Marble- A flooring material composed of a form of limestone hard enough to be polished. Purest grade used by sculptors is called Statuary Marble. A softer more porous version called Travertine is usually used for floors. Travertine marble is known to harden on exposure to air. Marble is damaged by alkaline cleaners, soaps and acids; it also stains easily.

Metal Complex- A crosslink of a bivalent metal ion (usually zinc) between the acid functional groups of two polymer chains. Metal complexes can provide a reaction site for aid in removal, detergent resistance and durability in floor polishes.

Metal Interlock- A formulation technique by which metal is chemically complexed with the polymer and/or resin in an aqueous finish or sealer. The use of bivalent metal ions such as zinc or zirconium to bind together and form a crosslinked network with add containing polymer chains. This technique causes the dried film to be more durable and detergent resistant while still allowing its ready removal with amine type strippers.

M.F.T.(Minimum Forming Temperature)- The temperature below which a polymer or floor polish will not form a continuous film.

Mill Finish- A finish applied by the tile manufacturer to resilient floor tile which must be removed for proper sealing and finishing.

Mop and Shine- A maintenance method using a special mop on composition which lightly cleans and improves the gloss of a worn floor finish. Gloss improvement is accomplished by a new thin coat of product or possibly by rejuvenation of the original finish.