How to Care for Polished Concrete

      This section has guidelines for keeping your polished concrete floor in perfect condition, from routine cleaning to stain removal. With proper care and minimal maintenance you can expect a long life out of this very durable system.   Polished Concrete is one of the most durable flooring materials on the market. But like any other flooring on the market, there is a recommended way to care for them. First and foremost… DON’T EVER use an acidic cleaner on your polished concrete, that includes vinegar and windex. These items are way to harsh on the floor and could effect the finish. Also, never tape your floor.  The chemicals in the tape react with the sealer in the floor and leave a residue which becomes extremely difficult to remove after the tape has been removed. Below is our recommended care and cleaning instructions.

 

**Never use vinegar, acidic, citrus, pine-sol, ammonia, bleach or alkaline cleaners on polished concrete floors.

 

Routine Cleaning (light traffic)

1. Clean up spills as quickly as possible. Less time on your floor means less chance of stains.

2. Pick up all large debris by hand.

3. Dust mop floors daily. Untreated Micro-Fiber dust mops work best. If a dust mop is not available, we recommend a soft bristled broom.

4. Damp Mop floors with neutral ph cleaner at least one time per week. Establishments with heavy traffic will want to mop floors daily.

5. Submerge mop head into water; ring out mop leaving is slightly damp.

6. Damp mop floor to remove remainder of surface debris.

7. Allow floor to dry

 

Routine Cleaning (heavy traffic) Auto-scrub entire floor

1. Use Polished Concrete Cleaner 4oz per gallon of clean water in a auto-scrubber with moderate pressure

2. Choose pad based on manufacturer recommendations. Use 800 grit Buff-X pad.

3. Auto scrubbing with polished concrete cleaner (which contains Lithium Silica) helps the pads polish the floor.

4. Use a mop for hard-to-reach areas. If you don’t have an auto-scrubber, squeegee off water to dry and eliminate water marks.

 

Re-Burnish & Re-New

The gloss levels on Polished Floors are affected by many factors. They include traffic, spills, inadequate cleaning, and abrasives (like dirt and sand) tracked in from outside.

Gloss is easily restored using the following procedures. High traffic areas may need burnishing more often to maintain a gloss. Biannual burnishing applications By Treasure Coast Concrete Polishing  will help to maintain that gloss .

 

RE-POLISHING

• If your polished floor loses its shine due to improper cleaning, high traffic areas, or other circumstances we can repolish or burnish your floor to bring back the original shine. Call our office for a review of your floor and what we recommend would be best for your situation.

 

FACTS ABOUT POLISHED CONCRETE

• Polished concrete floors are very durable; however, they are not impervious to scratches, “chip outs”, or staining. This is a finished floor system and must be treated as such.

• It is essential that the floor be kept clean. Dirt and other contaminants on a polished concrete floor will act as sandpaper and will diminish the floor’s appearance.

• Walk-off floor mats places at entrances help alleviate salts and dirt being introduced onto the surface. Walk-off mats should be maintained and kept clean.

• Rain Water can be acidic (acid rain), and can etch a polished concrete floor.

 

TYPES OF SPILLS/STAINS

• Reactive Spills – These are acidic spills (i.e. orange juice) that will etch the surface of the polished floor if not cleaned in a timely manner. If the acidic level of a product is high the floor could be instantly etched.

• Penetrating Spills – (i.e. red wine; oil) These spills attach to the concrete pores and leave a dark colored spot. This can be minimized if cleaned in a timely manner. If these spills are left on the surface they can penetrate concrete and leave behind discoloration.