When it comes to current flooring options, epoxy resin flooring stands out from other flooring options for many reasons. Epoxy flooring is highly durable, customizable, sustainable, and decorative for any surface.

It is also resistant to wear and tear, making it the most durable flooring option. Keep reading to learn how to clean, maintain, and shine epoxy floors.

How to clean epoxy floors

Epoxy floors do not need soap or warm water, and a good mop or deck-scrubbing brush should be fine. However, if you need extra scrubbing power, use something like soft soap to aid you with the tougher spills.

To clean your epoxy flooring;

• Sweep and vacuum the entire area carefully.
• Remove all items in the way to get to the floor.
• Once you have removed all the surface dirt, grime, and grit.
• Use a hard foam mop and warm/hot water to remove all the built-up dirt.
• Then repeat with a clear ammonia/water mix (at 2-3 ounces ammonia per gallon of hot water) for second mopping.

Here are additional tips to help keep your epoxy floors clean;

1. Soap-based floor cleaners leave a haze on the epoxy flooring that builds up over time. You can clean your epoxy floors with ammonia as it can remove stains and it does not leave soap residue.
2. Dust mop once a week. Remove dirt and dust gently, which prevents scratches and protects your floor. For floors with an anti-slip aggregate coating such as aluminum oxide, a soft bristle push broom may be more effective than a standard dust mop.
3. Vacuum any joints once a month. If you have visible construction joints or saw cuts, you should use a vacuum to clean these out. For best results, use your vacuum attachment hose with a crevice tool. If you do not have a vacuum, you can try to clean any joints/cuts with a stiff bristle broom.
4. Clean spills immediately with a soft cloth. Oil, chemicals, or even water left to sit for too long can damage your epoxy floors. Instead, clean any spills as soon as you see them using a soft towel or cloth. You can use a gentle cleanser–such as Windex–if a spill is sticky or leaves a film.
5. Treat spills as soon as possible to prevent staining. Start by sweeping away any dust and debris from the area. Then, mix five ounces of clear ammonia per gallon of hot water. Next, soak a hard foam mop in the solution and completely scrub the soiled area. Mopping epoxy flooring with this mixture removes many types of stains without hurting the epoxy coating.
6. When you accidentally spill something on the floor, it shouldn’t wait for the next cleaning date. Instead, spot cleans the floor to arrest potential issues in time. Vacuum away the dirt, mop using warm water, then dry it. Epoxy garage floors are easy to clean when liquid spillages happen.

Can you polish the epoxy floor?

Yes, buffing is an option for epoxy floors, but you have to go about the process gently and carefully. Being too vigorous runs the risk of damaging the top surface of your floor and removing its gloss.

In addition to their durability, resilience, and clarity, epoxy coatings can also be buffed to remove imperfections and small scratches or increase the shine by performing a few basic steps.

However, depending on the size of your space, it may be best to leave the recoating to the professionals. The work includes buffing and sanding the previous coating, filling in any cracks or gouges, properly cleaning the floor, and applying the epoxy coat.

Before diving into a buffing project, see if there’s an easier way to deal with a few small scratches. After washing the area with soap and water, dampen a rag with a little furniture oil. Rub it over the scratch to see if it fades. If so, there’s no reason to complete a larger buffing project.

How to polish epoxy resin floors

You can polish epoxy floors by hand or using an orbital sander equipped with a buffing pad. You’ll need to use polish to fill in scratches as you buff the floor

If you decide to do this job by hand, you’ll need a rag for rubbing the polish into the floor. Use orbital sander for best results for a large room as hand polishing may. Ensure that your sander is equipped with a buffing cloth to do this safely.

Steps for Buffing Epoxy Floors

• Before beginning, thoroughly wash your floor with a mop or a sponge. Then, use your preferred epoxy floor cleaner, followed by a rinse with clear water.
• Rub the polish into the floor.
• Once the floor has dried, you can begin applying the polish.
• Go over the entire surface with the rag and polish. Then, use circular motions to work the polish into the flooring.
• Also, keep the tool moving in a circular pattern at all times. Letting it linger too long in one spot could damage your floor.
• After polishing the whole floor, clean it and let it dry.
• Examine the floor once it dries to see if you missed any spots.
• If more work is needed, you may need to consider using a wet-sanding technique to work out the scratches.

Note: Avoid heavy-duty machinery such as a grinder since it could remove too much of your epoxy floor’s coating.

