Epoxy flooring is tough, durable and hygienic. Proper care and maintenance helps it last longer while protecting a commercial or industrial space.
Dirty and greasy epoxy floors can become slippery. A regular cleaning and sanitization schedule preserves the slip-resistant surface while helping promote a cleaner, safer workplace. Stubborn stains can often be removed by using a soft deck brush or kitchen sponge along with warm water. Avoid steel wool and harsh scrubbing pads.
Garage epoxy flooring in Fort Lauderdale offers an ideal solution for businesses seeking both functionality and aesthetics. With its resilient nature, it withstands the heavy traffic typical in industrial settings, while also providing a sleek and professional appearance. Proper care and maintenance are essential to ensure that garage epoxy flooring in Fort Lauderdale maintains its integrity and continues to enhance the workspace environment.
Sweep Daily
In high-traffic areas, you need to sweep the floor on a daily basis to keep dirt, grit and debris under control. Doing so reduces the risk of scratching, etching and wear on the epoxy coating.
A broom and dust mop should be used for the job, but you can also employ a walk-behind auto floor scrubber. The latter uses soft floor pads that won’t scratch the epoxy coating like a harsher brush can.
Sweeping should be followed by a mowing routine that utilizes an approved cleaner for epoxy floors. It can be a simple solution of warm water and mild detergent or a specialized epoxy-friendly cleaning product, depending on the type of soilage that typically plagues your floors.
If any chemical spills occur, they must be treated right away. Some chemicals are not only corrosive to epoxy surfaces, they can actually eat through the substrate underneath. This is why it’s so important to keep an eye out for any oil, solvent or harsh chemical spills on your facility’s floors.
It’s also a good idea to do a quarterly assessment of your epoxy flooring, looking for signs that it’s in need of repair or new coats of protection. In addition, make sure you are keeping an eye out for any moisture intrusion, as this can erode the concrete and weaken your epoxy’s adhesion. This will ensure that your epoxy floors are structurally sound and visually appealing for years to come. In fact, the more you take care of your epoxy floors, the longer they will last, and the more value and beauty they will bring to your facility. It’s a win for you, your employees and your customers!
Mop Regularly
Even though epoxy floors are durable and ideal for high-traffic areas, accidents and spills happen. Quick reaction is key to preserving the pristine condition of epoxy floors, because the non-porous surface resists staining when treated immediately. Upon discovering a spill, soaking up the liquid with an absorbent material is a good start. Then, a gentle cleanse with a mild cleaner that is compatible with epoxy is in order. Soaps should be avoided as they often leave a residue, dull the shine, and degrade the adhesive properties of epoxy surfaces.
A micro fibre mop is the preferred option for epoxy flooring as it collects the dirt and debris rather than simply sweeping it away. Sweeping daily in high traffic areas and weekly for less trafficked areas will keep dust, sand, and grit to a minimum. If you prefer to vacuum, a soft brush attachment should be used to ensure you do not scratch the floor.
In addition to daily and weekly cleaning, it is a good idea to conduct quarterly inspections of your floor to look for signs of wear, cracking, discoloration or moisture intrusion that could lead to future damage. The results of these quarterly assessments will give you a chance to address any small problems before they have the opportunity to grow.
It is also a great idea to utilize walk-off mats at the entrance to your garage or commercial area, as they will help to trap sand, dirt, and debris from entering the building and prevent it from becoming embedded in the epoxy flooring. Other proactive steps that can be taken include utilizing rubber pads under motorcycle and bicycle kickstands, and storing tools on plywood to spread their weight and reduce the possibility of scratches.
Clean Spots and Stains Properly
Stubborn stains can be removed from epoxy floors as soon as they are noticed, rather than waiting until the next scheduled cleaning. Stains that are allowed to sit on the floor can discolor and even damage the floor coating. For tough stains, the first thing to try is to remove as much of the stain as possible with a plastic scour pad, soft deck brush or stiff-bristled nylon brush. A mild solution of warm water and a little bit of dish soap is also an excellent cleaning agent that will not damage your epoxy surface.
