Concrete Floor Cleaning

Concrete is an elegant, decorative, and easy-to-install flooring option. This is the reason why it continues to be very much 'in demand' in interior decoration. It is economical, and most importantly, it is easy to maintain.

Hence, all the variants of this flooring option, such as stained concrete, scored concrete, sealed concrete, and polished concrete, are equally popular amongst all the classes and masses. The only thing you need to consider is to opt for an efficacious method for its periodic cleaning. The following section discusses the same.

Apart from dust; carpet glue, water stains, animal urine stains, tile mastic, caulk, rust spots, chalk marks, and paint drips, are a few things that take away the beauty of a concrete floor.

In order to keep the floor as good as new, it is imperative to know what cleaning methods would suit your needs. For instance, if it is an unsealed concrete floor, then first sweep the loose dirt particles and then clean the floor with a powerful cleaning solution.

You can use supplies including liquid dishwasher, borax, vinegar water solution, lemon juice, trisodium phosphate (TSP), and hydrogen peroxide, for cleaning harsh stains. You can also use commercial concrete floor sealers so that the beauty and durability of the flooring can be maintained. However, cleaning the flooring on a daily basis is the best thing that you can do, to maintain the neat look of the floor.

Mostly, weak stains can be removed with cleaning agents such as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. In addition to that, many people suggest spreading 'kitty litter' on hard stains of oil and grease; it absorbs such stubborn stains. If the stains still remain, then you can simply use the following recipe and make a heavy duty cleaner at home.

Combine ¼ cup of all purpose, low sudsing cleaner + ½ gallon cold water + 1 cup ammonia. Mix them well and then apply the mixture on the garage flooring with a sponge mop. Then, wash it with cold water and repeat the procedure if the stains persist. However, make sure you wear rubber gloves and face mask while cleaning the floor, and mix the aforementioned ingredients at a properly ventilated place.

Cleaning stained concrete floors can be a tough task if proper maintenance drills are not performed initially. Placing a walk-off mat at every entrance will not only prevent the accumulation of dust particles on the floor, but it will also prevent grit formation. Make sure the mat is as wide as the door of that premises. You also need to sweep the floor daily and clean the spills as soon as they occur. 

You can use a neutral cleaner on a daily basis to serve this purpose. You must also avoid using tapes and stickers on the floor, in order to increase its durability. You can apply floor finish (acrylic or urethane), so that the original beauty of the floor lasts longer. However, always avoid using floor pads, high-pressure cleaning products, and high-alkaline cleaners on the flooring.

Some brands that you can consider are: V-Scrub HD Industrial Concrete Cleaner, ReKrete Waterless Concrete Cleaner, Gel Stripper, Butterfield Color Cleaner, Eco-Wares, L&M Construction Chemicals, W. R. Meadows, Bio-Clean by Nox-Crete Products Group, SureCrete Design Products, PROSOCO, Clean-N-Etch Concrete Etching Solution, Oil Stain Remover (OSR), etc. Well, as I said earlier, periodic cleaning of the floor is extremely important to ensure its prolonged beauty.