Best wax for epoxy floors

The best wax for epoxy flooring is epoxy floor wax. For a lighter touch, you can use furniture polish. However, automotive polish is a more robust option to try.

How long does epoxy shine last?

For commercial properties like garages, restaurants, or factory spaces with lots of daily foot traffic, epoxy flooring lasts 2 to 3 years. However, your epoxy flooring may last much longer with proper care and maintenance.

For residential spaces that use epoxy flooring like patios or garages, you can expect your epoxy floor to keep looking great for even longer. Typically, residential epoxy flooring can last up to 10 years with proper care.

How to keep your epoxy floor shiny for longer

Below are some tips to help maintain your Epoxy floor’s finish;

Reapply the topcoat

You can refresh your epoxy floor by applying a new coat of epoxy floor coating. In areas where your epoxy flooring receives lots of daily traffic. Especially if you have epoxy flooring on a commercial property with heavy vehicles or foot traffic, reapply as necessary to maintain your current look and feel.

Tackle Tough Stains

Apart from routine cleaning, some stains can damage the epoxy, such as engine oil and grease. Therefore, a lot of care is required when handling oils and other stains. To remove stubborn stains effectively, find a cleaning product that contains water and ammonia. The solution is powerful enough to act on the stain fast.

Deep Clean Annually or Semi-Annually

Installing an epoxy floor gives your home an elegant and glossy appearance. Unfortunately, the surface may lose its sparkle due to high foot traffic as the years go by. Scheduling for thorough epoxy cleaning once or twice a year can restore your floor’s lost glory.

Clean the epoxy with hot water and dry it using a squeegee. That’s enough to give the floor a shiny look. If there are still spots left, you might want to invest in an all-purpose surface cleaner. Dip and wring a soft cloth in the product and rub off t

Apply Floor Wax

Unfortunately, even the best epoxy floors can lose their shine even with regular maintenance. Therefore, you may need to wax the floors to restore the shine to your epoxy flooring at some point. The flooring wax acts as a protective layer and helps to keep the epoxy floors resilient in high-traffic areas.

The best places to apply wax are near the entrances and doors, as these are usually the quickest areas to get dirty. The second coat of epoxy can be applied to epoxy floors as an alternative to wax.

Protect the floor

Protecting your epoxy floors from damage can also help to keep them shiny. Remember that epoxy flooring material is made with layers of resins and hardeners. The cured material is extremely resistant to degradation because it forms a strong adhesive bond to concrete and other base materials on the floor.

You can add protective pads on your garage floor to prevent the floor from becoming damaged from tire marks. You can also place area rugs in high traffic areas or places prone to damage from dropped equipment or heavy machine usage.

Clean The Floors Regularly

Epoxy flooring should be cleaned regularly to increase its aesthetic appeal. Often, epoxy floors will become dusty or dirty, affecting the way they look. Over time, it can become harder to remove this dull layer, and restoration may be needed.

Caution should be taken when cleaning epoxy floors, as some cleaners and solutions contain harsh chemicals, which can also cause epoxy floors to become dull.

Clean up Stains Immediately

The longer you let stains sit on your epoxy floors, the more difficult they’ll become to remove. This is why it’s imperative to stay on top of large stains and remove them as soon as possible. Over time, these stains will become more stubborn and may require more abrasive solutions for treatment.

Top Cleaning and polishing mistakes that will ruin your epoxy floor

Here are some mistakes that lead to fogged epoxy floors;

Using abrasive materials

It’s best not to scrub your epoxy floors using wool pads or other abrasive materials, as it can cause the surface to scratch, exacerbating the dull appearance. Instead, use soft bristle brushes, such as toothbrushes, for small stains and larger utility soft scrubbers for bigger stains.

Check this too: The Pros and Cons of Sealing a Garage Floor

Avoid using steel wool or harsh chemicals like a comet sponge. They are too abrasive. Instead, use a soft scrubber and a moderately abrasive scrubbing pad or brush.

Using harsh detergents

Soap-based floor cleaners leave a haze on the epoxy flooring that builds up over time. However, epoxy floors do not need soap

If you need extra scrubbing power, use something like soft soap to aid you with the tougher spills. Alternatively, you can use include diluted ammonia or bleach.

Using DIY cleaning solutions

It is not advisable to clean epoxy floors with vinegar. Chemicals such as citrus or vinegar should not be used on epoxy floors because they will remove the glossy finish. Instead, use a cleaner that doesn’t contain soap.  A soap-based floor cleaner leaves overcasts on the floor that build upon the epoxy finish.