Five Tips to Maintain Polished Concrete Floors

Polished concrete flooring is an attractive, long-lasting flooring option for homes and businesses. However, keeping the glossy sheen on your floors requires consistent maintenance. If not cared for properly, the floor can lose its shine. Thankfully, there are some things you can do keep your floor shiny for years to come.

• Establish a cleaning schedule – Develop a schedule for cleaning the floor that is in line with the amount of traffic it receives. For example, high-traffic floors should receive morning and evening cleaning. High-traffic floors can look clean without maintenance. However, after a few days, dirt can build up, slowly ruining the finish and removing the shine.
• Dust mop every day – When cleaning, use a dust mop to remove the most minute particles from the floor. If dirt sits on top of the concrete, it can seep through the pores and abrade the finish. This dims the shine of polished concrete. Choose a microfiber dust mop when cleaning, as it can trap and lock particles, removing them more effectively.
• Wet mop every week – Clean the floor with a wet mop on a weekly basis. When washing, always clean water to avoid introducing new contaminants to the surface. A bucket and mop are sufficient for residences, as long you replace the water regularly. For larger areas, use an automatic floor scrubber with a non-abrasive pad.

• Use neutral floor cleaner – On its own, water can still leave some dirt particles on the floor. Use a cleaner to pull up any remaining particles that could affect the gloss. Always use a neutral cleaner, as an acidic cleaner (e.g. ammonia or bleach) can eat away at the concrete’s pores. For best results, after applying the cleaner, let it sit for a few minutes before wet vacuuming. Avoid leaving the cleaner on for too long; this can damage the chemical polish.
• Clean spills immediately – Concrete is a porous substance. Any spilled liquids can can seep through the pores and discolour the surface. Acidic spills (e.g. wine or citric acid) are especially bad. Clean any spills immediately to minimize the damage and limit seepage. In case of stains, use a neutral cleaner and clean water to remove as much of the stain as possible. For especially persistent stains, apply deep stain remover for extra effectiveness.

If anything does happen to polished concrete, contact a professional floor cleaning service. Professional concrete polishing services can strip off the seals, clean the stains, and replace the seals. This can leave the floor looking as good as new, preserving the look and finish of the floor for longer.

At Concrete Epoxy 101, we provide Toronto clients with high-quality commercial concrete polishing and residential floor polishing services. Call us today at (416) 838-5188.

Related article: Five Reasons Why Your Space Needs Concrete Floor Polishing