IICRC corrects concrete cleaning misconceptions

LAS VEGAS — The International Institute for Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recently released its list of five commonly held misconception of concrete floor maintenance, according to a press release.

“Too often, we run into people who believe that once the concrete floor has been installed, it maintains itself,” said Claudia Lezell, IICRC Standards Hard Surface Division vice chair. “This couldn’t be further from the truth. Like most other hard floor surfaces, concrete maintenance requires a specialized approach that takes several factors into consideration — otherwise, it can fail.”

The five common misapprehensions regarding concrete floor care uncovered by the IICRC are as follows: 

1) You don’t need chemicals to maintain concrete floors — No hard flooring surface cleans itself, including concrete. Chemicals are used to breakdown, remove and clean dirt and debris. Concrete is exposed to the same dirt and debris as any other flooring, so it should be maintained in a similar manner.

2) All concrete walking surfaces are created equal — Concrete is either coated or polished. Maintenance of coated concrete will come down to the maintenance of the coating. For example, epoxies, urethanes and acrylics will have their own criteria associated with them.  Polished concrete is maintained with abrasives. While much of the daily maintenance will be similar to other hard floor surfaces, you need to consider the coating before developing a comprehensive maintenance program.

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3) Cleaning staff know how to clean concrete floors — Depending on who handles cleaning and maintenance responsibilities, there’s a good chance that someone with little to no experience is cleaning concrete floors, including professional cleaning staff. Before you let anyone clean floors, make sure they have the knowledge and expertise for the job.

4) Concrete floors will last just as long without any cleaning or maintenance — If the concrete is coated, the longevity of the floor is dependent on the quality of the coating and how it is maintained. If the concrete is mechanically polished, the longevity is dependent on the methods and how well those methods were executed during the process of polishing. A properly polished concrete floor with bonded abrasives will have reduced maintenance and longer time periods between restorative procedures than traditional flooring surfaces.

5) Soil loads and the type of soil do not impact how a concrete floor is cleaned — A concrete floor is no different than any other hard floor surface. The amount of soil and the type of soil will dictate the frequency and the type of cleaning procedures.

As concrete becomes an increasingly popular flooring choice, these misconceptions much be cleared up for floor cleaning professionals.

The IICRC will make its debut appearance at the World of Concrete Show in Las Vegas February 2 through the 6, 2015 in Las Vegas.

For the full, original release, please click here.