Preventing Damage to Polished Concrete Floors

Concrete is quickly becoming a favorite flooring solution for both residential and commercial customers alike. The floors are inexpensive, easy to maintain, and can last the lifetime of the structure if properly cared for. One of the biggest things that you can do to prolong the life of your concrete floor is to prevent damage.

Over time, concrete can begin cracking and become covered in mildew if not properly cared for. This is because concrete is a porous material. Once the cracks begin to occur, they become difficult to control, making prevention the key to a long lasting floor. The good news is that adequate maintenance can be done easily and quickly. Here are a few things you can do to keep your polished concrete floor looking great year after year.

General Cleaning Tips

Removal of dirt and debris is the number one thing you can do to keep your concrete floor looking great. As dirt accumulates on the floor, it can hold moisture and encourage cracking. Sweeping and vacuuming daily is enough to keep the dirt from accumulating. Also, while mopping isn’t necessarily required, for tougher spots, it may make some dirt easier to remove. However, wet floors encourage mildew growth and concrete expansion, which can cause cracking over time. Simply ensure the floor is thoroughly dried after every mopping.

 

Stain Removal

The use of cleaning solutions can make concrete cleanup easier, but can actually cause damage to the floor, leading to premature failure. Use one that is especially made for polished concrete floors or use a simple mixture of diluted bleach to clean your polished concrete floors in order to remove stains without harming your floor.

 

Damage Prevention

One of the best ways to prevent premature damage and failure is to add a layer of protection to your polished concrete floor. You can do this by using a concrete sealer. This sealer will help provide a buffer between your polished concrete floor and the heavy foot traffic, furniture movement and moisture that will prevent it from providing a long lasting beautiful surface. Concrete sealer should be applied every two to three years to provide adequate protection.

 

In areas where you can’t seal the floors, add rugs and other barriers to prevent the floors from becoming damaged.

Last but not least, have your floors re polished every few years to reinvigorate it’s beautiful luster and shine as well as remove the microabrasions that are common in concrete floors.

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