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Floor Pad Color Chart

On 3M's chart the dark pads strip and scrub, red cleans, white polishes and the pink, tan, aqua and sky blue pads burnish at high speed. Pick your machine or type its speed to see which pads it can run, then print the chart for the closet.

175 RPM fits 6 of the 9 jobs on 3M's chart (highlighted).

3M floor pads by job, color and machine speed.
JobMachine and speed3M first choiceAlternates
StrippingRemoves finish, sealer and contaminants from the floor. Rotary or automatic, low speed, 175 to 600 RPM 3M High Productivity Pad 7300 (black) 3M Black Stripper Pad 7200 (black)
3M Brown Stripper Pad 7100 (brown)
ScrubbingTakes the top coat off so the floor is ready for new finish. Rotary or automatic, low speed, 175 to 600 RPM Scotch-Brite Surface Preparation Pad (maroon) Scotch-Brite Surface Preparation Pad Plus (maroon)
3M Blue Cleaner Pad 5300 (blue)
CleaningRemoves light soil and other contaminants. Rotary or automatic, low speed, 175 to 600 RPM Scotch-Brite Clean & Shine Pad (tan) 3M TopLine Autoscrubber Pad 5000 (light green)
3M Red Buffer Pad 5100 (red)
BuffingRemoves scuffs and black heel marks and brightens the floor. Rotary, low speed, 175 to 600 RPM 3M White Super Polish Pad 4100 (white) 3M Red Buffer Pad 5100 (red)
BurnishingRemoves scuffs and marks, repairs the finish and raises gloss. Electric, battery or propane burnisher, ultra high speed, 1,500 RPM and above 3M Eraser Burnish Pad 3600 (pink) 3M Natural Blend Tan Pad 3500 (tan)
3M Tan Burnish Pad 3400 (tan)
Best glossBurnishing for the highest gloss. Electric, battery or propane burnisher, ultra high speed, 1,500 RPM and above 3M Aqua Burnish Pad 3100 (aqua) 3M Natural Blend White Pad 3300 (off-white)
Soft finishBurnishing softer finishes, with less dust and burning. Electric, battery or propane burnisher, ultra high speed, 1,500 RPM and above 3M Sky Blue Hi-Performance Burnish Pad 3050 (sky blue) 3M Aqua Burnish Pad 3100 (aqua)
Stone floor conditioningCleans and conditions worn, dull stone floors. Rotary, automatic, electric, battery or propane, 175 RPM and up Scotch-Brite Sienna Diamond Floor Pad Plus (sienna) None listed
Stone floor polishingCleans and polishes stone floors in good condition to a medium shine. Rotary, automatic, electric, battery or propane, 175 RPM and up Scotch-Brite Purple Diamond Floor Pad Plus (purple) None listed

Pad names, colors and speed bands are from 3M's chart. Other brands can differ, so check the pad maker's own chart and the speed rating on the pad.

How to read the chart

3M splits floor work into two speed bands. Low speed rotary and automatic machines (175 to 600 RPM) strip, scrub, clean and buff. Burnishers at 1,500 RPM and above run the burnish pads. The diamond pads for stone run across the whole range, from 175 RPM up.

Match the pad to the band: run burnish pads only on machines at 1,500 RPM and above, and stripping, scrubbing and cleaning pads on low speed machines. A standard 175 RPM floor machine, or a dual speed machine on its 320 RPM setting, stays in the low speed band.

Sources

3M, Choose the right floor pad for the job, wall chart (May 2025, 78-8134-0533-3): every pad, job and speed band on this page; colors as the chart shows them. Machine speeds: the makers' figures as listed on our product pages.

Floor machines and burnishers

Frequently asked questions

What color floor pad is for stripping?

Black and brown. On 3M's chart the first choice is the High Productivity Pad 7300, with the Black Stripper Pad 7200 and the Brown Stripper Pad 7100 as alternates, all for low speed machines at 175 to 600 RPM.

What is a red floor pad used for?

Everyday cleaning and light scrubbing. 3M's Red Buffer Pad 5100 takes off light soil, scuff marks and black heel marks at low speed.

What pad do I use for burnishing?

A burnish pad on a machine running 1,500 RPM or more. 3M's first choice is the pink Eraser Burnish Pad 3600, with the Aqua Burnish Pad 3100 for best gloss and the Sky Blue Hi-Performance Burnish Pad 3050 for soft finishes.

Can I use a burnishing pad on a 175 RPM floor machine?

3M lists its burnish pads for ultra high speed machines, 1,500 RPM and above. On a 175 RPM machine use the low speed pads: white to polish and red to clean.

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