Epoxy floors are incredibly durable and resistant to scratches, scuffs, and stains. It is a versatile flooring option used in places like homes, warehouses, and garages. Epoxy floors are heavy-duty and can withstand a lot, but does it need maintenance?
Epoxy floors need maintenance. Without maintenance, these floors can wear down quickly and will require a new. Sweep and mop the floor regularly without using harsh cleaners or vinegar and use padding under the furniture to avoid scratches.
In this article, I’ll provide tips for adequately maintaining epoxy floors. I will also explain how to clean stains and remove scratches to keep your epoxy floors looking fabulous and lasting longer.
Maintenance Tips For Epoxy Floors
Maintaining epoxy floors is relatively easy—it just needs to be done routinely.
Keeping up with the maintenance will help keep your floors shiny and last a long time.
1. Sweep and Vacuum the Floor Regularly
If you don’t remove dirt and debris from your epoxy floors regularly, they will eventually accumulate.
Dirt can embed itself into your epoxy floor, and after being trodden over by heavy foot traffic, it will scratch and wear your floor.
It’s best to use a vacuum, dust mop, or soft bristle broom when collecting dirt and debris to avoid damage to the floors.
High-traffic areas may require sweeping and vacuuming more often.
2. Mop the Floor Weekly
It’s best to use a wet mop or steam mop to clean your epoxy floors.
Make sure not to use harsh chemicals when mopping, as these can cause damage and stain your epoxy floors.
Don’t use cleaning solutions containing citrus or vinegar.
These types of floor cleaners can cause wear and dull your floor’s shine.
Using a steam mop with distilled water is a great option.
Simply mixing a gallon of hot water with half a cup of ammonia and using a wet mop can also do the job well.
High-traffic areas may need to be mopped more often than once a week or even daily.
3. Spot Clean When Needed
Spot-clean any soiled areas that you notice on the floor. Only the affected areas need treatment.
If you clean the stain immediately, there’s a good chance it will come off by itself and you won’t need to do any more cleaning.
Make sure to get these spots up promptly with a steam mop. You can use hot water and lightly scrub with a kitchen pad for more stubborn areas.
4. Clean Up Spills Immediately
Spills should be cleaned up right away to avoid stains and stickiness from occurring.
Fortunately, epoxy floors are water-resistant, so spill cleanup should be a breeze.
Leaving spills to sit on your epoxy floor and dry could cause discoloration or damage to the underlying concrete.
It can also dull the floors’ shine, so be sure to clean up any spills immediately to keep your epoxy floors looking fresh and lasting a long time.
5. Don’t Use Abrasive Cleaning Products
Use caution when using cleaning products to clean epoxy floors.
Avoid using hard chemicals and rough scrub brushes on epoxy-coated flooring as they can cause damage and wear away the coating.
These are some of the types of cleaners you should avoid:
- Bleach
- Citrus cleaners
- Vinegar
- Pure ammonia
- Comet
Abrasive cleaning tools can also leave behind scratches. Avoid using the following:
- Stiff bristle brushes
- Steel wool
- Aggressive nylon pads
If you can’t use most of the standard cleaners, what products can you use for your epoxy floors?
Luckily, most liquids tend to come of easily off epoxy.
Often, a mop and warm water are all you’re going to need.
For more stubborn stains, you can use mild dish soap or ammonia diluted in water.
6. Use Padding Under Furniture and Heavy Objects
Pointed furniture legs and other heavy objects can harm your epoxy floors by leaving dents behind.
To avoid permanently denting the epoxy floors, place pads at the bottom of these heavy objects to create a barrier between the furniture and the floor’s surface.
Inside the home, some of these objects include:
- Chairs
- Couches
- Tables
- Bookshelves
For a garage, be aware of:
- The kickstand on a motorcycle
- Welding machine
- Heavy machinery
Placing cardboard under heavy objects in the garage is an east, zero-cost solution.
Felt padding can be bought and placed under chair and table legs as well as any other furniture.
7. Utilize Mats in Entry Ways
Having door mats in place at all entry points will help reduce the amount of dirt, debris, salt, and water that comes in the home or garage on the bottoms of shoes.
If you live in an area with harsh winters, then tracking in snow and slush will be a common occurrence.
This is harmful to epoxy floors because the salt and slush can cause wear and scratches.
Removing your shoes at the door and utilizing door mats will help reduce the amount of slush and snow that comes in contact with the floor.
Be sure to wipe up any wet areas you track upon entering your home.
The same goes for sand if you live near the beach. Take care not to track sand on your epoxy floor, as this can quickly leave behind scratches.
Vacuum up any particles of sand that get trailed behind you immediately.
Leaving it on the floor for people to step on will cause further damage to the epoxy coating.
How to Clean Stains From Epoxy Floors
Many things can cause stains to be left behind on epoxy floors—even the wrong cleaning solutions.
Before using any cleaning product, read its label to make sure it’s safe for epoxy floors.
Garages are known for accumulating oil stains.
Epoxy does well against liquid stains, so if the oil spill is recent, it shouldn’t need too much effort.
Simply follow these steps:
- Wipe the area to remove any liquid that may still be standing.
- Pour some acetone or dish soap into the center of the stain.
- Use shop towels or paper towels to scrub over the area until the stain is removed.
Wear rubber gloves when working with acetone to protect your skin from drying out.
You can use a steam mop over the stain before starting to make things even easier.
Dried oil stains may also require you to use a degreaser, but keep that as a last resort.
When removing stains, start with a light cleaning solution before moving to something stronger.
How To Remove Scratches From Epoxy Floors
Sometimes you can’t avoid a few scratches on your epoxy floors.
Still, you should do your best to prevent them. If your epoxy floor becomes scratched, try to remove the scratch right away.
The deeper the scratch is, the more difficult it will be to buff out.
To remove scratches from epoxy floors, follow these steps:
1. Clean the area well.
2. Attach a polishing pad to a drill.
3. Dab polishing paste along the scratch.
4. Buff the entire scratch area until smooth.
Repeat the process as needed until the scratch is removed.
Conclusion
While epoxy resin floors are water-resistant, durable, and long-lasting, they require basic maintenance to stay in good condition.
Following the tips I’ve provided for proper maintenance will help keep your epoxy floors clean and glossy appearance as well as prevent wear and blemishes.
