Ammonia

• Ammonia is an alkaline substance available in the housekeeping aisle of most stores. It's a strong cleaning agent with a very distinctive smell. If you are using ammonia to strip wax from floors, you will not need much. As a general rule, use 1 cup of ammonia per gallon of hot water. Never combine bleach with ammonia, as the fumes are deadly.
  
  

Liquid Dish Detergent

• Everyone recalls the commercials mentioning how effective liquid dish detergent is in cutting grease from dishes. What you might not realize is that liquid dish detergent is also useful when removing wax from a floor. For an added boost to this concoction, combine 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap with 1/4 cup lemon juice per gallon of hot water.
  
  

Vinegar

• If you've ever needed to strip your washing machine or dishwasher, you're familiar with vinegar's ability to effectively remove wax. Vinegar is highly acidic and easily strips wax and oils from surfaces. Best of all, vinegar is also naturally antibacterial, so you'll be cleaning away any built-up germs that are living in the wax. For the best results, combine 4 cups of vinegar and 2 gallons of hot water. Vinegar is also completely kid safe and pet safe.
  
  

Sponge Mop

• You won't get anywhere with your wax stripping without the right kind of equipment. For this job, use a fresh sponge mop with a scrubber side. Using a sponge mop will save you a great deal of elbow grease, and the scrubber is excellent for cutting through tough stuck-on layers.