Flooring that has undergone industrial concrete polishing needs to be handled with care; it can no longer be subjected to the kind of treatments that you would use on the standard concrete of, say, your garage floor. Knowing the proper cleaners to use on your polished concrete is integral to the prolonged life of your floor, because let’s face it, spills and dirt buildup are inevitable. You should always educate yourself on quality floor care, as you not only want to avoid using improper products, but also overpaying for those that are no better than less glamorous/standard options. So what is it you should be looking for?
What Does the Concrete Polishing Company Recommend?
First things first, it is extremely important to familiarize yourself with the cleaning products that are recommended by the company that polished your concrete. Any company worth its salt will offer you tips and advice so that you can get the most use and greatest satisfaction from your new flooring. The company should at least pinpoint a type of product to clean the floor with safely, but the good ones will give an example.
Avoiding Common Cleaners that will Damage the Floor
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to see brand new floors ruined with well-known, but harsh detergents and chemical cleaners. These products don’t hurt your countertops or the standard concrete on your garage floor, but they aren’t suited for the chemical and physical change that concrete floors go through during polishing. Floors that have been dyed, then further protected with a guard or stain sealer product also run the risk with well-known household cleaners; water is usually good enough when washing a stain off of these protected surfaces, but it won’t do for polished concrete.
How the Right Cleaners Work
Cleaners have many different purposes during the cleaning process. Mainly, it acts as a “surfactant” that pulls dirt out of the surface, but it also aids mopping by allowing for a smoother glide. Cleaners specifically sold for polished concrete include a small amount of substance that is classified as a “densifier,” which is the product used to harden the floor while polishing. This ensures that the floor stays as “hard” as possible, thus offering more abrasion resistance and overall durability. Products also include a protectant, and are generally inexpensive.
Other Measures You can Take
Using the proper cleaner is not the only thing you need to do when attempting to keep your floor pristine after industrial concrete polishing. What not to buy or use is just as important to know as the products you actually need. For instance, cleaners that use harsh chemicals can eat away at the new flooring material. Likewise, coarse scrub brushes and pads can scuff the polish, completely undoing the work that you paid for.
Therefore, no matter why you decided to opt for industrial concrete polishing, it’s important to protect your investment – and most of that is up to you! Make sure that whatever you use to clean is something that is approved for use on polished concrete.
