Some more tips on Acid Stained Concrete Flooring from Joe Welch at Stained By Design in Louisiana:As you know, Stained Concrete Floors are growing in popularity. While once reserved for restaurants and stores, stained concrete is becoming more popular in the home. People like the beauty of the surface and the benefits of a surface that doesn’t hold dust.
However, there is one problem with transforming your dull Gray Concrete into an Acid Stained Floor... Once you make something pretty, you notice when it is dirty. Stained Concrete floors should be considered a "Low Maintenance" floor Not a "No Maintenance" floor. This information will give you the knowledge needed to keep your surface looking its best.
Your Custom Interior Floor will last a lifetime if properly maintained. Plastic glides, felt pads, or "Magic Movers" should be affixed to heavy furnishings or those which will move frequently. Use the same precautions you would use for a Hard Wood Floor. A doormat at the outside (Hemp or Rope style) and inside entrance (one with a solid backing that can be shook off outside) of a home will pick up over 85% of the dirt that would otherwise be tracked inside.
One important thing to mention about your walk-off mat is how to choose one. For the first month, an open-back mat such as a carpet remnant should be used while the sealer/finish cures. Plastic-backed products should NOT be used for your mats. An acrylic or plastic backed mat can cause discoloration under and around the mat. This phenomenon is called Plasticizer Migration. This is caused when a plasticizer in a floor mat or floor material transfers itself (migrates) into the floor finish or sealer. When you pull up the mat, you may be tearing up part of your sealer. If a solid backed mat is used, it should be a mat with a backing of 100% Rubber material.
ACID STAINED CONCRETE FLOORING CARE INSTRUCTIONS:
Daily Dust Mopping
Dusting removes the fine dust and grit which can grind away floor finish. It will help prevent major floor finish deterioration caused by normal foot traffic. The best results are obtained by using a Micro-Fiber Dust Mop. The following procedures should be followed:
1. Dust mop the floor in one continuous movement without lifting the mop off the floor. Overlap your stroke on each pass (you can also vacuum but without the brush turning.)
2. Clean the dust mop after each use by shaking it outdoors; clean it with a brush over a garbage can, or vacuuming it.
3. NEVER use a "Swiffer Wet-Jet" type of cleaning tool. The liquid in these devices contain trace amounts of solvent material. The solvent will not harm the sealer but will cause the wax to egg-shell. Also, you should not use ammonia, bleach or Pine Sol.
Damp Mopping
1. Damp mopping with cool water and a neutral PH cleaner extends the floor finish life. It will not dull the finish and will enhance the gloss retention.
2. Follow the recommended dilution rates on label directions.
3. The mop should be wrung out tightly so that it is just damp. Do not allow the cleaning solution to puddle.
4. NEVER use a "Swiffer" type of cleaning tool (I know this is a repeat from above but I must state this again.)
Waxing
Wax is the sacrificial coating to protect the sealer and bear the brunt of the scuff and scratches. Your floor should be finished with 4 coats of wax on top of the sealer for additional protection. When this is done, the wax coats bear the brunt of the traffic load and preserve the concrete and sealer. It is much easier to apply a refresher coat of wax than it is to reseal a floor. Use a commercial-quality floor finish of at least 20% solids material as the final coatings. Never use Mop-n-Glo or similar wax products. These quickie products do not have the durability to last for very long.
1. How often you need to re-wax depends on the abuse you, your children or pets put on the floor. It varies by owner and may be anywhere from every 6 months to every year.
2. Use a looped-end Rayon mop -- synthetics release material cotton absorbs.
3. Pour a dinner-plate sized puddle on the floor and spread it evenly and thinly. Spread the material across the surface and let it dry for 1 hour. You are now ready for foot traffic again.
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