Epoxy Floor Maintenance 101: How to Clean Epoxy Floors

Epoxy floors can last a long time. Epoxy has hugely versatile finishes and many styles are on offer, some of which can be incredibly durable. This has made it a crowd favourite for both residential and commercial property owners.  Despite their tough attributes and seamlessness, epoxy floors do require regular cleaning in the correct way to ensure they remain beautiful and blemish free. Let's take a look at a few tips on how to clean epoxy floors so your floors remain beautiful for longer.

Luckily, cleaning residential epoxy flooring can be quick and easy once you know the technique. Whether you are cleaning a garage floor, external epoxy, or your hallway, you can still do it with ease and faster than it would take you to clean tiles and other hard floor surfaces.

Sweep or vacuum regularly

How often you need to sweep or vacuum your epoxy flooring will depend on:

• • The level of foot traffic in the area

 

• • Whether doors and windows are regularly open

 

• • Whether you have animals living and playing in the area

 

• • Colour and style of the floor

 

When deciding how to clean epoxy floors, either by sweeping or vacuuming, there's no wrong or right choice. The main thing is you choose a method that works for you and allows you to clear away debris regularly.

Sweeping

When it comes to sweeping you have two main options:

• • A good quality dust mop

 

• • A soft bristled broom

 

Micro fibre mops are the preferred option and will give you the best result if your epoxy finish is smooth. They have the ability to gather the dust and some debris. However, if you have opted for a slip resistant coating you may find a soft bristled broom will do a better job.

Often sweeping towards you is a gentler method of sweeping that gives you greater control over any debris collected.

Vacuuming

If you prefer to vacuum, the main thing to remember is to always use the soft brush attachment. If you attempt to vacuum your epoxy without the soft brush attachment, you might scratch your floor with the vacuum attachment itself.

You may also be lucky enough to own a robotic vacuum. If using one of these, the same principles apply as stated above. As our floors all differ with products used, strength and durability, we suggest to test a small out of the way area to ensure your floor does not get scratched. Further, check that no small items are caught in the wheel or mechanism itself as dragging these can produce scratching in the floor.

Wet mop at least once a fortnight

To keep your epoxy flooring in tip top shape it's recommended you wet mop your floor at least once a fortnight. Depending on the area your epoxy flooring is in and what style you have, you may want to mop more often.

Preparation is the key to a successful outcome when it comes time to mop your epoxy floors so before you start:

• • Clear the floor of all items

 

• • Thoroughly sweep or vacuum the entire floor

 

That's the hard part done! Now it's time to mop. If you feel the need to use a detergent to clean with then you want to choose a soft soapy pH-neutral product in warm water. Unless guided otherwise, under no circumstances should your mopping solution include:

• • Chemicals

 

• • Acids such as vinegar or citrus

 

• • Bleach

 

These products could damage your surface finish leaving it discoloured or cloudy in patches or across the entire thing.

For internal surfaces where the level of added slip-resistance is minimal, a sponge or stringy mop is your best option. To get a beautiful flawless finish, ensure you remove as much water with your mop as possible.

Spot cleaning

You probably have a cleaning schedule to help keep your floors looking amazing, but things can go wrong in between your regular mopping (especially in the garage).

If you accidentally spill something on your floor, clean it up as quickly as you can.

Spot cleaning your floor is a quick way to keep your floor in order without having to do a full clean. To spot clean:

• • Clear away any debris from the spill

 

• • Mop using warm water and pH-neutral detergent

 

• • Allow the area to dry before returning stored items or allowing foot or vehicle traffic

 

• • You may also use sanitising hand wipes

 

 

How to clean external epoxy floors

External areas can be bigger. You may sweep or use a garden leaf blower to clear debris before wet washing your external floor just as you would your indoor flooring. Being external, you may opt for a stiffer broom and more water or hosing.

Being outside, it could be tempting to reach for products with more cleaning power, but it is important that you continue to only use pH neutral detergents outside, avoiding:

• • Bleach

 

• • Chemicals

 

• • Acid based products - vinegar and citrus

 

Just like indoor and garage epoxy flooring, over time these products will discolour and damage your surface area, leaving it dull and lifeless.

If you need a little bit of extra cleaning power in your outdoor area, you can pressure blast your surface, being sure to use the fan nozzle, not the blunt pointed nozzle. Using the blunt nozzle could lead to chips in the coating. Also keep an adequate distance from the surface when using.

How to clean heavy commercial epoxy floors

Commercial floors vary in use. Each floor needs to be fit for purpose. As such, these will vary in epoxies and other resins used, slip resistance and cleanability.

On this basis, each commercial floor will have its own set of instructions to clean.

If you'd like further help with choosing the right cleaning detergents, get in touch.  We have sourced several products that we've tested and can recommend.

Is it time to get epoxy flooring in your life?

You don't want to spend longer cleaning your flooring than you must. So, if having a tough, durable, long lasting and easy to clean floor sounds like the solution for you then get in touch with our friendly team for a free 'no surprises' quote today.