Top Tips to Clean and Maintain Polished Concrete Floors

A professionally polished concrete floor can last for many years and requires very little maintenance. However, “little maintenance” is not the same as “no maintenance,” and to keep your polished concrete floors looking great and performing as they should, property owners and managers should implement routine cleaning and maintenance best practices.

In the following article, we’ll explore those best practices, help you understand what to use and what to avoid, plus cover a few extra tips for keeping your polished concrete floors looking great day in and day out.

How to Maintain Polished Concrete Floors

The experts at Jon-Don have assembled the following list of six key elements to keep your polished concrete floors as good as new. For help in choosing the right products or advice on what equipment to use, contact one of our experts at 800-556-6366.

1. Create a Regular Cleaning and Maintenance Schedule

First and foremost, keeping up with a regular cleaning schedule is critical to maintaining polished concrete. Regularly removing dirt, debris, and spills from floors prevents damage and keeps the floor—and your facility—looking great long-term.

The amount of traffic an area receives and the type of soiling it is exposed to will determine the frequency of cleanings. The busier the area, the more often it should be cleaned. Entryways and common areas generally have higher foot traffic, so daily cleaning (sometimes multiple times daily) is a must. Kitchens, breakrooms, and cafeterias have higher exposure to liquid and food spills and should have cleaning supplies at the ready for immediate response.

2. Place Walk-Off Mats at Entryways

Particulates such as dirt, dust, and sand are abrasive and gritty, acting like sandpaper and damaging the luster of polished concrete. To help reduce the amount of grime tracked into buildings on people’s shoes, place walk-off mats or rugs in entryways and other high-traffic areas.

Experts generally recommend using at least 12-15 feet of entryway matting to capture at least 80% of the dirt, debris, and liquids from the bottoms of shoes before they get tracked into the rest of the building.

Walk-off mats aren’t a set-it-and-forget-it solution, though. They should also be cleaned regularly — especially during the wetter seasons — to help keep your floors clean and scratch-free.

3. Use a Dry, Clean Mop Daily to Remove Particulate Soils

Over time, hard soils can scratch and abrade the surface of polished concrete, which can damage the floor and give it a dull appearance. A microfiber dry mop should be used to remove dust and debris. The microfibers will attract and hold dust without scratching the surface of the floor.

Alternatively, you can use a vacuum cleaner with a hard floor attachment to remove dry dust and debris. 

4. Clean Spills Immediately

Although concrete densifiers help enhance the floor’s stain resistance, polished concrete is still susceptible to stains if spills aren’t cleaned promptly. Harsh cleaners and substances with a high pH value, such as vinegar, juice, pet stains, and some detergents, can leave behind stubborn stains and may even etch the topmost surface of polished concrete.

To reduce the chance of staining, clean spills as soon as possible using the proper solutions, such as a neutral pH cleaner that’s designed for use on concrete, and non-abrasive cleaning tools.

For small spills, a microfiber mop and bucket system should work just fine; however, to clean larger areas, you may want to consider an automatic floor scrubber. Check out our selection of auto scrubbers at Factory Cleaning Equipment by Jon-Don.

5. Use the Appropriate Cleaning Solutions (pH-neutral Floor Cleaner)

Polished concrete floors, while durable, are still porous and susceptible to damage from harsh cleaners, such as solutions containing bleach or ammonia, or acidic cleaning solutions. These types of products can leave unsightly, stubborn stains and streaks that may require restorative polishing to remove.

Densifiers are typically used during the concrete polishing process to create a stronger surface. Sometimes, penetrating or film-forming guards and sealers are applied, which can help further reduce the chance of tough stains and chemical damage.

Our experts recommend using a pH-neutral cleaner that is specifically formulated for use on polished concrete flooring. Such a cleaning solution is designed to loosen soils on the floor’s surface, making it easier to gently rinse or wipe them away.

Here are a few pH-neutral products recommended by Jon-Don concrete experts:

• REFINE‑MAXX 365 Concentrated Concrete Cleaner
• PROSOCO Consolideck® DailyKlean
• Ameripolish® Rejuvenating Cleaner Concentrate, 32 oz
• Betco Crete Rx™ DensiClean™ Cleaner Concentrate with Densifier

6. Choose the Proper Cleaning Tools

Choosing the right tools for maintaining polished concrete flooring will help you avoid unnecessary damage and etching of the surface. Avoid brushes and brooms that are too abrasive, as you risk causing permanent damage. A wet mop and microfiber cloth will suffice in most cases for routine cleaning of polished concrete floors.

Jon-Don recommends the following:

• Unitex® Relintless Lint Free Microfiber Mop, White
• Velcro Low‑Nap Microfiber Mop Pad, 36 Inch

Safety Tip: Be sure to place down a wet floor sign during and after cleaning until the surface is sufficiently dry. Use an air mover to speed-dry floors and return them to use faster.

What to Avoid When Cleaning Polished Concrete

Polished concrete floors are incredibly durable and easy to clean, but as we’ve mentioned earlier in this article, there are several things to avoid when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. Here’s a recap of the top things to avoid when cleaning your polished concrete floors:

1. DON’T use abrasive scrubbers or brooms. Instead, reach for microfiber mops or floor pads.
2. DON’T use harsh or acidic cleaners. Cleaners with a pH below 7.0, such as Pine-Sol or vinegar, can cause acid etching on the surface of polished concrete. Cleaning products with a pH above 7.0 can cause staining and discoloration.
3. DON’T just use water. Water alone is seldom enough for spills, especially oily substances. Instead, reach for a pH-neutral cleaning solution designed for polished concrete.
4. DON’T allow spills or liquids to sit. The longer substances are allowed to sit on polished concrete, the more likely they are to leave behind a permanent stain.
   
   

Professional Concrete Polishing Training

Jon-Don has a wide selection of concrete polishing equipment to help specialty concrete flooring professionals effortlessly polish concrete surfaces both large and small. We also have an extensive line of equipment available for rent on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis.

Looking to brush up on your concrete polishing skills? Our Concrete Polishing Training class will teach you how to transform dull, boring concrete into a beautiful, polished work of art. Our team is also available to provide one-on-one training or equipment demonstrations. 

Call today at 800-556-6366.