Santa Fe Floor Care

How To Remove a Stain on Terrazzo

Stains on terrazzo can be unsightly and may lead you to decide you have no choice but to have tile or carpet installed over it, but often stains on terrazzo can be effectively removed. You can attempt to remove the stain yourself or contact a professional stone restoration contractor. Here is what will need to be done.

Are your terrazzo floors waxed or coated?

It is not uncommon for a terrazzo floors to be coated or waxed with a topical finish. The only way to know whether the stain is in the topical finish or in the terrazzo itself is to remove any old finish. If you are certain that your terrazzo has a natural, honed or polished finish then you can skip the stripping process described below and move on to the poultice application.

Also note that most modern terrazzo is made with a resin matrix that will soften if stripped. If you are sure that your terrazzo has an older cementitious matrix, you can safely proceed with stripping. If you have any doubts or know that you have a newer, resin matrix terrazzo floor, do not apply a stripper to your terrazzo. Please contact your stone restoration contractor for guidance.

Stripping Waxes and Coatings

It is very important to note that floor stripper is very caustic and can cause injury or damage. You must wear heavy latex gloves and eye protection and use masking tape and plastic to protect the floor surrounding your work area.

Mix one part water-based floor stripper (the same kind used for vinyl tile or polymer finishes) with six parts water and apply to the stained area. Allow five minutes dwell time. Agitate the solution with a green scrubbing pad. Use an absorbent white cloth or paper towels to soak up the solution. Then, repeat this entire process.

At this point, if the coating was stained and not the terrazzo itself, it is possible that the stain may be gone. If so, use a pH-neutral, stone-safe cleaner to remove any remaining stripper and clean the area. If the stain is still there, that means it is in the terrazzo, and you can try to remove it using a poultice application.

The Poulticing Method of Stain Removal

A poultice is a combination of a dry, absorbent medium and a liquid chemical or cleaning agent. The ingredients for your poultice will depend on what type of stain you are trying to remove. Please visit our Stain Removal Application for the specific ingredients and directions for mixing and applying a poultice.

Restoring Your Terrazzo Finish

Please note: If your terrazzo has a natural, honed or polished finish, there is no need to strip or reapply coatings.

If you stripped the stained area, you removed the topical finish. That means you now have a small area that looks dull compared to the surrounding floor. To resolve this problem, use a paint brush to reapply a water-based finish. It may take up to eight coats to give the work area a nice, even sheen that blends with the surrounding area.

Professional Terrazzo Stain Removal and Refinishing

An experienced natural stone restoration contractor can use a floor machine with an aggressive pad to strip your entire floor, if needed. Depending on the severity of the stain, the technician can either apply a poultice or grind the affected area, removing a very thin upper layer and virtually erasing the stain. Then, the floor can be deep scrubbed and recoated to rejuvenate the existing finish or honed and polished for a beautiful, natural finish that eliminates the need for any future stripping or recoating.

This is one of a series of articles written and published  on behalf of Surface Care PRO Partners.

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Bryant W.
19:58 07 Jan 25
Brian did a fantastic job. Looks new like the day we built our house. He was friendly and professional and I would highly recommend Santa Fe Floor Care to anyone!
Kenny K.
23:09 30 Dec 24
We’ve used these guys twice to seal our tile grout. Professional, reasonable in price, easy to work with.
Rachele B.
18:09 23 Dec 24
We’ve had Santa fe floors come do surface repairs a few times. They are quick, reliable, reasonable and have excellent customer service! I highly recommend them!!
andrew N.
15:21 13 Dec 24
I was absolutely blown away by the exceptional hardwood floor and limestone cleaning service I received from Sante Fe Floor Care for my new construction home. Rodrick, our technician, was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also incredibly professional and courteous. He took the time to explain the entire process, the type of solution they use, and the best practices for future maintenance.

The results were nothing short of spectacular. My floors look brand new! The attention to detail and the care he took in cleaning every nook and cranny was truly impressive. I highly recommend Sante Fe Floor Care to anyone seeking top-notch cleaning services, especially for new construction homes. They exceeded my expectations in every way.
Candy C.
16:48 12 Dec 24
We have been using the services of Santa Fe carpet and floors for almost 10 years. We have always been very pleased with the results. The team does excellent work and I'm always very comfortable with them in our home. This visit included tile floor and grout cleaning, and the results were amazing. Thank you, Santa Fe for your excellent work and commitment!
Bo Z.
18:14 11 Dec 24
We recently used Santa Fe Floor Care to clean our tile floor and seal the grout. Both Roderick and Brian were very professional and did a superb job at a reasonable rate. I would highly recommend Santa Fe Floor Care.
Stefania Rigo de R.
20:21 07 Nov 24
Bryan was very professional. He called to inform me he was on his way. Arrived on time and answered all my questions in detail. The carpet had some heavy traffic areas the were quite dirty. They all came out and it looks and smells terrific. I also had grout cleaned and I am very happy with the work. A visible difference in the kitchen and bathroom. I highly recommend Santa Fe. I have used them for over 15 years and they are consistent in their high quality service.
Shannon A.
23:02 27 Sep 24
Very knowledgeable, professional and punctual! We purchased a nine year old home in Sun City, all tile floors with two carpeted bedrooms. The home had been well cared for but the floors needed attention. Mr. Young came out, measured everything and visited with us, made suggestions and then clearly explained the process. We received a very fair quote and all the work was done well within a tight time frame. The floors are stunning! He also did a lovely job on a huge, 40 year old wool oriental carpet. We highly recommend Santa Fe Floor Care!!!
Mr. and Mrs. James Armstrong

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