Cleaning Terrazzo Floors – What Products to Use and What to Avoid

Cleaning Terrazzo Floors – What Products to Use and What to Avoid

Terrazzo floors can now be widely found on residential houses, commercial spaces and even outdoor areas such as parks.  The increase in popularity of terrazzo as a preferred flooring system is a direct result of builders, designers, homeowners and business owners realizing that its care and easy maintenance makes it the most cost-effective choice in comparison to every other flooring system.  Add that to the undeniable fact that terrazzo is also one of the most, if not, the most durable flooring system as well.  Case in point, some of the earliest terrazzo installations are still in existence today, most of them looking as pristine and as flawless as if just newly installed.

That being said, like most flooring systems, when not taken care of properly, your terrazzo floors will eventually show signs of wear and tear.  To avoid tarnishing your pristine terrazzo floors it is important that you know the correct way of maintaining and cleaning them.  You need to know what products are best suited for cleaning, what products will do more harm than good and what products are definitely best avoided.

Ammonia and acid-based detergents and cleaning solutions, coarse scrubbing pads and alkaline strippers are the kind of products you should not use on your terrazzo floors.  These types of products contribute to the deterioration of the terrazzo stone chips.  Deteriorated or compromised terrazzo will chip and crack quicker than that of properly maintained terrazzo.  For homeowners, or those who are going the DIY route in cleaning your terrazzo floors, it is recommended that you at least consult the terrazzo technicians that installed your floor to get a list of products that are best utilized for cleaning.

Terrazzo floors that are consistently waxed and buffed to maintain its lustre are also prone to damage and deterioration if the wrong kind of wax stripper is used.  To prevent any kind of lasting damage to your terrazzo floors, always check the products’ labels.  Additionally, you can always use the more environmentally friendly cleaners and maintenance methods to ensure that your terrazzo floors stay looking pristinely lustrous.