How to clean and maintain epoxy floors

by | Mar 31, 2021 | epoxy

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There are tons of reasons why both residential and commercial property owners love epoxy. The first reason is that epoxy flooring can be installed anywhere there’s concrete to make the concrete surface more durable and long lasting. However, without the proper cleaning protocol like anything, the floors can deteriorate over time. Luckily, epoxy floors are easy to clean, maintain and keep hygienic. The best part is that you don’t need detailed training to clean your epoxy floors. Whether you are cleaning an epoxy floor in a garage floor, a commercial kitchen, or a busy warehouse, you’ll still do it with ease and in a shorter period compared to other flooring options like carpet or tile.

Cleaning an epoxy floor is important to maintain its gloss and prolong its life. Let’s take a look at what you should do to clean your epoxy garage floor. This guide is for properly installed epoxy floor coatings. If you are unsure what floor coating you have, reach out to the industry experts at Paradigm Concrete Finishes for help. We also offer floor cleaning and buffing services for both industrial and residential property.

 

Get Rid of Dirt and Debris

Garage floors can quickly accumulate dust and debris if your floor is in an area with a lot of traffic. Dusty environment, windy weather, and summer also contribute to this issue. If you let dust and debris remain on your epoxy floor surfaces, it will embed in the floor and cause scratches when you move around, move your machines, or drive. Over time, you’ll have a badly scratched floor without the initial gloss.

To keep your garage floor surfaces free of dirt and grit, purchase a good dust mop. This tool will do most of the cleaning and so should be the best quality you can afford. Use the dust mop once every week to sweep across the floor towards the entrance. You can also clean sooner depending on how quickly your floors get dusty.

If your floor has contraction joints, there are chances that dirt is trapped within the curves. Get a vac and vacuum them to remove trapped dirt. If you want a clean epoxy floor, keep up with the build up monthly and it will never get to to the point where you need to completely replace your epoxy floor. If you don’t have a vac, use a broom to reach every nook and cranny and clean away the dirt. Before you move any heavy item or machine across your floor, ensure you clean away all the dirt and grit so it doesn’t get compressed into the surface.

 

Cleaning agents for epoxy floors

You can use a gallon of hot water a hard mop along with simple green or emonia. You want to stay away from using vinegar based solutions citrus solutions because they can leave streaks. Usually people also stay away from Soap-based cleaners because of two reasons, First, they leave behind a haze every time you use them which builds up over a period of time to steal away the shine of your floors. Secondly, the soap residue can cause the floor to be slippery when it contacts water, making it risky for the user.

If you have to use soap, use a mild soap or soft soap mixed with water to clean the stubborn spills. Make sure that you rinse your floor with plenty of clean water after you are through with the cleaning.

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Spot Clean the Floor Whenever the Need Arises

While you might schedule vacuuming once every month and mopping once a week, there’s a lot that could go wrong in a garage (out of schedule) requiring instant cleaning. When you accidentally spill something on the floor, it shouldn’t wait for the next cleaning date. Spot clean the floor to arrest potential issues in time. Vacuum away the dirt then mop using warm water then dry it. Epoxy garage floors are easy to clean when any kind of liquid spillages happen. So, ready yourself with a rag to wipe the floor whenever a liquid spill happens.

 

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Remove Stains by Scrubbing

If for some reason, you encounter tough stains and marks, you’ll need to do some scrubbing. Take a kitchen scrubbing sponge and warm water then scrub the stain as you avoid the surroundings as much as possible. If the stain is stubborn, it might be tempting to use steel wool but don’t do it. Steel wool is too abrasive for epoxy floors. Also for the same reason, avoid a harsh chemical like a comet. Avoid vinegar and citrus cleaners because they can break down the chemical compound of epoxy floors which often introduces wear and tear.

The soft kitchen sponge and water is what you need to soft scrub and wash any stain on epoxy. If the first wash fails, try another one.

How to Clean Chemicals and Oil

Depending on what type of floor the epoxy coating is on, you might end up having chemical spills. Fortunately, the nature of epoxy floors makes them very easy to clean. All you need is paper towels or shop towels to wipe them. What you need to put in mind is that you should never let the chimicals sit on the floor for too long. The chemicals in engine oils and other chemicals you’d find in a garage can easily damage your floor if they sit there over time.

Other spillages you should clean immediately include household cleaners, acids, and paint. Use a shop towel to wipe the spill. Then rinse with clean water afterward to make sure no chemicals are left on the surface.

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How to clean and maintain epoxy floors

Heavy-Duty Cleaning for high traffic spaces

If you are dealing with an epoxy floor in your commercial facility, chances are that it gets a lot of traffic.

You don’t need to do a full detail of the entire floor on a weekly basis, but the more you do it the better. It’s a good idea to invest in thorough cleaning at least once every few months.

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Get the Right Mop

There are many types of mops out there that you could use on your epoxy floor. What you need is one you can comfortably handle, that scrubs well but doesn’t leave behind streak marks on the floor surface. Find a mop that picks up dirt without leaving behind liquid or washing solution on the epoxy coatings.

You can get a mop with a self-wringing feature so that when it comes to the time to rinse the mop, the process is smooth. Alternatively, you can go with a microfiber mop with a width enough to cover most of the floor during use.

 

Invest in the Right Products

Ammonia comes first on the list because it works well for both regular cleaning and scheduled cleaning. Works perfect for As mentioned earlier mix half a cup of ammonia with a gallon of water. Then mop using the solution and a microfiber mop. Make sure you rinse the mop frequently as you clean the floor.

If your garage floor is a mess with scratches and dirt embedded in it, you’d want to use a strong cleaner like simple green. It helps eliminate grease and other grime more easily than most cleaning solutions. You can start with one part of simple green and eight parts of water. If it’s not working, make the solution stronger as needed to get the job done. Take note that this solution might leave a thin film on your floors. So make sure you rinse the floor properly with clean water before letting it dry.

Clean Off the Tire Marks

You might get tire marks from your vehicle or bike movements. The easiest way to erase such marks from your floor surface is by using a degreaser. With this, you don’t have to scrub or scratch your floor. It helps detach the tire marks from the floor and turns it into a powder that you can sweep or mop away.

What you need to do is to take your degreaser and drip it on the tire marks. Give it 10 minutes to saturate, it might take longer if the marks are heavy. This dries up to form a powdery solution that you can sweep, collect, and dump. Another alternative is gently scrubbing the floor with a soft nylon brush. If the tire mark persists, repeat the process as many times as it would take.

Prevention is Better Than A Floor Coating Failure

Life has taught us to prevent bad things before they happen. You can apply the same to your epoxy floors. To avoid scratching the floor, use plywood or mats when moving heavy things around. When you decide to weld in your garage, use a welding mat to protect the floor. When you are lifting your vehicle or any other stuff using jacks, use small pieces of wood underneath them to avoid denting the floor.

If your floor has lost its shine and becoming uglier with time, periodically wax it to add protection. A waxed floor is also much easier to clean than a rough one.

    Reach Paradigm Concrete Finishes for Quality Garage Floor Installations

    Epoxy garage floors are not just durable but easy to clean and maintain. If they are properly installed, you can use them for decades to come. But to enjoy their value, you have to invest in quality installations which we provide at Paradigm Concrete Finishes. In this period, we provide contactless garage floor epoxy installations so that everyone stays safe and healthy. If you want your floor to apply epoxy coatings on your floors or seek to renew it, we can be of help. Reach out to us so you can get all your questions answered and your project started as soon as possible.

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