Today's job was a refinish 4 room about 600SQ' When I was done ruffing I went throughabout 4-5 36 belts. I remember the first guy I started with used to take Bar Soap/shower soap and coat the paper with it. He said it would help with the sticky finish. Also I remember back in high school. We used to take this rubbery stick and place it on a running belt sander to clean up the paper. I haven't tried eithers of these but maybe someone has something to help.
Steve

I have to wonder what is on the floor that is causing the 36 grit belts to clog so quickly. Typically, my belts wear out and lose their tooth but don't clog UNLESS there is adhesive on the floors. Even wax that has hardened typically sands off easily with 36 grit. Were the floors recently waxed? That may also be the problem. Varnishes, urethanes and most coatings will powder off when sanding IF they are fully cured. Perhaps someone just tried to coat the floors then hired you to sand them when they failed at coating them? So maybe there is very fresh finish or stain which could be gummy I suppose. For me, it's a false economy to attempt to save sanding belts/paper. If the paper is clogging, go to the next lower grit. I'd rather use my time sanding than attempting to salvage sandpaper.

We used to get that now and then in the bowling alleys , we used to switch to a 3 1/2 or 2 1/2 open grit ..did the trick ..

The floor was a pretty old one pretty sure it Fir, It was covered with a carpet for God knows how long. Might of been wax but I don't think so. When I took off the belt the finish on it was gooey, after it cooled off it turned hard as a rock, I'm just glad third coat went on Thur.
Steve