Commercial Epoxy Flooring Care and Maintenance
If you’ve been considering installing commercial epoxy flooring then you’re making a great decision. There are many benefits to this type of flooring, mainly the fact that it will keep your garage, work space or warehouse protected. Whether you are going for commercial, residential, or perhaps even an industrial grade epoxy floor coating, you can be rest assured that the right epoxy will take damage long before your concrete floor does, and you can even ensure that it will not be affected by heavy drops, high traffic abrasions, or other trauma that a floor might suffer. You may also want to get a consultation from ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba if you’re located in a ‘flood warning’ area to ensure your flooring won’t be damaged long-term. If you’ve opted for a different type of flooring such as wooden floors, the care it needs will be different to epoxy and it may require a best hardwood floor cleaning machine to maintain it. With epoxy however, you can purchase types of it that will flex and move with changing temperatures and expansion, among other things. That being said, epoxy can be one of the most beneficial investments that you could possibly make for your garage, shop or business.
This installation is not an apply and forget type of thing there are certain maintenance routines that you will need to undertake to ensure your epoxy floor lasts and looks new for as look as possible. Below, we are going to cover some of the habits that you should be developing early on if you want to get the maximum potential from your commercial epoxy floor paint.
Taking Care of Spills
Spills are going to happen, whether it’s a glass of water, a quart of oil, or a container of glue. It’s not something that you can stop, no matter how careful you are. If you find that you have spilled something, you simply need to wipe it up with as soon as possible, at least if the spill consists of a caustic material. In some cases you may need to go to greater lengths, such as using a cleaning solution such as Simple Green or simply a pressure washer depending on the severity and nature of the spill. Don’t worry, your epoxy floor can handle just about any type of mess. A good quality topcoat can handle any vehicle fluids and even some nasty acids. If you spill Brake Cleaner or Battery acid on your epoxy don’t let it sit there for days before you clean it up. That type of neglect will lead to the discoloration of your nice high gloss finish. In other words take care of your epoxy floor and it will stay looking new for years.
Cleaning of a Less Dramatic Nature
Sometimes cleaning is a bit less dramatic and a bit more routine to put it lightly. In most cases you’ll simply need to use a paper towel or garden hose to do your cleaning, or you could use a commercial dust mop. If your floor has gotten really dirty, feel free to use a hard foam mop or squeegee along with a clear ammonia or Simple Green. Generally you should use four ounces per gallon of water to execute your cleaning plan – it doesn’t take much at all. You should never have to use harsh chemicals.
Something important to note after cleaning, is that many compounds might leave a hazy film on epoxy floors. Fortunately, this is not permanent, and can easily be cleaned using hot water along with a brush or mop. As always, use a sponge mop for easier cleaning as well as better control over the liquid used during the cleaning process.
A word about Abrasives in your effort to clean your commercial epoxy flooring you should do your best to avoid using abrasive materials. For example, Comet, while probably effective, will eventually become far too effective and may in fact eat away at the floor. If you’ve applied a true commercial urethane topcoat everything should clean up without the need of harsh solvents or abrasive cleaners. In addition to that, you will want to avoid the following:
- Citrus Cleaners
- Vinegar
- Soap-Based Cleaners
The first two on this list are probably obvious as you should never use an acid based cleaners on epoxy, even if it has a topcoat, but the last one might seem a bit odd. Believe it or not, we only include it on this list for safety reasons; certain kinds of soaps can leave a film on your floor, thereby making it slippery and potentially dangerous to yourself as well as your employees. We supply a nonslip additive with all our epoxy floor kits so that you do not have this hazard. If you do find that your floor is becoming slippery for any reason, it is strongly recommended that you place a walk-off mat on any entry door to prevent water being tracked into the facility.
Consider Removing/ Cleaning Buildup Before you Replace or Recoat Your Floor
One of the most important things that you must realize when it comes to these floors is that more often than not, you will find that a dulled coat is usually the result of Build Up. Many of the above cleaning methods will help you to get rid of that buildup and return your floor to its normal, beautiful shine. Believe it or not, many of the service calls to epoxy companies regarding worn out floors are simply a case of buildup, which is something that can happen very easily over the years. It might not sound incredibly likely, but no matter how hard you try, there is always a good chance that your floor will end up with a residue of SOME type. After all, if you are running a warehouse, you cannot watch all of your employees at the same time, and there is no telling what spills or scuffs might occur. . Don’t worry, most of these things can be resolved with a little bit of elbow grease, or even a pressure washer if you feel so inclined. However, running a warehouse is preoccupying enough without having to clean the whole building. Fortunately, there are companies that specialize in warehouse cleaning, such as this warehouse cleaning in Perth industrial specialist. There’s no need to worry about employee spillages and mess with the availability of these industrial cleaning companies. In the end, commercial epoxy floor coating is very strong but it is not indestructible. Should your regular maintenance fail, and the floor becomes damaged, call Armor Garage for repair advice and a touch up kit. Your floor can take a lot of punishment, but sometimes you just need more help, that’s what we’re here for. On a final note, if you run a warehouse of your own, you might also be interested to learn about how using a website like Utility Bidder can help you to compare energy suppliers in order to reduce the costs of your energy bills. Powering a large space can lead to large overheads, so it is important to find ways to save money where you can.
