Polished concrete flooring is a popular choice in many settings due to the fact that it is durable and easy to maintain. By following the right polished concrete maintenance steps, it is easy to keep your floors in top shape for many years even in areas with high traffic. Here are the top maintenance tips to remember when it comes to polished concrete:
Remove Dirt And Dust
Soil is one of the ingredients of concrete. This means that it has abrasive properties and it also attracts dust. The more dust particles settle on the floor and in between those micro digs, the more you will notice the shine and clarity of the floor will start to fade. Remove surface dirt with a microfibre pad. Depending on the amount of traffic, this should be done daily or every two days.
Clean Mop and Water
Wet washing is an important part of polished concrete maintenance. Of course, it’s not just a matter of grabbing a mop and bucket. The mop needs to be clean as does the water in the bucket. In commercial settings, automatic floor scrubbers are popular in larger areas.
Floor Cleaner
While it might sound like a good idea to use plain water for washing these floors, it is not always enough. Especially in areas that experience heavy traffic. There will be a larger amount of dirt which can be difficult to loosen with water alone. Use a neutral floor cleaner to help loosen any stubborn dirt and suspend the particles for easy cleaning. Remember to follow the instructions on the bottle of the cleaner. Always allow enough time between the application and when you wipe the floors clean. If not, the cleaner will not have enough time to lift the toughest dirt.
Fast Clean
Concrete can easily absorb anything that spills. Which is why it is so important to wipe up those spills sooner rather than later. Over time, these spills will stain and damage the flooring. Prompt cleaning of spills helps prevent such stains from setting in.
Systematic Cleaning
This is particularly helpful in larger areas as well as busy households. If you have ever tried cleaning with children around, you’ll know why systematic cleaning is so helpful. It also helps you focus on one area at a time. Once you are happy with the first area, you can move on and continue with the next. Instead of trying to do the whole floor at once which can be daunting and impossible with constant traffic.
Don’t Let It Dry
While thorough polished concrete maintenance calls for the cleaning solution to rest on the flooring before you wipe it away, you should take care not to allow it to dry. This is another reason why systematic cleaning is such a great idea. You can divide the floor into sections and clean one section at a time.
Neutral Cleaners
Avoid any cleaners with citrus, ammonia, pine, vinegar or any other cleaner that is not pH neutral. These cleaners will do more harm than good in the short term as well as over the years with regular use.
Burnishing
If the floor is not as shiny as it once was, you can dry-run a high-speed burnisher over your floor. Alternatively, wet burnishing is also popular is you use the appropriate polished concrete solution when doing so. Burnishing is great for giving your floors back their superb shine.
Polish Re-new
Finally, another important polished concrete maintenance step is to re-new the polish of their concrete floors approximately every two years.
By following these steps, you will be able to enjoy beautiful floors for years to come. At Polished Floors, we offer a full range of services including concrete installation, polishing, repair and more. Call us today at (905) 731-7085 for more information on our products and services.