How to Maintain Polished Concrete Floors

Polished Concrete is a highly popular choice of flooring in both commercial and industrial environments. Consisting of four elements – sand, cement, water, and aggregate (stone) – the product is extremely durable and hard-wearing, and so refined that it is difficult to mark.  

After laying this flooring system, our team grind the top millimetres of the concrete to achieve a polished surface. Instead of applying a weaker material to cover the concrete, such as vinyl or wood flooring, we refine and enhance the qualities in the concrete itself.  

Every Polished Concrete floor that we create at Renobuild is tailored to the functionality requirements of the environment that surrounds it, and the style or aesthetic preferabilities of the client.  

A little care goes a long way with Polished Concrete – with the right cleaning practices, this flooring system should last as long as the building itself, making it highly cost effective over time. 

Longevity 

Polished Concrete is a simple surface to keep in good condition. Any excessive wear or damage to the surface of the floor can be repaired by polishing the area, keeping it appearing new for decades. 

This flooring system does not need any special maintenance, except for regular cleaning with  Twister pads. Twister floor cleaning pads are flexible and contain billions of microscopic diamonds that clean and polish the floor at the same time, and all you need is water – no chemicals required. 

So, what are the steps needed to keep Polished Concrete in perfect condition? 

Basic daily cleaning  

1. Dry mop the floor.  
2. Mop with hot water and a suitable cleaning solution, such as an HTC Cleaner, and a cotton mop.  
3. Rinse and repeat as needed until water removed from the floor appears to be clean.  
4. Use a high speed burnisher (>1500 rpm) with a clean and dry 3000 grit diamond impregnated cleaning pad.  

Advanced daily cleaning 

1. Dry mop the floor.  
2. Fill the tank of the auto scrubber (scrubber dryer) with clean water and mount a 3000 grit diamond impregnated cleaning pad on the pad holder. Ensure proper function of the machine before use. 
3. Clean the floor with this machine at a speed of 3-5 km/h (2-3,5 mph).  
4. After cleaning, thoroughly rinse the pad until there is no remaining colour. Once the water washed from it is clear, replace the diamond impregnated cleaning pad with a new one. 
5. For extra high gloss, use a high speed burnisher (>1500 RPM) with a clean and dry 3000 grit diamond impregnated cleaning pad.  
6. If the floor is very dirty or has spills of oil on it, add a low-alkaline soap (such as Twister Floor Conditioner or Consolideck DailyKlean) in the auto scrubber, following the dosing instructions. Do not use acidic or highly alkaline cleaners as they break down concrete.