Monday, November 15, 2010

How to Clean and Maintain Terrazzo

Terrazzo Maintenance Procedures:

Harsh cleaners and sealers can damage Terrazzo; thus, only materials that are neutral with a PH Factor between 7 and 10 should be used for cleaning Terrazzo floors. Avoid all-purpose cleaners or soaps containing water soluble, inorganic, or crystallizing salts, harmful alkali or acids for cleaning terrazzo. Sweeping compounds contain oil, which is not only a fire hazard, but will penetrate and could permanently discolor your terrazzo floor. Many of these compounds contain sand, which is hard to sweep, and can abrade your floor if not removed.

Terrazzo Cleaning Procedures:

Neutral cleaners are designed to react only in solution with clean water, mixed in accordance to the manufacturer instructions, and allowed to remain on the floor surface for several minutes. This provides the necessary time for the grime dissolving action to take place. Then rinse the dirt-laden solution from the surface by squeegee, vacuum, or mopping. Rinse with ample clean water. It is important to keep the floor wet during this entire cleaning process so the dirt does not reabsorb in the floor. The frequently asked question, “How often must we sweep or scrub this floor?” is answered by the amount of traffic that moves across the floor daily.

Helpful Tips for Terrazzo Maintenance

Your Terrazzo floor has been honed, polished and sealed with a penetrating Terrazzo Sealer. This protects your surface from immediate stains, but no spillage should be ignored and allowed to soak and dry into the floor.



DO

• DO ask your installing Terrazzo Contractor to recommend the proper neutral cleaner and sealers to be used for cleaning and sealing terrazzo.

• DO dust mop your terrazzo floors daily, this not only picks up the dust, but also the grit tracked into your home or building. The grit acts as an abrasive on your hard surface floor.

• DO wash your terrazzo floors once a week depending on the amount of foot traffic; Always rinse your floors well to prevent a build-up of cleaner residue that could become slippery.

• DO have your terrazzo floors sealed with an impregnating sealer in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• DO use maintenance products designed for cleaning and maintaining Terrazzo.

• DO allow your neutral cleaner, once applied to the Terrazzo surface, time to react as designed to loosen foreign matter. Several minutes should be adequate, but DO NOT allow solution to dry on surface.

• DO clean up spills immediately to minimize damage to your stone.

• DO use door mats inside and out along with runners and area rugs on terrazzo floors

• DO call the Stone Medic with any questions. We are here to help.

DON'TS

• DON’T use surface waxes, or all purpose sealers. Employment of such can result in slippery surfaces.

• DON’T use all purpose cleaners containing water soluble inorganic or crystallizing salts, harmful alkali or acids. Use of such products could prove harmful to your Terrazzo floor.

• DON’T try miracle cleaners or sealers on your terrazzo floor without getting an opinion on such products from The Stone Medic.

• DON'T use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub cleaners.

• DON'T use vinegar, bleach, ammonia or other general-purpose cleaners.

• DON'T use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.

• DON'T use alkaline cleaners not specifically formulated for stone and terrazzo.

• DON'T use scouring powders and abrasives because they will scratch the surface.

If you have any questions please call the Stone Medic @ (813) 818-7555 or visit our website at http://www.tampastonemedic.com/