Maintain A Polished Concrete Flooring

Polished concrete floors are extremely durable, able withstand most things that modern life can throw at it. From the family home to heavy industrial settings, the concrete floor remains robust and dense.

However, having said that, the prowess of concrete flooring to withstand heavy use does need to be bolstered by maintenance.

No doubt as you read this last sentence, your hearts sank as you know envision hours of mopping, polishing, scrubbing, expensive chemical treatments and so on, all in a vain effort to keep your concrete floor not only looking great, but staying strong too.

Routine maintenance

On a daily or frequent basis, your concrete floor will require no more extra care than you would give to a wooden floor, laminate floor or carpeting.

Sweeping or vacuuming, along with the occasional mop with warm water and a gentle detergent is all that is needed to keep your polished concrete floor not only looking great, but hygienically clean too.

Choose you detergent carefully however, as anything too abrasive will soon dull the shine. Some floor detergents are also heavily clean with various chemicals some of which may strip away the top layer of shine, and possibly start to react with the exposed concrete beneath.

Always check the label of a detergent before using and try to find one that is pH neutral (or very close to it). Acidic cleaners can be used but sparingly, and only when really needed, such as when a stubborn stain needs to be removed.

A soft mop is always best, with the use of abrasive and harsh materials kept to a minimum, and only used if necessary. Scouring pads, for example, are not a good idea unless there is a particular nasty or stubborn stain that cannot be removed any other way.

If you do scratch away at the top layer of sealant, you need to be aware that the concrete will be exposed. Without a sealant layer, concrete is porous thus, that patch of exposed floor will start to soak up food stains, drink stains and general detritus.

It can be restored when you have the top sealant layer re-applied, so don’t worry too much.

Deeper cleaning and maintenance

The frequency of when you need to perform a really deep clean with depend on one thing: how often the floor is used, and the wear and tear on the floor. Even in a busy household, polished concrete floors under constant use will only need a deep clean, re-sealing and so on every few years.

Commercial premises where the floors are constantly used and the footfall is heavy, may need a deeper clean and re-sealing more often.

Checklist for maintaining your polished concrete floor

You have invested time and money in creating the perfect polished concrete floor for your home or business premises; it makes sense that you want to look after it, maintaining its dazzling shine but you don’t have hours every day to keep it looking great.

Our quick checklist will help you keep it looking good for a long time – and without spending time scrubbing the floor!

1. Invest in a microfiber mop that can be used daily to attract and pick up any dust, hair and so on that may have fallen on to the floor.
2. Sweep up spills of abrasive materials, such as soil or sand; these materials are abrasive and will dull the shine on the polished concrete floor.
3. The floor should always be mopped using clean water and a clean mop.
4. For larger areas, usually in commercial buildings, investing in an industrial floor cleaner, with a non-abrasive pad can quickly clean bigger spaces and rooms.
5. Always use a pH neutral cleaner in warm water if wet mopping a concrete floor.
6. Using just water to mop a concrete floor will not lift the dirt particles from its surface and over time, this will contribute to the floor looking dull.
7. Should food or drink, or anything else, be spilled on the floor, wipe it up as quickly as possible; although it is hard for stains to become ingrained, if the substance wears away the top layer of sealant, it could stain the exposed concrete beneath.
8. Some cleaning agents suitable for concrete floors need time to work on the floor’s surface. Always read the instructions carefully, leaving the cleaner on for the allotted length of time. Mopping it too early means the detritus on the floor will not be removed.
9. Any detergent or cleaning product you use on the polished concrete floor should not be allowed to dry on it, as this could compromise any chemical treatments or top layer of sealant.

Polished concrete floors look great for a long, long time with minimal cleaning effort.