Polished concrete floors are stunning, but they do require a bit of maintenance. Unlike other flooring options you have as a homeowner, though, you will find that these floors require less maintenance than others. They’re also more durable, easier to decorate and maintain, and they are timeless.
If you’re wondering about Absolute Floors Gold Coast Concrete Polishing and how these floors might work for you, now is the time to take a look at just how easy it is to maintain polished concrete at home.
1. Start with Microfiber
One of the easiest ways to maintain your polished concrete is through the use of a microfiber cloth. Concrete attracts dust particles that are more likely to get down into the concrete to cause additional problems. One way to ensure you have a better chance of maintaining better-looking floors is to clean the areas that seem dirty with a microfiber pad to help pull the dirt and dust out of the concrete with gentle ease.
2. Don’t Forget to Mop
Mopping is so important when it comes to the maintenance of your polished concrete floors. It might not seem that way, but it is easy to use a wet mop on the floor. The only thing you must do is use a clean pad each time you mop. Using a used pad is going to cause more dirt to get pushed around rather than picked up. These floors are not sensitive, but they are more likely to pull dust and dirt into them than other floors.
3. Focus on High-Traffic Areas
When cleaning your floors, try focusing more on the high-traffic areas. It’s important to clean all the floors regularly, but the high-traffic areas need daily cleaning. This helps prevent dirt and dust on the floor from damaging the area. Most people notice more traffic along their hallway floors, into and out of the kitchen, and into and out of the back doors and front doors. Focus on these areas, and your floors will always look good.
4. Clean Dirty Areas Immediately
If you notice the floor is dirty, clean it right away. It’s always better to clean dirty floors immediately than it is to wait until later. Fresh stains are easier to remove from any surface, and the damage they can do becomes minimal when it’s cleaned up right away. For example, if your child spills her juice on the floor, don’t just wipe up the wet spot and leave the mess. Make sure you wet mop the area right away to ensure the stain is completely removed and the stickiness goes along with it.
5. Use Cleaners When Necessary
Cleaners are good for your floor, and they should be used when there is a sticky mess, a dirty mess, or a spill. You can use them to clean heavy-traffic areas, too. You don’t need this kind of cleaner every single day you mop your floors, but you should use cleaners at least once a week. Otherwise, use cleaners as they are needed to clean up bigger spills and stains.
6. Don’t Use Heavy Cleansers
Speaking of cleaners, it’s imperative you do not use anything heavy on the polished concrete floors. It’s best to avoid cleansers that contain ammonia, citrus, pine, vinegar, and bleach. You want to look for cleansers that are called “pH Neutral” to avoid damaging your concrete floors. Even the cleansers you use on your counters and bathrooms that you make yourself might be too harsh for the polished concrete.
7. Try Burnishing
Sometimes, polished concrete appears to dull. It happens over time as a natural occurrence, but a home with a lot of activity might be a home where dullness creeps in a little faster. One way to help fix this problem is to use a burnisher to polish the polished concrete. These are easy to use, they are easy to find, and they make a significant difference. It also works as a type of guard for the floors, which means it might help them stay a little more polished a little longer the next time.
8. Re-New the Polish Accordingly
Every polished concrete floor needs to be re-polished every two years. Yours might need it a little sooner, or you might get a little more than two years out of your floors. However, you should know that it’s about this time that you’ll need to get a professional in to handle the floors. If you want, you can rent or buy the equipment that does this for you, and you can turn it into a DIY project. Most major home improvement stores carry the items you need for this job. It’s not hard, but it is one that’s a little time-consuming if it’s something you don’t do regularly.
9. Don’t Treat the Floors Badly
One of the best maintenance tips for polished concrete floors is to simply treat the floors with kindness. You would not let the kids eat spaghetti and sauce on your white carpet, so keep that rule in effect even when you don’t have white carpet. The fewer spills, stains, and problems you experience with the floors because of your habits, the less likely you are to require additional cleaning or burnishing. Treat your floors with respect.
10. Use Area Rugs
Area rugs are a great way to maintain your polished concrete floors. They protect your floors from damage, and they help you make better choices in terms of your care. You aren’t putting as much foot traffic on the floor, so it stays polished longer. Your rugs can be changed easily, which means you won’t stress so much about spills or foot traffic. They also add depth and dimension to every room, which means you get to decorate while also maintaining your floors.
Maintaining polished concrete floors is not a difficult job, but you do need to make sure you familiarize yourself with proper cleaning methods and maintenance tips. These are the little things that make the most difference. The length of time your floor looks good depends on how many of these tips you can implement in your life, which can change your life as a whole.