I just applied a sealer to my marble customer’s floor, and they have told me that it is sticky and they can’t seem to clean it up. What can I do?

The sticky substance is silicon residue, which can be difficult to remove. First, try cleaning the floor with mineral spirits and clean cloths. If this does not remove the silicon, then stronger solvents may be necessary. Suggested solvents may be acetone, toluene or methylene chloride. Be careful; these solvents are very hazardous to work with, and can be explosive.

TIP Before attempting to use solvents to remove the sticky film, try applying a solution of water and ammonia. Agitate the solution with a floor machine and a soft brush and pick up the solution with a wet vac. If this fails to work, then try mineral spirits as described above.