Polished concrete floors are beginning to steal the spotlight, not just because they are durable but also because of their aesthetic properties. Nowadays, most homeowners prefer polished concrete floors over other types of flooring. Before going further, let’s take a quick introduction to polished concrete floors.
What are polished concrete floors?
Simply put, a polished concrete floor is a type of flooring that is made from concrete and has been polished and sealed to give it a non-porous surface. There are different techniques for building polished concrete floors but most of them are centred on one mechanism which involves pouring the concrete, filling it with a sealant, and then the final cleaning, polishing and grinding then sealing.
Polished concrete floors can be made from either raw or coloured concrete and although these types of floors are durable, there is a need to regularly clean and maintain them. Good thing is, maintenance is easy, a lot easier compared to other alternative flooring options.
Because these floors are polished and sealed, they only need a little cleaning to keep them looking shiny and beautiful. Oil stains, dust, and debris can be easily removed in no time. Unlike some other concrete flooring that requires a lot of time, labour and expenses, polished concrete floors can last for a longer time with less maintenance required.
How to maintain polished concrete floor
As earlier stated, maintenance is easy with the little requirement. To keep the floors clean there is a need for routine maintenance which could be daily or monthly; It is, however, preferable that the cleaning routine should be done daily. This will help to ensure that the floor is always clean and dirt does not get accumulated.
Mopping
Daily maintenance of polished concrete floors requires immediate removal of dirt, dust, or debris to prevent them from accumulating or damaging the surface of the floor. Frequent dam mopping should help with this, floor cleaners are also effective. However, it is recommended that floor cleaners used for polished concrete floors should have a neutral pH, this means that they should not be too alkaline or acidic.
When damp mopping, ensure that the water is clean and use clean mops as well. Make sure to consistently change the dirty water and avoid introducing any contaminants to the already cleaned surface.
Avoid mopping with water only, it may discolour the floor surface. Clean oil spills, chemical spills, and other stains from the floor immediately so they don’t get absorbed into the surface and eventually deteriorate the floor surface.
Dry mopping or dust mopping should be done daily to eliminate dust particles. Dust and sand particles can be abrasive and can damage the clarity and shine of the polished floor. Try installing mats at the entry points of your building. This will help to reduce the amount of debris that is tracked into a building from outside. Ensure to clean the mats daily to prevent them from being saturated with debris.
Floor cleaners
Floor cleaners with either high or low pH levels can cause the polished floor to look dull. Acidic cleaners tend to interact with polished concrete. Do not use cleaning agents like vinegar, ammonia, or bleach. When these cleaners penetrate the floor surface, they can damage the pores of the concrete floor.
Timely cleaning
Avoid mopping the floor immediately after you apply the cleaner, instead give it time, about 3-5 minutes, to break down and suspend the dirt and other contaminants on the surface. This is because cleaning is not only to remove dirt but also to kill bacteria and molds that may be present on the surface of the floor. So give the cleaner enough time to work.
Sectional cleaning
Clean the floor in sections and do not rush through the cleaning process. Although, when using a cleaner it is advised to leave it for some time, however, it should not be left for too long before it gets dried on the floor. For this reason. it is better to apply the cleaner only to a small area, clean that portion, and then continue with others till the cleaning process is completed.
Cleaning pad
If you will be using a cleaning pad, ensure that it is not abrasive and will not cause any scratch on the floor; use a microfiber pad, it works best. If you have a large area to clean, use an automatic floor scrubber that has a non-abrasive pad.
Remove dirt before cleaning
To have a better cleaning result, try using a high-speed burnisher on the dry concrete floor before cleaning it. The burnisher uses the particles on the floor as an abrasive to remove the dirt on the surface of the floor. Once the dirt is up, a dry mop can then be used to clean them off. After this, wet mopping with floor cleaner is needed to completely remove debris as well as bacteria, or mold. Using a burnisher before cleaning helps to renew the appearance of the polished concrete floor.
The same cleaning method applies to the weekly and monthly routines. Wet mopping is important in these routines. Regularly cleaning a polished concrete floor will help renew its shine keeping it clean and sparkling all the time.
Concrete floor polishing: How often should it be done?
As a part of the maintenance routine, concrete floors may need polishing from time to time to renew their look. Probably about 2-3 years interval between every polishing. If proper maintenance is done it may even be as long as 5 years intervals. This is more flexible compared to the yearly waxing and sealing that is required by some other types of concrete floors. Only the daily and weekly floor maintenance routines need to be done regularly.
Maintaining your polished concrete floor not only prolongs its look and durability but is also a good investment of your time, money, and energy. With proper maintenance, you can save yourself the cost of renewing the polished concrete with a professional, every year. The type of routine you choose for the floor will depend on how often the floor is used. Floors of apartments may only require weekly maintenance while that of companies, and business enterprises will require daily maintenance since they are used more often and are exposed to more dirt.
