lift the dirt and old surface film, then buffed it and applied three coats of polish. We worked to the building’s access instructions and finished within the booked window.
Dental surgeries and clinics that keep booking us back
Clinical floors take constant traffic, chairs on castors and frequent wet cleaning, which wears through polish quickly. One dental practice in Melbourne’s east has been a repeat customer since 2020, booking us back again and again to buff and polish its surgery rooms with two coats. We also polish treatment-room floors for dental surgeries and clinics in the inner east, the CBD and across Melbourne.
Buff and Polish or Strip and Seal: Which Does Your Floor Need?
| Buff and polish | Strip and seal | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Floors that still have a sound finish but look dull or scuffed | Yellowed, patchy or dark floors, or polish built up over years |
| What happens | Machine clean and buff, then fresh polish over the existing coat | Old polish stripped back to bare vinyl, rinsed, dried, then resealed |
| Coats applied | Fresh polish over the existing finish | Two to three new coats |
| Time and disruption | Shorter; often done room by room | Longer, because of drying time between coats |
| How often | Every 6 to 12 months on busy commercial floors; 12 to 18 months in homes | When polish has built up, yellowed or gone patchy, typically every few years |
If you are not sure, we will look at the floor and tell you. Plenty of floors only need a buff, and we would rather tell you that than sell you a strip you do not need.
Our Vinyl Floor Polishing Process
- Measure and assess. We measure the area and check the floor type: sheet vinyl, vinyl tile, luxury vinyl plank or linoleum. We also look at the finish already on it and test where needed. Large or unusual floors get a site visit before we quote.
- Prepare the room. Furniture and equipment are moved or worked around, and edges and skirting are protected.
- Clean or strip. For a buff and polish, we machine-clean and buff the surface. For a strip and seal, we apply stripper and use a floor machine to break down the old polish, then remove the residue.
- Rinse and dry. The floor is rinsed and dried thoroughly, because new coats will not bond properly to a wet or dirty floor. Where moisture is an issue we bring in drying equipment.
- Polish or seal in two to three coats. We apply each coat evenly and let it dry before the next. The number of coats depends on the floor’s condition and traffic.
- Final check and aftercare. We walk the floor with you, tell you when it can take foot traffic and furniture, and explain how to keep it looking good.
Vinyl Floor Types We Work On
- Sheet vinyl: the continuous, seamless flooring common in clinics, surgeries, kitchens and wet areas. It responds very well to a strip and seal.
- Vinyl tiles: common in older homes, offices and commercial kitchens. Polish builds up in the joints and edges, which is why stripping makes such a visible difference.
- Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT): many have a factory wear layer, so we check the product and test first. Some only need a deep clean and buff rather than a new coating. We also clean builder’s residue off new installs.
- Linoleum: a natural product made from linseed oil, cork and wood flour. It is sensitive to strong alkaline strippers and over-wetting, so it needs gentler products and a careful process.
For timber, concrete or tiled floors in the same building, see our timber floor rejuvenation, concrete polishing and tile and grout cleaning services.
Who We Polish Vinyl Floors For
- Dental surgeries and medical clinics: surgery and treatment-room floors, booked around the appointment book
- Clinics, salons and studios: treatment rooms and hallways, including weekend work so you do not lose a trading day
- Offices and CBD buildings: including buildings with tight access hours and no on-site parking
- Warehouses and staff kitchens: strip and seal over a weekend so the floor is ready for Monday
- Cafes and hospitality fit-outs: floor scrub and polish before an opening
- New builds and renovations: cleaning and polishing new vinyl plank before handover or move-in
- Homes: kitchens, laundries and living areas, including before a sale or at the end of a lease
Businesses that need regular cleaning as well as floor work can ask about our commercial cleaning service.
After-Hours and Weekend Vinyl Floor Work
A strip and seal needs the floor empty while each coat dries, so for most businesses the best time is when they are closed. We regularly work around surgery appointment books, within CBD buildings’ access hours, and over weekends. For example, we stripped and sealed about 108 square metres of a south-east warehouse’s kitchens and hallways, with three coats, across a single weekend. Large areas can be done in sections so part of the premises stays open.
How Much Does Vinyl Floor Polishing Cost in Melbourne?
