Polished concrete floors are trendy in residential and commercial buildings due to their durability and easy cleaning. But it would be best if you cleaned your concrete floors regularly. Do you know to clean polished concrete floors?
Different types of concrete flooring and surfaces may have different cleaning requirements. That’s what we will try to address today.
We will show you how to clean concrete floors while keeping an eye on the warnings. There will be a breakdown of the flooring types and their respective cleaning methods.
Let’s not waste any more time and get started.
Types of Concrete Floors and Benefits:
Before we get into the whole ‘how to clean a concrete floor’ scenario in the coming sections, it is prudent that you know about the different concrete floor types.
This section will help you understand the surface and allow you to make necessary cleaning considerations accordingly.
#1 Sealed Concrete Floors
Sealed concrete floors are popular because of the overall cost. If you’re not comfortable with wood flooring at the moment, then the safest option to go for right now is sealing it.
Sealing concrete floors can be beneficial as there’s little possibility of any damage due to chipping or scratching. Also, it’s comparatively easy to clean a sealed concrete floor.
#2 Unsealed Concrete Floors
Unsealed concrete floors are just the opposite of sealed concrete floors. They have no protective coating over them whatsoever.
Unsealed flooring is just a raw form of concrete. There are no exceptionally hard processes involved. You just pour the concrete and let it set.
#3 Polished Concrete Floors
The term ‘polished’ is very self-explanatory. And once you add the term ‘concrete’, things will be crystal clear.
Polished floors are typical choices in large conglomerate spaces. In general, the concrete undergoes polishing techniques to make the surface smooth and sleek.
The process of making the surface smooth is lengthy. However, there isn’t any particularly taxing sealing process. But there is a touch of liquid additive like a wax applicant to give the surface some traction.
#4 Stained Concrete Floors
Stained concrete floors have a sense of extravagance to them. They are sometimes thought of as marble flooring replacements.
Once you treat the concrete floor with a specific mixture of acid and water-based solutions, the floor will get a certain texture. You can treat it as a different form of artwork, if you will.
The process is like acid rain falling on a random surface. Acid rain is largely responsible for the color alteration of a particular surface.
#5 Painted Concrete Floors
The concept is simple. You have a concrete floor that needs some added flair.
You can add specific color patterns to it. All you have to do is have the right tools for the job. One simple tip is to wait around a full day after you apply the primer on the concrete floor. And the paint usually takes around 12-hours to dry.
#6 Stamped Concrete Floors
Stamped concrete flooring is similar to tiling up to a certain point. But with stamped concrete floors, there is some coloring and (in more extravagant cases) etching involved.
Also, you need to have a skim coat close at hand for further treatment.
Also Read: Deebot Vacuum Troubleshooting [Fix Your Deebot Problems]
How to Clean Concrete Floors?
It’s time to discuss how to clean concrete floors. We will be offering the guidelines for different surfaces (we talked about them in the previous section). Just to be clear, you can use a solution of your choice if you’re confident enough.
Things you’ll need
- A regular floor mop or vacuum (a brush attachment is a nice bonus).
- Soft-bristled brush/Microfiber cloth.
- A 1-gallon bucket.
- Water (lukewarm water is very effective).
- Cleaning solution: a) pH-neutral household solution, b) Vinegar, bleach, and other acidic solutions (to soak grease and oil stains).
1. Cleaning Sealed Concrete Floors
These are the steps you can follow in cleaning a sealed concrete floor:
- We would suggest you use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the dirt. But a soaked-up mop will do just fine.
- Now, you’d want to leave the floor to dry for an hour or two. Then take a dust mop to get rid of any debris.
- A detergent is more than enough to get rid of any extra contaminants. Make a detergent-water mixture and apply it on the floor with a usual mop.
- Use a soft-bristle brush to scrub away any grimes.
- To get rid of super tough stains, it’s the ideal time to make an ammonia solution and scrub it off.
- The ratio of water and ammonia should be 3:1.
- Finally, rinse the floor with clean water and let it dry for 30-45 minutes.
2. Cleaning Unsealed Concrete Floors
The following steps will help you with the cleaning process:
- To remove any hard-to-wash stains (oil/grease), you should sprinkle sawdust over it. The sawdust will soak it up overnight.
- A vacuum with a brush attachment is a recommendation if you want to get the job of cleaning the regular debris off the floor quickly.
- You’d want to soak the stain with detergent and hot water. It’s particularly effective with tough stains. It makes them weak enough to remove from the surface.
- Now, all you have to do is take a soft-bristle brush and clean the stain. You’d want to make an honest effort here.
- Finally, rinse the floor with a washing soda solution (2-ounce washing soda+ 1-gallon of water). After that, wash the floor with a mop and water.
3. Cleaning Polished Concrete Floors
A polished concrete floor needs similar treatment to that of a sealed concrete floor. So, here’s what to do:
- Use a wet mop to clean the regular debris off the floor.
- When it comes to cleaning tough stains, you may want to use common household items with a neutral pH level. Avoid using bleach, vinegar, or any acidic solution. But if you have to, then make the ratio of water more. For instance, an 8:1 water to vinegar solution is acceptable.
- The last steps are to let the solution dry for at least 30 minutes and then clean it up with water. Lukewarm water can make a lot of difference here.
4. Cleaning Stained Concrete Floors
Here are the steps to clean a stained concrete floor:
- Use a dry mop to remove debris.
- Give the floor a clean water treatment (use clean water to mop the floor).
- Let it dry for 12-15 minutes.
- Use a pH-neutral solution to do further cleaning and remove tough stains. You may want to apply the solution and let it soak for around 5-8 minutes.
- Let the floor dry for a couple of minutes.
- Rinse the floor with clean water.
5. Cleaning Painted Concrete Floors
To clean a painted concrete floor, you must:
- Remove the debris from the surface with a regular mop.
- Make a cleaner (pH-neutral) + water solution. Remember to keep the cleaner saturation low.
- Mop the floor with the cleaning solution.
- Let it dry up.
- Finally, rinse the floor with lukewarm water. Let it dry for 30 minutes to an hour or more.
6. Cleaning Stamped Concrete Floors
If you want to know how to clean stamped concrete floors, then the following may help you:
- Remove dust and debris from the floor. Give it a light water rinse if necessary.
- Use a pH-neutral solution to clean off the surface (only use acidic solutions to weaken tough stains).
- After the floor is dry, give a final rinse with water.
Warnings for Cleaning Concrete Floors
There are some simple things you need to keep in mind while you’re cleaning a concrete floor. For instance:
- Tackle the cleaning one step at a time. For example, you may want to start with a 4-square feet block and clean it properly. Then move on to the next segment.
- Identify the nature of the floor. Just splash a bucket of water and wait for 15+ minutes. If you see beaded droplets, then you have a sealed surface. If not, then there are no sealants whatsoever.
- Avoid using acidic solutions unless it’s an absolute necessity. Use regular soap water, or detergent to make a solution. Make sure to make the solution light.
- Soak tough stains with acidic solutions for 1 to 3 hours. This will weaken the bonds of the stain.
- Then you can easily remove it with a brush. It is true for oil, grease, and tire marks.
- Bacterial solutions are purpose-built for soil marks and animal stains.
Closure
Polished concrete floors are highly resistant to staining, cracking, and other damage, making them incredibly easy to care for. That’s why people are using it widely.
After reading our guide, you can easily clean concrete floors. All you have to do is know your surface and work on it accordingly. That’s the only thing to help you achieve proper cleanliness. Good luck.
