How Do You Maintain a Polished Concrete Floor?
Polished concrete floors are the most cost-effect and easiest flooring options in terms of maintenance. This unique concrete floor doesn’t require cyclical polishing or waxing like other stone, wooden, or vinyl floors. Polished concrete is extremely durable and scratch-resistant, making it the perfect flooring solution for areas susceptible to wear due to foot traffic.
Once you’ve installed polished concrete floors, it requires little attention and care to retain their fabulous color and luster. Here are a few tips on keeping your polished concrete in optimal condition without compromising its durability or gloss.
Use Entrance Mats
As with the maintenance of any floor surface, placing entrance mats on both the outside and inside of your door is recommended. Entrance mats are vital in preventing dust particles, grime, and debris from getting onto your floor. While small particles don’t seem like a significant threat to your floors, if left unchecked, they can deteriorate the quality of your concrete surfaces.
Mop Regularly
If you have polished concrete floors at home, ensure you dust mop them daily or more often in a commercial setting with heavy foot traffic. This goes a long way in removing any grime or dust that abrades your floor, causing it to lose its luster and aesthetics over time. The best materials to use when dust mopping include a microfiber pad or cloth, which suspends dust particles and removes them from the surface. Wet mopping is essential for residential and commercial settings, but the frequency depends on the traffic.
Use a pH Neutral Soap.
When wet mopping your polished concrete floors, always use hot soapy water. A pH-neutral soap is usually recommended because it’s less corrosive than detergents containing citrus, bleach, pine, or vinegar. Most soaps containing these ingredients are acidic and end up etching and fading your concrete floors in the long run.
Use Clean Water and a Clean Mop
Always use a clean mop and water to avoid leaving streak marks affecting your floors’ appeal. Make an effort to frequently change the water and thoroughly rinse the mop to avoid leaving marks on your polished floors. An excellent way to prevent this is using a clean cloth to dry wet surfaces. Since pH-neutral soap suspends dirt particles in your mop, ensure the mop is frequently and properly rinsed.
Clean up spills
Polishing seals of all the pores in your concrete surfaces prevents liquids from seeping through and compromises structural integrity and durability. However, that doesn’t mean spills should be left in the open because they can still penetrate your concrete, giving it a nasty patch. When dealing with chemicals or other corrosive substances, you need to be quick off the mark to mitigate potential damage.
The more polished your concrete floor is, the more the pores are sealed off. When your floors start to fade, it is a sign you need to have them re-polished. These tips can help you maintain polished concrete floors in an optimal condition at home and in the workplace.
