One of the best things about having terrazzo floors is the minimal maintenance work you do to keep it in shape. It’s durable and sturdy enough to last for years and years without losing its shine. However, you’ll need to know a few things to make sure you don’t make a cleaning and polishing mistake that could ruin your terrazzo floors beyond repair. Here’s a set of handy steps from DoItYourself that you can follow:
Ask the Experts
Before you use anything–any sort of polish or sealant, call up the manufacturer to ask if any of the cleaning products you plan to use would deal irreparable damage to your floors. While many polishing compounds are available at stores, checking in with the manufacturer ensures you’re going in the right direction. When you get a go signal, that’s the time you can commence with cleaning.
5 Steps to Follow
Step 1: Dust. Start dusting. You’ll need to get the dirt off your floor first. Use a dry dust mop to take care of this. Clean towels also work in removing the dust and debris from your floors.
Step 2: Wash it. When your floor is finally dirt-free, put a soft sponge mop in a bucket of warm water. Immerse it before wringing it of any excess water. Then use it to wipe at the surface of your floor. Never, ever use soap because it leaves behind a residue that could make your floors cloudy. Using vinegar–that all around natural cleaner in your kitchen–is also a bad idea. Vinegar is acidic and that acid can etch your floors permanently. So keep these two cleaners well away when you start to wipe your terrazzo floors.
Step 3: Mop. Use the sponge mop on the floor. Go at it with vertical strokes. Horizontal ones leave a lot more marks from the mop, which you don’t want. Dip the mop again in clean water and use it to wipe the floor clean. Make sure you keep changing the water. If you clean with dirty water, it could give your floors a cloudy hazy look.
Step 4: Dry it. White towels are handy for drying your floors.
Step 5: Polish. If foot traffic at home isn’t heavy, you might not need to polish your floors at all. However, in the case of heavy-traffic polishing your floors is a good idea. Before you start polishing, though, make sure you read the directions and that the product is on your manufacturer’s list of preapproved cleaners. For more information on terrazzo floor polishing and other services, contact a professional supplier today.
Trend Group is a supplier of terrazzo tile flooring. For inquiries and assistance, get in touch with us today.
