How To Keep Your Polished Concrete Looking Better For Longer
Polished concrete floors have become an increasingly popular choice for Perth homes. With a contemporary, minimalist aesthetic, polished concrete can complement almost any interior design style. It’s also very low on maintenance and extremely hard-wearing.
But while polished concrete is highly durable, it isn’t completely indestructible. It still needs to be looked after and treated with care to be able to look its best for as long as possible. Here are five simple tasks that you can undertake to keep your polished concrete floors in tip top condition.
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Clean Up Spills Right Away
Accidents will always happen around the home. Whether it’s a glass full of red wine being knocked to the ground, or olive oil dripping onto the kitchen floor, there are countless ways that liquids could end up spilling onto your polished concrete.
It’s very important to act as soon as the accident takes place. If certain substances are left unattended for a period of time, it could soak into and potentially stain your flooring. You will need to soak up the spilled liquid with a non-abrasive cloth, then wash away the remnants with clean, fresh water, before patting the floor dry.
While there are ways to seal polished concrete to make your floors stain resistant, it’s always safest to remove liquids and other substances as quickly as possible.
Regularly Use a Dust Mop
As with any type of flooring, you will experience a build-up of debris and dust over time from normal, day-to-day activities. If you leave dirt and other particles to accumulate, it will have a sandpaper-like effect on your polished concrete, gradually scratching and dulling the surface. You may not notice it for a while, but eventually the quality of your floor will start to degrade.
By simply sweeping your concreted areas with a soft, microfiber dust mop, you’ll be able to collect all of the sediment and prevent it from impacting the finish of your flooring. The more regularly you sweep, the better your floors will be for it.
Follow Up with a Damp Mop
Once again, just like with any other floor covering, your polished concrete will collect spots and marks from ongoing usage. To clean your concrete, use a soft mop along with a solution of warm water and a mild detergent with a neutral pH. Any cleaners containing ammonia, bleach, vinegar or citrus are a no-go as the chemical properties will damage your concrete.
When mopping your polished concrete floors, it’s a good idea to let the solution sit for a little while to loosen the dirt first. Then you can go in with a damp mop to quickly and easily wipe away any build-up. Once you’re finished, you must completely remove all of the cleaning product. Mop your floors for a second time with clean, soap-free water to prevent any leftover residue from discolouring your concrete or leaving it with a cloudy finish.
Use Mats in High Traffic Areas
It’s best to place door mats at all entrance points to your home. Key points of access are naturally going to attract more dirt as people come and go. With a door mat in place, you can reduce the amount that gets tracked onto your concrete floors.
If there are other parts of your home that experience a lot of foot traffic, you may also want to consider putting down a decorative rug to help lessen the tread and spread of debris.
Contact Us
If you’re looking to maintain or upgrade to polished concrete flooring in your home, Designer Floors WA can help. We’re Perth’s leading specialists in polished concrete and have a proven track record for delivering high quality results.
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