How to clean and maintain a resin floor
The short answerClean resin floors regularly with a floor scrubber or vacuum scrubber-drier and a low-foam neutral detergent, rinse with clean water and remove the dirty water. Clean spillages immediately, use brushes rather than mops on textured floors, and avoid solvents, phenol-based cleaners, excess detergent and mixing cleaning chemicals.
Resin floors are tough, but they keep their performance only if they are cleaned properly. ASP's cleaning manual follows the guidance issued by FeRFA, the Resin Flooring Association. The right regime depends on the type of floor, the traffic, the kind of soiling and the hygiene standards of the area, so agree it before the floor goes into use.
Why cleaning matters
Resin floors do not dust, but dust settles on them from beams, processes, goods and the outside. Fine grit acts as an abrasive under traffic, and metal swarf in engineering works can damage a floor quickly. A clean floor lasts longer.
Cleaning has two parts that work together: the mechanical energy (scrubbing by hand, a floor scrubber, a pressure washer or steam cleaner) and the chemical cleaning solution that dissolves or emulsifies the soil. Removing the dirty water and rinsing with clean water is what completes the job.
Cleaning methods
Floor scrubber (preferred)
A floor scrubber is the preferred method for resin floors. It applies the cleaning agent in a controlled way, scrubs effectively, supplies clean water continuously, removes the dirty water and dries the floor. Use brushes on raised non-slip and textured floors, and pads on smooth floors.
Vacuum scrubber-driers
- Sweep to remove loose debris.
- Dilute the right cleaning agent in the on-board tank and let it react on the surface.
- Agitate with the scrubber and remove the dirty water with the wet vacuum.
- Rinse, scrub again, vacuum and dry.
Mop and bucket
Use a mop for spillages, not routine cleaning. Water is rarely changed often enough, so the floor ends up wiped with dirty water.
Pressure washers and steam cleaners
These are powerful and need trained operators. Check with the manufacturer before steam cleaning a floor regularly. Heavy duty polyurethane at 9 mm (FeRFA Type 8), such as ASP-creteRT, is designed to withstand steam cleaning.
Choosing scrubber pads
| Pad | Use |
|---|---|
| Black | Heavy duty stripping of dirt, wax, floor finish and sealers |
| Green | Light stripping and wet scrubbing |
| Blue | Wet scrubbing or heavy duty spray cleaning |
| Red | Spray cleaning and buffing for a smooth shiny finish |
| Tan | Dry polishing and buffing in light traffic areas |
| White | Fine polishing of dry floors for a high gloss |
Lift abrasive pads and brushes off the floor when the machine is stationary, or it can leave permanent ring marks.
Cleaning by floor type
| Type | Example | Cleaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Floor seal | ASP-coatWBE | Wash and vacuum dry |
| 2 Floor coating | ASP-clearcoat, ASP-creteCoat | Wash and vacuum |
| 3 High build coating | ASP-coat500, ASP-coat1000, ASP-coatPU | Mechanical scrubber-driers, but not with regular use of abrasive pads |
| 4 Multi-layer | ASP-coatSL | Rotary brush vacuum machine |
| 5 Flow applied | ASP-coatSL | Gloss: wash and vacuum. Matt: scrubber |
| 6 Resin screed | ASP-screedPTS | Scrubber-drier |
| 7 Heavy duty flowable | ASP-creteMD | Scrubber-drier |
| 8 Heavy duty resin | ASP-creteRT | High pressure washer, cleaner or scrubber |
Do
- Clean the floor before first use and take care when installing equipment.
- Clean regularly, and more often in heavily trafficked areas such as entrances.
- Clean up spillages immediately; remove oil and grease with an aqueous alkaline detergent.
- Use brushes, not mops, on textured floors.
- Keep cleaning equipment clean and follow the chemical and equipment manufacturers' instructions.
- Spot-test any new cleaning product in an inconspicuous area first.
Don't
- Use more detergent than recommended. It is pointless and expensive at best, harmful at worst.
- Mix cleaning chemicals.
- Use excessive water or solvents.
- Use synthetic scrubbing pads on textured industrial finishes; they destroy the pads quickly.
- Use phenol-based cleaning chemicals. They degrade resin floor surfaces.
Gloss floors and spillages
On high gloss floors, a sacrificial layer of acrylic polish keeps the shine, takes the wear and lets surface scratches be removed. Strip and renew it from time to time with a stripper that will not harm the floor. After a spillage, wipe or absorb it straight away, clean the area as usual, and check that any sacrificial coat is still intact.
Waste water from cleaning may need to be disposed of as hazardous waste, depending on the contamination, so check before it goes down the drain.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to clean an epoxy floor?
A floor scrubber or vacuum scrubber-drier with a low-foam neutral detergent is the preferred method. It scrubs, supplies clean water, removes the dirty water and dries the floor in one pass.
Can I use a mop on a resin floor?
Use a mop and bucket for spillages only. For routine cleaning it tends to spread a film of dirty water across the floor.
What cleaning chemicals damage resin floors?
Avoid solvents and phenol-based cleaners, which degrade resin floor surfaces, and never mix cleaning chemicals or exceed the recommended dosage.
Can resin floors be steam cleaned?
Only systems designed for it. ASP-creteRT at 9 mm (FeRFA Type 8) is fully steam cleanable; check with ASP before steam cleaning any other floor regularly.