Proper Care for a Terrazzo Tile

Terrazzo is one of the oldest composite materials. It was made as far back as ancient Rome. Terrazzo is made by
marble chips or marble chips and chips of other stones with a colored cement. The combination of the stone, which comes in a wide variety of colors depending on where it is quarried, and cement that can also be made in any color, gives the homeowner an almost unlimited color choice. Another option is to substitute synthetic resins for the cement.

Terrazzo is used in flooring and can stand up to heavy foot traffic. You have probably walked on terrazzo in office buildings or stores without even realizing it.

Terrazzo is not hard to take care of, but it still has to be done. The cement that is used as a base is still cement no matter how beautiful it looks and has to be treated as cement. Cement absorbs stains as anyone who has tried to remove an oil stain from a driveway can confirm. In order to prevent a cement based terrazzo from absorbing stains, it needs to be coated with a penetrating sealer at the time of installation. This will close up the pores in the cement, making it virtually impossible for stains to enter. Follow the recommendations of the installer as to when re-sealer has to be applied as the floor ages.

Taking regular maintenance seriously will help cut back on any restoring and extend the life of the floor. Sweeping daily will help remove dirt and make the weekly maintenance easier. Clean up spills right away.

Use liquid cleaners made just for terrazzo to remove soil on a weekly basis. General cleaners contain alkalis, which can damage terrazzo. Apply the cleaner with a wet mop, let it sit for just a few minutes and then mop with rinse water and the soil will come up. Make sure to change the water frequently or you will end up putting the soil right back, which will result in mop lines. Do not let the floor dry until all the cleaning is done and all of the soil is removed. Buffing the floor is not necessary, but it will bring out the shine.

Today, terrazzo is also used to make wall tiles. No matter how terrazzo is used, the care is the same-seal, dust to remove dirt use the right kind of cleanser and buff if necessary.

Sources:

Marble Masters UK
Terrazzo Floor Care