How do I clean a terrazzo floor? Because this type of flooring is inexpensive, durable, and widely available, this question is a common one. By knowing how to answer it, you will be able to keep your terrazzo flooring bright and beautiful for many years, no matter what type of wear it is subjected to.
What Is Terrazzo?
Terrazzo is a composite material of marble chips and concrete or resin that is combined to create smooth, luxurious flooring or countertop material that captures the beauty of marble in a more affordable way. Terrazzo is generally composed of two parts marble chips to one part binder (concrete or resin), and extra chips may be scattered on the top of the mixture for an even more marbled appearance. Special mixtures of terrazzo may also use mother of pearl or abalone shell for different appearances.
While the marble chips in terrazzo are durable, the binder is more porous and subject to stains, particularly for flooring. Cement is the most porous material, but a terrazzo floor can have a finishing sealer applied that will help the floor resist stains and liquid penetration. This is recommended as a preventative measure to keep your floor looking superb, but the sealer will need to be stripped and reapplied periodically to keep the floor looking new. Wax should not be used to coat a terrazzo floor as it can cause the floor to be dangerously slippery, and waxy buildup will dull the floor's polished sheen.
It is important to note that when a terrazzo floor is first laid, it will take time for the cement to cure. During that period, which can last several days or weeks, the floor may change color or have a mottled appearance. This is not staining and as the floor cures, the color will even out.