Once you have removed as much of the stain as possible, you can begin scrubbing. Scrubbing frequency will depend on the amount of soilage that normally plagues your flooring, but high-traffic areas should be scrubbed daily and other types of areas should be scrubbed once per week, using the proper mop, bucket of cleaning liquid, and brushes or mechanized scrubber. When you are scrubbing, avoid harsh chemical cleaners such as citrus-based cleaners, acidic chemical degreasers, and floor stripping agents. These types of products are too abrasive and may cause damage to the epoxy surface.
It is important to check your floor for cracks, gouges and color consistency on a regular basis. Addressing any problems early can save time and money by preventing future damage to your floor coating. It is also a good idea to keep door mats at entranceways to reduce the amount of dirt that is tracked onto your floor, as this can scratch and damage your epoxy coating. A little bit of time and effort each day will help keep your epoxy floor coating looking great for years to come.
Repair Scratches and Gouges
The appearance of your epoxy flooring depends on how it is maintained. Dirt that is not swept or mopped regularly can act like sandpaper on the surface, wearing and grinding away the epoxy coating. The best way to avoid this is to sweep daily in high-traffic areas and mop the floors weekly in less trafficked areas. A mild detergent diluted with warm water should be used for cleaning, avoiding the use of abrasive cleansers or harsh chemicals that can damage the floor’s surface.
Spills must be cleaned immediately as well to prevent the absorption of chemicals that could discolor or reduce the epoxy’s performance. It’s also important to use protective mats in areas of heavy traffic or zones where equipment and furniture is frequently moved. This helps to prevent dragging and scratching of the furniture, as well as structural shifting that might harm the floors.
Rust stains, chemical spills and acidic or citrus-based cleaners can all wear away the epoxy coating. The use of kitchen scrubbers or pads with soft deck brushes and a moderate amount of warm water will normally remove these types of stains. Steel wool and abrasive cleaning solutions such as Comet are not good for the epoxy flooring, and should be avoided.
For larger gouges in the epoxy, a repair patch might be needed. An experienced technician can fill and patch these holes to restore the floor’s integrity and appearance. To avoid these costly repairs, the weight capability of the epoxy floors should be considered when positioning large items of furniture. Consider using dollies or sliders with rubber wheels rather than hard plastic or metal to lessen the strain of the movement, and help protect the floor coating.
Clean Car-Related Chemicals and Spills
While epoxy flooring is tough and durable, it can be damaged by abrasive or acidic materials that can scratch or discolor the coating. Cleaning up spills as soon as they occur, avoiding harsh chemicals and acids, and placing protective pads or felt glides under heavy furniture can significantly reduce the risk of scratches or dings on the surface. It is also advisable to put doormats at every entry point, and to drag or slide rather than push or pull large pieces of equipment like tables or couches across the surface.
For routine floor maintenance, sweeping the floors with a soft-bristled brush or vacuum cleaner that has a dust attachment is essential. This eliminates small particles that could serve as an abrasive and damage the flooring, and can be combined with a mild detergent solution diluted with warm water for more thorough cleaning.
A top layer of chemical-resistant urethane protects the layers beneath it from erosion, but if certain chemicals or solvents are allowed to sit for too long on the floor, they can eat through that protection and damage the epoxy underneath. Using a neutral pH-neutral cleaning agent specifically made for epoxy floors can safely remove any residue or stain left by those chemicals.
The same goes for stains, which should be treated as quickly as possible to ensure they are fully removed and that the epoxy remains intact. Stains can happen for a variety of reasons, from spilled liquids to rusty items that were left to corrode on the floor. To treat stubborn stains, it is recommended to mix a non-abrasive cleaner with a bit of warm water and apply it with a soft-bristled mop or sponge. Avoid abrasive cleansers or scrub brushes, and never use steel wool or steel-reinforced pads, as they can cause permanent damage to the floor.
