How to Clean Concrete Floors & What to Use

Assessing Your Concrete Floor

• Type of flooring: Is it sealed, unsealed, stained, painted, coated, or polished? Sealed and/or coated concrete has a protective layer that makes it more resistant to stains, while unsealed concrete is more porous and is much more challenging to clean.
• Identify stains: Are there any specific stains or problem areas? Oil, grease, rust, efflorescence (white powdery deposits), or paint spills require targeted treatments.
• Traffic level: How much foot traffic does the floor receive? High-traffic areas need more frequent cleaning and potentially tougher cleaning solutions.

Materials and Tools for Cleaning Your Concrete Floor

• Basic cleaning: Use a broom, dustpan, mop, buckets, warm water, and mild detergent (such as dish soap or Castile soap).
• Specialized cleaning: 
  • Super Blue Concentrated: for tough stains or deep cleaning (only for unsealed or uncoated concrete)
  • Ez Clean: pH-neutral cleaner. Great for almost any coated or sealed floor.
  • Snot to remove paint or glue and sealers. It's not a cleaner as much as it is a stripper.
  • Citra Pro: Oil and grease remover for naked concrete
  • DNA Cleaner:  Cleaner for polished concrete floors
  • Floor cleaning pads: Use basic red or white pads on a low-speed buffer, auto scrubber, or DNA diamond pads for extra cleaning. 
• Protective gear: Gloves, eye protection, and knee pads for comfort.

Cleaning Unsealed Concrete Floors

• Regular Cleaning of Unsealed Concrete:

  • Dry cleaning: Sweep or vacuum frequently to remove dust, dirt, and debris. Flat microfiber mops are the first step in keeping dirt from further being tracked and ground into the floor. 
  • Spot cleaning: Mop with warm water and a pH-neutral cleaner like Ez Clean, specifically designed for concrete. Avoid acidic or alkaline cleaners, which can etch and damage the surface. For a DIY solution, mix 1 gallon of warm water with 1/4 cup of mild dish soap.
  • Large-area cleaning: An auto scrubber is best for larger floors (over 1k sqft). Red pads and our DNA cleaner work great for polished concrete floors, and red pads and a little of our EZ Clean are great for almost any floor. 

• Deep Cleaning of Unsealed Concrete:

  • Mild degreasers: Use a mild degreaser like dish soap for oil or grease stains. The next step is to utilize a specialized concrete degreaser like Citra Pro. Apply it to the stain, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub with a soft-bristled brush and rinse thoroughly.
  • Baking soda paste: Combine baking soda paste with water or degreaser for stubborn stains. Apply the paste to the stain, let it sit, scrub it with a nylon brush, and rinse it.
  • Pressure washing: This method can be used for outdoor unsealed concrete. To avoid damaging the surface, use a low-pressure setting (around 1500 psi) and a wide spray nozzle. Work in small sections and keep the nozzle moving to prevent etching.  Applying Super Blue cleaner before cleaning is fantastic for removing stubborn mildew and other everyday contaminants.

Cleaning Sealed or Coated Concrete Floors

• Regular Cleaning of Sealed Concrete:

  • Dry cleaning: Sweep or vacuum regularly to remove dust and loose dirt. Keeping abrasives such as dirt off the floor is probably the most critical first step in ensuring the longevity of a coated floor…especially during winter when salts and other dirt are tracked onto it. 
  • Wet cleaning: Mop with warm water and a mild detergent, such as dish soap or EZ Clean. Avoid harsh cleaners (acids and solvents are a big no-no for general cleaning) or scrubbers with aggressive pads that can scratch the sealant. Cleaning a floor, such as a flake epoxy garage floor, by agitating the surface with a wet floor, mopping, and pushing the water out with a double foam squeegee is quick and effective.
    • Simple Methods for Cleaning Our Epoxy Floor Coatings
  • Spot cleaning: Wipe up spills promptly with a damp cloth or sponge. Use a small amount of dish soap and warm water for sticky spills.

• Deep Cleaning of Sealed Concrete:

  • All-purpose cleaner: For tougher dirt and grime, use a pH-neutral all-purpose cleaner like Ez Clean, diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Floor scrubber: For large areas, use a neutral cleaning solution like EZ Clean or DNA Polished Concrete Cleaner. Choose a soft brush attachment or a red or white pad to avoid damaging the sealant. Before using an auto scrubber, remove abrasives by dry cleaning to prevent them from becoming trapped in the cleaning pad and essentially becoming ‘sandpaper.’ 

Cleaning Stained Concrete Floors

• Regular Cleaning of Stained Concrete:

  • Dry cleaning: Sweep or vacuum frequently to prevent dirt from dulling the finish. A flat microfiber mop works well for cleaning concrete floors. 
  • Damp mopping: Use a slightly damp mop with warm water or a mild cleaner designed explicitly for stained concrete. Avoid excessive water, which can seep into the concrete and cause damage.
  • Spot cleaning: Clean spills immediately with a soft cloth and a pH-neutral cleaner. Blot the spill gently to avoid spreading it.

• Deep Cleaning of Stained Concrete:

  • Stained concrete cleaner: Use a cleaner specifically formulated for stained concrete. These cleaners are designed to remove dirt and grime without stripping the stain or damaging the sealant.
  • Avoid harsh chemicals: Do not use acidic or alkaline cleaners, bleach, or ammonia, as these can damage the stain and sealant.

Cleaning Polished Concrete Floors

• Regular Cleaning of Polished Concrete:

  • Dust mopping: Use a dust mop daily to remove dust and debris. This prevents scratches and keeps the floor looking its best.
  • Microfiber mopping: Use a microfiber mop with warm water or a specialized polished concrete cleaner. Microfiber mops effectively pick up fine dust and dirt without leaving streaks.
  • Spot cleaning: Clean spills immediately with a soft cloth. Avoid using abrasive cleaners or scrubbers, as they can dull the shine.

• Deep Cleaning of Polished Concrete:

  • Polished concrete cleaner: Use a cleaner specifically designed for polished concrete, like Concrete DNA™ Polished Concrete Cleaner. These cleaners are formulated to remove dirt and grime without damaging the polished surface.  Pairing this cleaner with our 3000 Grit DNA Double sided pad helps in maintaining the shine
  • Burnishing: To maintain its shine, periodically burn the floor with a high-speed burnisher (dry and high speed). Burnishing helps smooth out minor scratches and restore the gloss. You can rent a burnisher from a home improvement store or hire a professional.  A hog hair pad or a pad made for burnishing and buffing polished concrete floors is recommended.