We price vinyl floor work after measuring the floor rather than quoting blind, because the condition of the floor changes the job. What affects the price:
- Floor area in square metres
- Condition: a light buff is quicker than stripping years of build-up
- Treatment: buff and polish, or full strip and seal
- Number of coats: typically two to three
- Access and furniture: what has to be moved or worked around
- Timing: after-hours and weekend work for businesses
You get a fixed price before any work starts. For a detailed look at what goes into a strip and seal quote, read our vinyl strip and seal cost guide. Call 1300 424 114 to arrange a quote.
How to Keep Vinyl Floors Looking Good After Polishing
- Sweep or vacuum grit regularly. Grit is what wears through polish fastest.
- Mop with a pH-neutral cleaner, and avoid harsh or ammonia-based products and steam mops.
- Use entrance mats and put felt pads under chair and table legs.
- Book a buff and polish between full strip and seals to keep the finish up for longer.
More tips are in our guide to making vinyl flooring look new again.
Areas We Service
We polish vinyl floors right across Melbourne. Our floor jobs over the past few years span the inner north, the inner and outer east, the north-west, the west, the bayside suburbs, the CBD, the northern growth corridor and the south-east. Our team is based in Hallam in the south-east and services all surrounding suburbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a vinyl buff and polish and a strip and seal?
A buff and polish works on the coating that is already on the floor: we machine-clean and buff the surface, then lay fresh polish over it to bring back the shine. A strip and seal goes further: we chemically strip the old polish back to bare vinyl, rinse and dry the floor, then apply two to three new coats of seal. If the floor has yellowed, gone patchy or has years of polish build-up, a buff will not fix it and a strip and seal is the right job.
How many coats of polish or seal do you apply?
Two to three coats, depending on the floor’s condition and how much traffic it takes. Each coat is left to dry before the next one goes on. We do not stack extra coats to make a quote look bigger: two to three properly applied coats is what a vinyl floor needs.
Can old, dull vinyl be restored instead of replaced?
Often, yes. Dark, patchy or yellowed vinyl is usually old polish and embedded dirt sitting on top of the vinyl, not damage to the vinyl itself. Stripping removes those layers and resealing restores the finish. We have restored a floor its owner was about to rip out. Deep gouges, tears, burns and lifting seams cannot be polished out, and we will tell you honestly if the floor is past saving.
Do you polish luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and vinyl tiles?
Yes. We work on sheet vinyl, vinyl tiles, luxury vinyl plank and tile, and linoleum. Many newer planks have a factory-applied wear layer, so we check the product and the finish first and test before applying anything. Some only need a machine clean and buff rather than a full coating.
Can you work after hours or on weekends?
Yes. Most of our commercial vinyl work is booked around the business: around surgery appointments, within an office building’s access hours, or over a weekend so a staff kitchen or warehouse floor is dry and ready by Monday. Tell us your trading hours when you book.
How long before we can walk on the floor?
Drying time depends on the product, the number of coats, temperature and ventilation, so we confirm it on the day for your floor. We plan the job so rooms can be closed off while they dry, and we will tell you when the floor is ready for foot traffic and when furniture can go back.
How often should vinyl floors be polished?
Busy commercial floors such as clinics, reception areas and staff kitchens usually need attention every six to twelve months. One dental practice has had us back roughly every year since 2020. Homes typically need it every twelve to eighteen months. A buff and polish between full strip and seals keeps the finish up for longer.
How much does vinyl floor polishing cost in Melbourne?
Vinyl floor work is priced on the floor area in square metres, the floor’s condition, whether it needs a buff and polish or a full strip and seal, the number of coats, access and furniture, and whether the work is done after hours. We measure the floor before we confirm a price, so you get a fixed quote rather than an estimate. Call 1300 424 114 to arrange it.
Do you clean linoleum as well as vinyl?
Yes. Linoleum is a natural material made from linseed oil, cork and wood flour, so it is more sensitive to strong alkaline strippers and too much water than vinyl. We identify which floor you have before we start and use products suited to linoleum.
Book Your Vinyl Floor Polishing
Whether it is one surgery room, a staff kitchen over a weekend or a whole floor of vinyl plank, we will measure it, recommend the right treatment and give you a fixed quote. Call Total Cleaning Melbourne on 1300 424 114 or request a free quote online.