Deciding what floor you want for your home is like picking ice cream; you like more than one and don’t want to make the wrong choice. You could go for tile, marble, linoleum, wood and a host of others, and they all seek to cover up the concrete foundation. What if you just leave it concrete?
Exposed concrete is trendy, with more and more people opting for this amazing, natural look, but it needs to be finished to become non-porous. Polished concrete flooring takes it to the next level because you can add colour and design before sealing it to create an amazing look for your home, office or garage. While it is made to last, you still need to give your low-maintenance polished floor ongoing attention to keep it in great condition.
This is how to maintain a polished concrete floor. Taking good care of polished concrete floors is a three-part approach:
- Restore
- Protect
- Maintain
Restoring
Restoring is about cleaning up spills and debris and removing stains to return the original lustre and sheen to the polished concrete floor. This includes oil, grease-cleaning detergents, acidic food spillage and adhesive residue. The faster you can clean up the floor, the better the chance there won’t be any staining or erosion.
Protecting
The protection layer is the applied sealant, but with every spill wiped up, and constant foot traffic, some of the sealant can be removed. Pay attention to areas of high abrasion and reapply sealant as needed. This not only keeps the floor looking great, it also protects the surface.
Maintaining
This article is about maintaining, and all the steps above and below lend themselves to it. Polished concrete floors are durable but need attention to keep their protection and look their best.
Daily Maintenance
We walk around on our floors every day, and this tracks in dust and dirt with every step. Spills and animal accidents also hit the polished concrete surface, so you must do a daily cleaning to keep up.
Spills should be wiped immediately because they can penetrate the surface and stain the floor if left unattended. Beyond wiping up liquids, dust mop your polished concrete floor every day. A micro fibre cloth pad works well to remove dust and debris.
Make sure it is a clean pad, as any residue like dirt and sand can potentially scratch the surface. General sweeping and scrubbing can be done at the end of the day to clear any accumulation or build-up for foot traffic and flood spillage, so concentrate in traffic areas for scrubbing and sweeping for low-traffic areas.
Weekly Maintenance
Once a week is a good timeline for washing the floors. This can be added to your regular cleaning routine without much bother, and you probably have most of the equipment and cleaning solution already. If not, buy a good mop for wet washing. You can get a regular household mop for a home, but larger floor mops and even automatic floor scrubbers do a great job for a shop or larger area.
Use a pH-neutral floor cleaner so there is no chemical reaction with the concrete finish, as acid-based cleaners are too acidic. Also, avoid ammonia, bleach, citrus and vinegar. It’s best to work in sections and change your cleaning solution if it gets dirty. You don’t want to be washed with dirty water, which may leave a residue. Some cleaners can be left on the surface for 3-5 minutes to not only lift dirt and grime off the floor but also allow for the elimination of bacteria and other contaminants.
Ongoing Maintenance
If you keep to the schedule, your polished concrete floor will last long. Like everything in life, nothing lasts forever, so you should monitor your concrete floor finish for wear. In high-traffic areas, you may need to refinish your floors every 2-3 years, and this will restore the original look and feel.
If you want to use a buffing machine for larger polished areas like an office or warehouse, use a set bristled brush so it doesn’t decrease the protective coating and tarnish the shine.
Those taking on this task yourself, research and use the proper equipment and supplies. Hiring a professional concrete coating company is your best bet because they have the experience and manpower to complete the job quickly and to a very high standard. You probably had professionals do the original polishing, so why not have them restore it for you, too?
This is how to maintain polished concrete floors. You have invested, so take good care of them, and they will look amazing for many years to come.
