Three Tips to Maintain Polished Concrete Floors
Concrete flooring is strong and durable, making it a top choice for high-traffic areas, such as parking garages, industrial environments, retail shops, and more. While concrete typically requires minimal care compared to other types of flooring, periodic maintenance will keep it looking and functioning at its best.
Three Steps to Perfectly Polished Concrete Flooring
1. Dry mopping
Dust, dirt, and debris can roughen the surface of your polished concrete. Keep your polished concrete looking fresh and shiny by dry mopping with a microfiber pad to remove stacked dust, soil, and other particles.
2. Wet mopping
Use a clean mop and clean water to remove dried-on soil. Wet mop daily to refresh your floors and prevent built-up dirt and debris.
3. Deep cleaning
In high-traffic areas, you might need to use floor cleaners to suspend dirt particles and remove them more effectively. Avoid harsh cleaners such as bleach, vinegar, ammonia, pine, or citrus-based solvents. Instead, look for pH neutral floor cleaners to avoid damaging the polished surface.
Once the cleanser has had time to break down the dirt particles, rinse using clean water and a clean mop. If the cleanser is allowed to dry on the floor, it will dull the floor and could attract more dirt.
Establishing a regular concrete floors maintenance schedule can ensure you stay in the habit of maintaining your floors properly and keeping them in the best condition possible.
Concrete Floors Maintenance: Stains, Spills, and Mishaps
In both high- and low-traffic areas, spills and messes can occur. If a spill stays on the floor too long, it can penetrate the polished surface and stain the concrete. Cleaning spills immediately and remediating the stain minimizes the risk of long-term stains and erosion.
Deal with acidic spills, such as soft drinks, immediately, and dilute the acid using plenty of fresh-water. Alkaline spills, such as ammonia or detergent, should be cleaned using a concrete cleaner. You can restore the gloss of polished concrete floors using a guard finish as necessary. Salt residue can also be cleaned using a concrete cleaner. Use a diluted concrete cleaner or degreaser to clean up oil or grease spills. Set-in stains and scratches can usually be polished out as needed.
Maintenance in High Traffic vs. Low Traffic Areas
Low traffic areas typically require little more than dry mopping with periodic wet mopping and prompt attention to spills. Higher traffic areas, such as industrial and retail environments and parking garages, have different needs. In high traffic areas, you will need to be more proactive in caring for your floors. Clean spills immediately to limit the risk of stains. Remove large debris, and dust mop at least daily or several times a day as needed. Auto-scrub the floor daily using cleaners designed for concrete floors.
About Blackrock Industrial
As the region’s most trusted contractor for industrial and commercial epoxy and polished concrete floors, Blackrock Industrial is highly experienced in a wide range of flooring systems and applications. Our specialty is applying both Division 3 and Division 9 architectural finishes. We strive for our clients’ complete satisfaction in every job we do, and our staff is highly trained in all aspects of polished concrete flooring installation. Call our offices today to learn more or schedule a site visit with one of our account managers.
