• Sweep floors daily to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating as they act like sandpaper under feet and wheels and can damage your floor
• Use a broom or mechanized sweeper with soft nylon bristles as stiff brushes may scratch the coating and cause gloss floors to dull

Scrubbing

• Scrub floors weekly or as often as needed to prolong the life of your floor coating
• High traffic areas such as aisle ways and areas where oil and grease are frequently used may require daily scrubbing
• Equip your automatic floor scrubber with the correct brush or pad to protect your floor finish
  – Use soft nylon brushes and white or red pads
  – Do not use stiff brushes or pads, which will dull or scratch your coated surfaces
• Use the correct dilution rate recommended for your scrubbing equipment or detergent

Liquid Spills

• All liquid spills are safety hazards and should be cleaned up immediately
  – Wipe, mop or use automated equipment, depending on size of the spill
  – Mop or scrub the area to remove sticky or greasy residues as soon as possible to prevent accumulation of dust and dirt that can damage floor
• Spills of caustics, acids and solvents should be cleaned immediately and thoroughly
  – Harsh liquids that remain on the floor may soften, discolor, or remove coating or sealer
  – Always wear personal protective equipment for chemical spill clean up

Stain Prevention and Removal

• Stains can be prevented by cleaning spills immediately
• Most stains can be minimized or removed without further damage to your floor
  – Use mild solution, progressing to stronger removers until the stain disappears
  – Inks, dyes and stains resulting from chemical or acidic spill may never be removed
  – Wear rubber gloves and eye protection when working with cleaning chemicals

Rubber Marks & Burns

• Rubber marks are deposits of rubber on or near the surface of the floor coating
  – In most cases, these can be removed by scrubbing with a strong concentration of a solvent-based detergent(orange/yellow) and water
• Rubber burns show on the surface of coating caused by heat and friction from spinning tires
  – In most cases, these cannot be removed
  – Keep floors clean to keep tires from slipping and spinning on your floor
• Tire stains (plasticizer marks) are caused by tires sitting on top of a coating and an exchange of chemical components between the non-rubber tire and the coating when they are in contact for an extended time
  – These types of markings are impossible to remove
  – Place a barrier between the tires and the coatings to prevent this
  – Recoating of the area is the only way to eliminate these

Scratches and Gouges

• Scratches and gouges shorten the life of floors when moisture seeps into cracks, resulting in peeling of the coating
• Avoid sliding heavy machinery, pallets, or sharp objects across the floor

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• Use a moderate foaming detergent that will rinse easily with hot or cold water
  – Light Soil – non-butyl, non-caustic industrial detergent
  – Oil/Grease – high-alkaline, non-caustic industrial detergent

Equipment

• Prior to using brooms, scrub brushes, scouring pads or any other cleaning utensil on the finished floor, conduct a test on a product sample to be sure surface damage/scratches will not result from its use.
• When using a power floor machine, brushes should be soft poly bristles.  Do not use stiff nylon or metallic bristles.  These types of brushes or aggressive pads will damage the floor finish.
• When using a power washer, do not exceed 1,500 psi and use a wide spray applicator.  Use of higher psi or targeted spray nozzle can damage the floor.
• Use of a soft neoprene squeegee is appropriate and can be inexpensively purchased at Menards.  Avoid the stiff barn cleaner type squeegee as it will not do the job. Another option is to purchase what is called sponge squeegee which will not only absorb water but help direct water to  drain or outside for additional cleanup.

Following these simple instructions will assure you of a long lasting, hard wearing floor for years to come.

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• Proper maintenance will prolong the life of your floor coatings
• Implementing a good floor care program will help maintain the appearance of your floor and help minimize any safety hazards
• Dirt and dust are abrasive and dull the finish and decrease the life of your coating
• Frequency of maintenance will increase in harsher environments or environments with more dirt or soil accumulation

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There are two types of spills/stains to be aware of; reactive and penetrating. A reactive spill is when a corrosive substance comes in direct contact with the surface of the concrete and etches the substrate. This type of spill usually involves a strong acid or strong base but can be any corrosive substance. A penetrating spill is when colored material migrates into the pores and fissures of the concrete and give the affected portion a visibly different appearance, typically only in coloration.

Polished Concrete floors should be cleaned with a neutral pH cleaner such as Twister Floor Conditioner.  Regular usage of any cleaner too high or low ph will reduce a floor’s gloss prematurely and can lead to more serious damage. A sealer can be applied to protect against staining. Be sure to match the sealer with the type of staining most likely to occur. A purely penetrating sealer such as HTC Stain Guard protects well against penetrating stains and is simple to apply and maintain but provides no protection against reactive stains while a semi-topical sealer such as HTC Polish Guard gives a degree of protection against both reactive and penetrating stains but is more costly, more difficult to apply and requires a higher level of ongoing maintenance.

The exact maintenance routine, particularly the needed frequency of cleaning, is dictated by the needs of each particular floor. The most effective maintenance routine to keep your Polished Concrete at its optimal levels of cleanliness and gloss is to regularly scrub with Twister Green pads on an automatic scrubber and occasionally high speed burnish with Twister Green.

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