Floor maintenance — polishing, impregnation and mechanical care

Daily cleaning keeps a floor clean, but it doesn't remove wear, scratches and the gradual breakdown of the surface. Periodic floor maintenance — polishing, impregnation and mechanical care — is the effort that extends the floor's life and keeps it nice over years, not just from day to day.

Foot traffic gradually grinds the floor's surface treatment regardless of how well it is cleaned daily. Without periodic maintenance the floor over time becomes dull scratched and harder to keep clean because dirt finds it easier to get stuck in micro-scratches on the surface. Maintenance is therefore about preventing not just repairing.

Much of the dirt and water that loads a floor comes in via footwear — some sources estimate up to 80 percent of all dirt in a building. Good entrance mats and an entrance zone where dirt and moisture can be wiped off are therefore one of the most effective things you can do to extend the interval between heavy, periodic treatments.

Polishing, often called bonding, is a mechanical refresh of the floor's surface without a completely new treatment. A single-disc machine with the right pad or the right brush polishes up the existing layer, removes surface scratches and recreates the shine. It is a faster and cheaper measure than a full re-treatment and is typically used at regular intervals between major maintenance tasks.

Porous floors such as certain natural stone and concrete floors absorb water, grease and dirt into the surface if they are not protected. Impregnation or sealing closes the floor's pores with a protective layer so dirt does not penetrate into the material and is easier to remove in daily cleaning. The treatment should be renewed at regular intervals, depending on wear and the manufacturer's instructions.

• 01Single disk machine: polishing scrubbing and freshening surfaces
• 02Combination machine (scrubber-dryer): washes and vacuums water in the same operation, suitable for larger areas
• 03High-pressure washers: used outdoors or on robust industrial floors
• 04Vacuum cleaner with the right filter: daily maintenance of carpets and sensitive floors

Periodic floor care should be included in the cleaning plan with a fixed frequency — e.g. quarterly polishing and annual impregnation, depending on floor type and wear load. Planned maintenance is cheaper and gives better results than waiting until the floor looks worn and old.

“The best time to maintain a floor is before it looks worn — not after.”

— Professional rule of thumb on floor maintenance.