Four simple steps to take care of your terrazzo floor

The reason terrazzo floors are common is because they are inexpensive, durable and widely available.

But what is a terrazzo floor?

According to Lovetoknow, terrazzo is a composite material of marble chips and concrete or resin that is combined to create smooth, luxurious flooring or countertop material that captures the beauty of marble in a more affordable way. Terrazzo is generally composed of two parts marble chips to one part binder (concrete or resin), and extra chips may be scattered on the top of the mixture for an even more marbled appearance.

Many homeowners want to know about the terrazzo restoration process and whether their terrazzo floor can be restored, especially if they need terrazzo pad damage and stain removal.

The marble part of terrazzo promises to be stain-resistant as it does not absorb most spills; but the cement binder, being permeable, absorbs stains easily. That is why it is important to take utmost care of terrazzo flooring.

Here’s how to clean a stained terrazzo floor with a few steps.

1.       Sweep the floor to remove loose dirt, crumbs and other debris. If the floor is dusty, use a dry mop.

2.       Using plain water or a neutral (neither acidic or alkaline) cleaner, wet mop the floor and let the cleaner sit on the floor for several minutes to dissolve the dirt. Ensure the entire floor surface remains wet when doing this, otherwise the loose dirt will dry back onto the floor.

3.       Rinse the floor thoroughly with clean water, or use a wet vacuum or squeegee to remove the dirty water. If it is too dirty you may have to rinse more than once to remove all the dirt.

4.       After the floor has dried, buff it to restore shine.

When addressing specific stains, here is how to get rid of them.

1.       Alcohol stain

Use hot soapy water to get rid of alcoholic stains. If the stain is persistent, consider dabbing it with denatured alcohol.

2.       Blood stain

Use cold clean water to wipe it off. If it does not go away put a few drops of ammonia into the water and repeat. Let it stay for about 15 minutes then rinse.

3.       Ink stains

Use warm water mixed with detergent to get rid of ink. For the stubborn ink stains, apply an ammonia and water solution to a cotton ball and wipe it off until it all comes out.

4.       Urine stains

For a thorough clean, mix abrasive powder and hot water to make a paste then apply on the affected surface. For unyielding urine stains, try laying a cloth soaked in hydrogen peroxide directly over the stain, followed by an ammonia-saturated cloth.

5.       Coffee stains

Soak a piece of absorbent cloth in a solution made of one part glycerin and three parts regular water. Put it on the area affected with coffee stains and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Alternatively, make a paste of hydrogen peroxide and calcium carbonate or abrasive powder and hot water and apply it on the stain.

6.       Oil stains

To remove paint or even any oil stain, gently clean the affected surface with warm water mixed with liquid detergent.