Keeping surfaces disinfected and clean is extremely important, especially these days. Here are some best practices for keeping your terrazzo floors and countertops maintained and germ-free:
Cleaning of Terrazzo Floors
Follow these guidelines to ensure your terrazzo floors are clean and in peak condition:
- Harsh cleaners can damage your terrazzo floors. Only products that have a neutral pH (factor of 7.0) should be used to clean your floor.
- Sweep or dust mop you floors daily to eliminate dust and grit that act like abrasives on your hard surface floor. No sprays are required to dust mop.
- Your terrazzo floor must be scrubbed or mopped with a neutral pH cleaner every week for normal traffic areas. You can also buff your terrazzo floor to encourage and enhance the natural patina that will develop over time if your floor has a honed finish.
- Permanent sealers can damage your terrazzo floor. If you determine that you want to apply another sealer to your terrazzo floor, then the best sealer is a water-based sealer.
- Rock Salt, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Ammonium Sulphate and Urea can damage your terrazzo floor. These compounds are made from harsh chemicals that react with the marble aggregate in your terrazzo floor. A salt known as Calcium Magnesium Acetate is more environmentally friendly and less damaging to stone, terrazzo, and masonry surfaces.
- It is helpful to provide a walk-off mat at the entrances to your facility to capture any grit and moisture before it ends up on your terrazzo floor. Well maintained walk-off mats can capture up to 70% of all dirt that enters a building.
Cleaning of Terrazzo Countertops
Terrazzo countertops are maintained similarly to natural stone and engineered quartz:
- Wipe spills immediately. While terrazzo doesn’t stain easily, it is not stain proof. The longer a spill sits, the more likely the countertops will stain.
- If a stain appears on your countertops, identify the cause. Not all stains are the same – removing an oil stain is much different than ridding your countertops of a wine stain.
- Once the source of the stain is identified, read Bella Stone Design’s Care and Maintenance page for methods to remove the stain.
- Only use a pH neutral cleanser. Anything too acidic can etch and dull the countertops – especially the marble found in terrazzo.
- Never use any cleaner that includes ammonia. Ammonia will leave a film on your countertops.
- We recommend cleaning your countertops with a mild soap and water or a stone cleaner that can be found at your local hardware store.
- Ensure any cleaner is fully wiped from the countertops after cleaning.
Following these guidelines will keep your terrazzo floors and countertops clean and looking like new for decades. If you have any questions concerning terrazzo, please contact us at info@venosaprecast.com.