Product Care
Midland Polished Concrete: the UK's Leading Nationwide Specialists
Looking After Your Floor
Your polished concrete floor has been treated with penetrating densifier and penetrating stain protection impregnator which is designed to soak into the surface and resist staining from oil, water and grease, it also provides it will not resist burning from acids and alkaline substances. Our coatings are long lasting and are difficult to breakdown / through with normal use such as foot traffic.
Whilst the stain protection and densifiers will resist staining, it is recommended that the floor is cleaned regularly and that any spillage is removed as soon as possible, acidic products should be cleaned up immediately. As a guide to protection and cleaning we would recommend the following:
Walk on/walk off mats and regular sweeping or vacuuming minimize grit (sand particles) which will scratch many surfaces. Note: Impregnating / penetrating sealers do not protect against physical wear and coatings scratch more easily than most flooring materials.
Wipe / mop up spills as soon as possible. Impregnating sealers are ‘breathable’ i.e. the pores of the surface remain open so moisture can escape by evaporation. They work by repelling water (hydrophobic) or oil and water (oleo phobic) not by blocking the pores. If left long enough spills can penetrate and leave a stain.
Acid sensitive surfaces, including Micro polished concrete, marble, limestone and travertine will be damaged on contact with acidic substances such as lemon juice, cola, vinegar and wine. These surface materials contain calcite, a form of calcium, which reacts and dissolves on contact with acids. Impregnating sealers don’t stop liquids from making physical contact with the surface and therefore cannot prevent acid etching. Clean up acidic spills on acid sensitive materials ASAP to minimize damage.
Bird droppings and other animal excretions are usually acidic and can cause permanent etching to acid sensitive materials. It is recommended to clean these up as soon as possible.
Regularly remove leaves, branches and other plant matter. Some types of leaves when left on a surface will bleed tannins over time, which can not only be difficult to remove but, being acidic, can etch acid sensitive stones such as limestone, travertine, and concrete.
With no job too big or small, our nationwide coverage allows us to supply our professional concrete services no matter your location. You can trust Midland Polished Flooring to deliver high quality, affordable flooring solutions. .
- Sweep or vacuum floor to remove any debris and dust.
- Carefully remove any stubborn deposits i.e. dried on food with a non-scratch implement.
- Mop over with warm water only. We would recommend using a dry mop such as a micro fibre mop.
- General recommendations for surfaces sealed with an impregnator.
We suggest a PH neutral concrete conditioner be used on your polished floor. Clean as normal with water and apply conditioner as per manufacturer instruction.
To keep a high sheen we would recommend that when dry the surface is burnished with a floor polisher and a white buffing pad (not aggressive cleaning pad).
- Mop and bucket.
- Micro fibre mop.
- PH neutral floor cleaner.
- Conditioner maintainer.
- Electric Floor polisher 1200rpm – 2500rpm
- First lift as much of the spill as possible with paper towel, a cloth or other absorbent material.
- Mop up the remaining spill with warm water. Adding HP neutral cleaner or other suitable alkaline cleaner to the water should aid cleaning and help to neutralize the acid
- If the spill has been left too long and has dried or caused a stain, refer to the section on stain removal regular cleaning.
- Light cleaning can be performed as regularly as necessary to stop the build up of grime and dirt.
- Daily light cleaning may be required in high traffic commercial areas, with spot mopping of spills in food court areas.
- A suitable pH neutral or mild alkaline cleaner is recommended.
- Cleaners with detergents can leave a residue which is difficult to rinse off and collects dirt.
- Heavy duty cleaning is performed if the build up of dirt and grime is too much for normal cleaning. 2. For indoor floors in homes this is easily avoided by regular light cleaning.
- On commercial surfaces, due to high volume traffic, grime can build up despite daily light cleaning efforts.
- Heavy duty cleaning can be performed every 3 months, monthly or more often if necessary provided a suitable cleaner and non-damaging buffer and tools are used. We recommend HTC Twister pads (green).
Scrubbing pads: when a floor has scratches or scuffmarks the surface area is uneven. To ensure an even polish on a floor, a more abrasive pad is needed to reach and polish the indents.
Buffing pads: surfaces that have a smooth finish require a softer pad to polish the surface because there are no deep indents. Using an abrasive pad on a smooth surface is not advised as it can damage the Micro concrete.
Our impregnator will not prevent etching from acidic products, or physical surface wear. The level of enhancement will vary dependent on the type of material being treated. Eventually, wear and tear and cleaning will affect the enhancement and sealing performance. Reapplication of the product will be needed. Once enhanced, the treated surface cannot be restored back to the original look.
Please note that dragging ridged items across the floor that have a higher Mohs hardness than the surface will result in scratches within the surface. Should this occur then specialised polishing equipment maybe required to remove these please call our technical team 01675 456110.
