HOW TO CLEAN POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORS: TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS THAT WILL HELP YOUR FACILITY SHINE

You wouldn’t wipe the shiny paint on your car with a rag covered in sand, would you? That’s what you can expect when foot traffic goes across a dirty concrete floor. The debris, even if it’s as fine as dust, creates a sanding effect and scratches the floor’s surface.

Working in a facility with a dirty concrete floor is not only aesthetically unappealing but can also pose a hazard since it can create an abrasive effect. We’re here to guide you through why it’s important to keep polished concrete clean and how to maintain it regularly. 

We’ll provide step-by-step instructions and clever tips to clean polished concrete floors. You’ll have all the tools you need to conquer stubborn dust particles and grime buildup, and more importantly, you’ll read why the team at Treadwell is who you should call when in need of a more thorough refresh. Let’s dive in and show you how cleaning polished concrete floors can be a breeze.

• Why Is It Important To Regularly Clean and Maintain Polished Concrete Floors?
• How To Clean a Polished Concrete Floor
• What To Do When Cleaning Your Polished Concrete Floors No Longer Keeps Them Looking Their Best
• How To Deal With Stains on Polished Concrete Floors
• Treadwell Is a Top-Rated Polished Concrete Flooring Company in Kansas City

In addition to being a sustainable alternative, polished concrete floors have many advantages, such as:

• Resistance to moisture transmission issues
• Longer service life
• Cost savings

There are numerous reasons you should regularly clean and maintain your polished concrete floors. Namely, proper maintenance helps to avoid slips and falls, prevents abrasion, and preserves the overall aesthetics of your facility. By following our recommendations, you are sure to prolong the lifetime of your polished concrete floor and keep it shiny.

Help Avoid Slips and Falls

A dirty polished concrete floor can pose a safety hazard as it also becomes more slick, so the likelihood of slips, falls and injuries increases. 

Prevent Abrasion

The presence of continuous debris creates an abrasive effect. When in contact with foot traffic, the debris will create a sanding effect and wear the floor to an uneven surface.

Preserve Aesthetics

When spills aren’t cleaned up quickly, they can etch and stain a polished concrete floor. Acids can take away shine and change the color of the flooring. To prevent discoloration and patchiness on your floor, we recommend acting swiftly in times like this when accidents occur.

If not cleaned regularly, the buildup of debris can affect the aesthetics. Polished concrete should be bright and shiny. If it’s dirty, it dulls the appearance of the floor and the overall appearance of your facility.

Depending on the facility you are working with, the steps on how to clean a polished concrete floor will slightly differ. In the following sections, we dive deeper into the specifics of maintaining your concrete floor in large and small facilities, both of which Treadwell would be happy to help you with.

Regular Maintenance for Larger Facilities

There are two major manufacturers of chemical products used for polishing concrete, and they each have a maintenance system. This includes regular cleaning with auto-scrubbers with a very fine abrasive pad attached. All the major chemical companies make floor cleaner products with a neutral PH. If the PH is too low, it will be acidic and etch the floor. If the PH is too high, it will leave a sticky residue that attracts dirt, which would be counterproductive to your cleaning process. 

When maintaining larger facilities, dilute the solution into the tank of the auto-scrubber and scrub regularly. Give the cleaner enough time to start breaking down the debris. If you apply a cleaning agent and then immediately vacuum it or mop it from the surface, the cleaner will not have the needed time for it to properly work. However, the cleaning solution shouldn’t stay too long so that it dries on the surface. Avoiding this can be accomplished by cleaning small areas and completing the entire process before moving on to other areas. 

The frequency of cleaning is dependent on the foot traffic. For example, in hospitals, schools, and high-traffic retailers, the floors should be scrubbed daily.

Regular Maintenance for Smaller Facilities

For a smaller facility, use the same type of cleaner. A properly diluted, good PH-neutral floor cleaner suspends and lifts the dirt particles. After this step, make sure you’re using clean mop heads to eliminate dirty, streaky residue and give yourself the best chance of removing dirty water instead of just spreading it around. Dust mopping with a microfiber cloth or pad regularly is recommended to remove abrasives.

Most janitorial service companies or large businesses with cleaning supplies have dispensers that dilute the solution properly, but you can still do it accurately yourself by measuring and adding the right amount of water. However, employees in the cleaning industry know the regulations and standards the best, so occasionally implementing their expertise is the way to go.

Quarterly Maintenance for Smaller Facilities

We recommend you hire a janitorial service to come in with an auto-scrubber and do a deep clean either annually, twice a year, or quarterly, depending on the amount of traffic in your facility. 

There comes a time in every facility when a simple floor cleaning no longer cuts it. There are several issues a concrete refresh can address, such as 

• spill 
• tire marks
• tracked-in sand and dirt
• water leak 
• improper cleaning

If 5 to 10 years have passed since your original installation, Treadwell can come in and refresh your facility’s floor through repolishing, reapplying a stain protector, as well as refurbishing – all done at a fraction of the cost of the original install. An assessment of your floor and an estimate of the price is very straightforward once you contact us and provide us with the relevant details. 

Even though polished concrete flooring is renowned for its stain, moisture, and flood resistance, if a floor does get stained with substances that are more difficult to treat such as red wine or oil stains, you might damage your floor further if you attempt to remove the stain yourself. Oil stains may easily seep into the concrete and are very difficult to remove. Call Treadwell for a floor refresh that will restore the original look of your floor and exceed your expectations. 

The team at Treadwell is delighted to assist you with all your flooring needs. Whenever you find that your facility’s floor needs cleaning, a reinstallation, or simply a refresh, we can guarantee that our crew has the necessary tools and expertise to help your polished concrete floor regain and keep its shine for years to come. 

Get in touch with us and we can tackle your flooring needs together.