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Cleaning and Maintenance
Keep grit off terrazzo with entrance mats and regular dust mopping. Clean with a compatible pH-neutral product, recover the dirty solution before it dries, and rinse and dry according to the installed system’s instructions.
Start with the care instructions and product information provided in your closeout documentation. The terrazzo binder, aggregate and existing protection determine which cleaners, pads and equipment are appropriate.
If cleaning leaves persistent stains, wear or damage, Craftsman can assess the floor and recommend the appropriate work.
Know what is on the floor
Before changing cleaning products or equipment, identify whether the terrazzo has an epoxy or cementitious binder and what protection has been applied.
The National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association’s Sealer Reference Guide distinguishes three approaches:
| Existing protection | What it means for maintenance |
|---|---|
| Permanent film-forming coating, such as polyurethane or epoxy | Classified by the guide as not chemically strippable; renewal requires a process suitable for the coating |
| Removable film-forming finish | Can be stripped and renewed using compatible products and procedures |
| Honed or polished surface with silicate densification | Has no sacrificial coating to strip; surface wear may require honing and compatible treatment |
These categories do not establish whether a particular product suits your floor. Silicate densification may not work on all epoxy-based terrazzo, including floors containing a large percentage of glass aggregate.
Follow the maintenance instructions for the installed system. Some proprietary sealers have specific care requirements that affect their warranties.
A practical terrazzo cleaning routine
1. Remove grit and dry soil
Use entrance mats to reduce tracked dirt and dust mop regularly. Grit acts as an abrasive under foot traffic.
The NTMA care guide calls for daily dust mopping in most public buildings. Adjust the routine to the amount of traffic and soil reaching the floor.
2. Use a compatible neutral cleaner
Choose a pH-neutral cleaner designed for terrazzo and compatible with its existing protection. Mix it at the manufacturer’s specified dilution.
The NTMA standard-finish care guide cautions against degreasers, bleach, vinegar, ammonia and other household chemicals. It also warns against all-purpose cleaners containing harmful salts, alkalis or acids.
A pH-neutral label alone does not establish compatibility. Use the product identified in the floor’s care instructions or confirm a replacement before changing products.
3. Allow the specified dwell time
Give the cleaner time to work according to its instructions. Keep the surface wet during cleaning so dirty solution and cleaner residue do not dry onto the floor.
More concentrated cleaner is not a substitute for the correct dilution and dwell time.
4. Recover, rinse and dry
Remove the dirty solution with a suitable vacuum, squeegee or mop before it dries. The NTMA standard-finish routine includes an ample clean-water rinse to prevent cleaner buildup; selected product instructions may differ.
Keep rinse water, mops and pails clean. Recover the rinse water and allow the floor to dry. For hand cleaning, the NTMA guide identifies a dry cotton or microfiber cloth for drying the surface.
5. Match equipment to the finish
Auto-scrubbers can make routine cleaning more practical over large areas. Pads, brushes and machine settings must suit the installed finish.
Abrasive discs or pads can remove grout and expose pinholes in some proprietary systems. Do not select a pad solely by color or assume a tool used on another hard floor is suitable for terrazzo.
Spills, stains and haze
Clean spills promptly. The longer a spill remains, the greater the chance of permanent staining.
Begin with the floor’s compatible neutral-cleaning procedure. If the stain remains, have the terrazzo and its protection assessed before attempting chemical stripping or mechanical treatment. Some stains cannot be removed completely.
Haze after cleaning can come from cleaner residue. Check dilution, solution recovery, rinsing and drying before changing products. Persistent haze does not establish one cause or justify a stronger chemical.
When the floor needs more than cleaning
Cleaning removes soil and residue. It does not repair cracks or reverse physical wear.
| What you see | Appropriate next step |
|---|---|
| Tracked grit, scuffs, fresh spills or haze that lifts with proper rinsing | Continue compatible routine cleaning |
| Dullness, wear or scratches remaining after cleaning | Identify whether the wear is in a surface finish or the terrazzo. Finish renewal or terrazzo honing and polishing may be appropriate |
| A stain that compatible cleaning does not remove | Assess the stain and existing protection before selecting further treatment; some staining may remain |
| Cracks, failed patches or missing material | Arrange terrazzo restoration and repair assessment |
A worn removable finish may need renewal without grinding the terrazzo beneath it. A scratched mechanically polished surface requires a different approach. Craftsman identifies the existing protection before recommending either.
How often should terrazzo be cleaned?
Frequency depends on traffic, soil and the installed finish. The NTMA standard-finish care guide provides these examples:
| Situation | Guide’s example |
|---|---|
| Most public buildings | Daily dust mopping |
| Lightly soiled floors | Weekly damp mopping with neutral cleaner |
| Heavily soiled floors | Machine scrubbing with neutral cleaner as part of the weekly routine |
| Newly installed floors exposed to construction dust | Scrubbing approximately once or twice a week for the first two to three months, then about weekly depending on traffic |
These are examples for standard finishes. Follow the written maintenance instructions for your floor, particularly where a proprietary system is installed.
There is no universal schedule for waxing, sealing or repolishing terrazzo. Renewal depends on the existing protection and its condition.
In-house cleaning or a maintenance program?
Facility staff can carry out routine cleaning using the installed system’s care instructions.
For scheduled professional care, see Craftsman’s commercial terrazzo maintenance programs.
Cleaning and floor safety
Prompt spill cleanup and complete recovery of cleaning solution help control moisture and contaminants on the floor.
Gloss alone does not establish slip resistance. Traction depends on the installed finish, moisture, contaminants, cleanliness and maintenance. For a sealed floor, review the sealer supplier’s coefficient-of-friction data and the test method used.
Our terrazzo slip-resistance and floor-safety guide explains those considerations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Remove grit, clean with a compatible neutral product at its specified dilution and dwell, and recover the dirty solution before it dries. Rinse and dry according to the installed system’s care instructions. The NTMA standard-finish routine includes a clean-water rinse; selected product instructions may differ.
Use a pH-neutral cleaner designed for terrazzo and compatible with the installed floor and protection, at the manufacturer’s dilution. Product and installed-system instructions govern; a pH label alone does not prove compatibility.
Do not use vinegar for routine terrazzo cleaning. The NTMA standard-finish care guide specifically lists vinegar among the household chemicals to avoid. Use a compatible neutral cleaner instead.
Cleaner residue is one possible cause. Check dilution, solution recovery, a proper clean-water rinse and drying. If the haze persists, have the finish assessed; haze alone does not prove one cause or justify a stronger chemical.
Set the frequency from traffic, soil and the installed finish’s instructions. The NTMA guide calls for daily dust mopping in most public buildings and gives weekly and early-new-floor cleaning examples. Those examples do not override a proprietary system’s maintenance instructions.
There is no universal renewal schedule. Identify the installed protection and follow its compatible care instructions. Permanent film coatings, removable finishes and honed/densified surfaces need different renewal work; the NTMA standard-finish care guide cautions against purely surface waxes and all-purpose sealers.
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