At Innov8 Supply, we understand that maintaining clean, polished, and durable floors is essential to operating a professional, safe, and inviting facility. Whether you manage a commercial office, retail store, hotel, restaurant, or industrial space, selecting the right floor pads for your equipment and floor type is crucial for effective floor cleaning and long-term maintenance.
Using the wrong pad can result in poor cleaning, wasted time, or even costly damage. That’s why we’ve created this detailed guide to help you understand the different types of floor pads available and how to select the best one for your specific commercial floor care needs.
Understanding Floor Pads: Why They Matter
Floor pads are essential tools designed to work with rotary floor machines, scrubbers, or burnishers. They come in various materials, textures, and levels of abrasiveness, each suited to a particular cleaning or maintenance task. From light polishing to aggressive stripping, selecting the right pad ensures you achieve the results you want without damaging your floors.
Before purchasing, consider:
- What type of flooring you have
- What cleaning or maintenance task you want to perform
- The compatibility of the pad with your floor machine
At Innov8 Supply, we offer a diverse range of high-quality floor care solutions tailored to every floor type and industry.
Types of Floor Pads and Their Uses
1. Buffing Pads
Buffing pads are among the gentlest floor pads, designed to remove light scuffs and surface dirt while enhancing shine. Ideal for light-duty floor cleaning, buffing pads are perfect for frequent use on polished surfaces, leaving behind a sparkling finish.
- Color: Red, white
- Machine Speed: 350–800 RPM (low-speed machines)
- Frequency: 1–5 times per week
- Floor Types: VCT, VAT, sheet vinyl, terrazzo, granite, concrete
2. Polishing Pads
Polishing pads are the softest available, made specifically for applying wax or achieving a high-gloss finish on dry, clean floors. These are best used with low-speed floor polishers to create a smooth, luxurious finish.
- Color: White, gold
- Machine Speed: 350–800 RPM
- Frequency: 1–5 times per week
- Floor Types: VCT, VAT, sheet vinyl, terrazzo, granite, concrete
3. Scrubbing Pads
Scrubbing pads provide medium aggressiveness to remove heavier dirt, scuff marks, or lightly soiled finishes without damaging the floor’s protective layers. They are suited for regular maintenance in high-traffic zones.
- Color: Blue, green, purple
- Machine Speed: 175–350 RPM (low-speed machines)
- Frequency: Quarterly or as needed
- Floor Types: VCT, VAT, sheet vinyl, terrazzo, granite, concrete
4. Burnishing Pads
Burnishing pads are designed for high-speed burnishers and are used after cleaning to dry buff, smooth surfaces, creating a glossy, mirror-like shine. Since they do not follow the traditional color-coding system,they always review the product details before purchase.
- Color: Green, blue, tan, gray
- Machine Speed: Up to 3000 RPM (high-speed machines)
- Frequency: As needed for shine enhancement
- Floor Types: VCT, VAT, sheet vinyl, terrazzo, granite, concrete
5. Stripping Pads
Stripping pads are the most aggressive, designed to remove old finishes, sealers, wax, and ground-in dirt. Use them with low-speed machines for heavy-duty floor stripping before refinishing.
- Color: Black, brown
- Machine Speed: 175–350 RPM
- Frequency: Every 18–36 months or as needed
- Floor Types: VCT, VAT, sheet vinyl, terrazzo, granite, concrete
6. Carpet Cleaning Pads
Carpet cleaning pads are non-abrasive, designed to refresh and lift dirt from looped carpets or coated hardwood surfaces. Pair them with a gentle mist of carpet shampoo or cleaner to help loosen debris trapped in the carpet fibers.
- Color: Green, blue, white
- Machine Speed: 175–300 RPM
- Frequency: Once a week or as needed
- Floor Types: Looped carpets, coated hardwood
7. Conditioning Pads
Conditioning pads provide aggressive surface preparation, smoothing imperfections, and prepping floors for recoating or refinishing. They’re beneficial between finishing coats on wooden floors or when stripping old finishes from VCT.
Understanding Floor Pad Colors
While manufacturers may vary slightly, most floor pad systems follow this general color guideline:
- White pads: Softest, for polishing and light cleaning
- Red pads: Light scrubbing and general cleaning
- Blue pads: Moderate scrubbing, removing surface grime
- Green pads: Aggressive scrubbing or stripping prep
- Black/brown pads: Heavy-duty stripping
- Purple pads: Extreme-duty scrubbing, stain, and scuff removal
Choosing the correct pad color ensures the right balance between cleaning strength and surface protection.
How to Choose the Right Floor Pad for Your Facility
When selecting floor pads for your commercial cleaning program, consider:
- Flooring material: Know whether you’re working with vinyl, concrete, terrazzo, wood, or carpet.
- Machine type and speed: Ensure pad compatibility with your scrubber, buffer, or burnisher.
- Cleaning goal: Are you polishing, buffing, scrubbing, or stripping?
- Traffic levels: High-traffic areas may need more frequent maintenance and durable pads.
- Desired appearance: Consider whether you want to maintain shine, remove grime, or fully strip finishes.
By matching your floor care solutions to your facility’s unique needs, you ensure better results, lower costs, and longer-lasting floors.
Trust Innov8 Supply for All Your Commercial Floor Care Needs
At Innov8 Supply, we’re committed to providing the best floor care products and equipment for businesses across industries. Our selection of floor pads, cleaning solutions, and maintenance tools helps you keep your floors looking their best, no matter the challenge.
Whether you’re outfitting a single location or managing multiple facilities, our team is here to help you select the right solutions for effective and efficient floor care.
Explore Our Products Today
Browse our full collection of commercial floor pads, machines, and cleaning products. For personalized recommendations or bulk orders, contact our team—we’re ready to help you elevate your facility’s cleanliness, safety, and presentation.
 
				 
															
