Sealed concrete floors easily resist most stains because they are no longer porous. This makes them easy to clean and maintain compared to unsealed floors. Even so, what is the best way to clean a sealed concrete floor?
To clean a sealed concrete floor, sweep or vacuum the surface to remove any loose dirt and then mop using a dust mop to get rid of fine dust. Mop the floor with warm water mixed with dish soap and then rinse off using a clean mop and fresh, clean water.
One of the main considerations for homeowners when choosing a flooring solution is the ease of maintenance and cleaning. This is why concrete remains popular for indoor and outdoor flooring material.
In this guide, I’ll show you the best ways to clean your sealed concrete surfaces which includes removing stains without damaging sealed concrete flooring.
How to Clean Sealed Concrete Floors
Sealed concrete is also low-maintenance due to its non-porosity but it is still susceptible to dirt and stains. Proper cleaning needs to be done every now and then to keep it in pristine condition.
You’ll need the following: a soft-bristle broom, a good dust mop (preferably microfiber), warm water, mild detergent (e.g. dish soap), and bleach (if your floor is highly stained).
Here’s how to clean a sealed concrete floor:
1. Sweep the floor
Use your soft-bristle broom to sweep off debris from the sealed concrete floor. To ensure that you get rid of all the dirt and debris, use your dust mop to eliminate the finer dirt particles.
I would recommend you vacuum the sealed concrete floor if you do not have a soft-bristle broom because it does a great job to remove any dirt and fine particles from the floor.
2. Mix water with detergent in a bucket
Add the recommended amount of detergent into a bucket of warm water. Stir up the mixture with a wet mop. For this step, other commercial cleaning agents can be used in place of a mild detergent.
Pro tip: However, highly acidic cleaning/bleaching agents like vinegar, muriatic acid, and sugar soap are not recommended, as they tend to eat away the sealer material, leaving your concrete floor with an unsightly, discolored look.
3. Mop the floor with a damp mop
Now, wring your wet mop lightly and run it over the sealed concrete floor, making sure to go over all stained spots. Ensure to work the floor edges as well because dirt material tends to collect in such areas.
4. Rinse with a clean mop and water
Get rid of the dirty water in your mop bucket and replace it with fresh, clean water. Rinse the mop with the clean water, wring it dry and run it over the sealed concrete floor to rinse off any remaining dirt and smells.
Repeat the above process for the entire sealed concrete floor area, then leave the surface to dry.
Pro tip: If there’s grime on the floor, scrub it off with a soft-bristled brush and follow it up with mopping using dish soap and water. You can also break down stubborn stains on sealed concrete floors using an ammonia solution or bleach.
With sealed concrete surfaces, you don’t need to vacuum clean every day/often as is usually the case with many other types of flooring. However, that doesn’t mean that your sealed concrete floor cannot be stained by various dirt agents like beverage spills and pet urines.
If this is the case, use the above cleaning procedure to restore your sealed concrete floor to its original look.
Deep Cleaning a Stained Sealed Concrete Floors
For tougher stains that refuse to come out even after you’ve used the cleaning procedure above, try out the following alternative sealed concrete cleaning process:
- Suck up the dirt particles and debris from your floor using a good high-powered vacuum cleaner.
- Make an ammonia solution by mixing water and ammonia in a 3:1 ratio.
- Dip a wet mop into the solution, loosely wring it, then run it over the stained sections of the sealed concrete floor.
- Repeat this process until you’ve worked out all stains.
- If there’s any stuck-on grime from food or beverage spills, you can use a scrub pad to scour the stain out after you wet up the surface with the wet mop that’s been drenched in ammonia solution.
- Use a dry piece of cloth to dry up the floor surface. Alternatively, you can let it dry out by itself.
Here is a video guide on cleaning sealed concrete floor.
Things to Avoid Using on Sealed Concrete
When cleaning your sealed concrete floor, you may want to avoid using the following:
Muriatic acid
Also known as hydrochloric acid, this strong chemical cleaning agent is usually used for cleaning off tough stains from unsealed concrete surfaces; especially garage floors, concrete patios, and concrete driveways.
However, due to its high acidity, muriatic acid is not recommended for sealed surfaces as it will eat away the sealer material, whether it’s an epoxy or acrylic-based sealer.
Bleach, vinegar, or any other harsh cleaners
Such strong cleaning agents, just like muriatic acid, should be reserved for unsealed concrete surfaces. When used on sealed concrete floors, they dull the sealant, leaving you with a discolored, unsightly floor surface that doesn’t complement the rest of your interior décor.
Strong bleaches and vinegar tend to wash away the sealant. If you’ve already made the mistake and used a strong acidic cleaner on your sealed concrete floor, you may need to get it resealed
Avoid using pressure washing machines when cleaning sealed concrete floors.
Avoid wire brushes when cleaning the sealed concrete floor
Tips for Maintaining Sealed Concrete Floors
Apart from regular cleaning using the above procedures, there are a couple of other maintenance considerations that we’d recommend you take into account for your polished/sealed concrete floor:
- Rebuffing– this helps restore the elegant, glossy finish on polished concrete floors.
- Resealing– sealed concrete surfaces need to be resealed about every three years, as the sealer material tends to gradually wear down. For sealed concrete to have the desired enhanced durability, the sealing process has to be done correctly. Contact a professional concrete sealing/polishing contractor if you’re unsure about your DIY skills.
Here is a sealing video guide for concrete floor
All in all, however, sealed concrete surfaces are non-permeable, making them hard to stain and generally low-maintenance.
