Improper Cleaning Method Damaged Terrazzo Floor

A general contractor hired a company to service and clean up a terrazzo floor that was installed at The GAP store in galleria mall in houston texas. Unfortunately, the product that was used on the floor caused severe etching and damage to the terrazzo floors to the point that it made the floors look really bad, felt rough, and was attracting soil like a magnet. This could not be left in this condition especially in a high end mall “Galleria Mall in Houston, TX” with a well known brand name “The GAP Store”. The contractor immediately reached out to the cleaning crew and asked about the products that were used to clean the floors. The cleaning contractor responded by saying “we made sure not to use any type of chemical that would damage the tile.”

Multiple Cleaning-Restoration Attempts Failed

The quest continued by the general contractor to find a solution to correct the damage caused by the cleaning product or they would be forced to replace all the damaged areas of the terrazzo floor which was approximately a 1200 square foot area of the store. Multiple restoration companies were called and attempted to reverse the damage to the floor but sadly no one was able to correct the problem. The general contractor decided to try one more company before they decide to replace the terrazzo floor. That is where NextGen Surface Care came to the rescue!

Inspection Of The Terrazzo Floor and Discovery

When we received the call we immediately set up an appointment to perform a careful inspection, perform a test demonstration, and gather as much information as possible. Upon first glance, the floor looked like a printed ceramic tile that would look like a terrazzo floor. We then began working on a test area along with some research and discovered that we were dealing with an epoxy terrazzo floor imported from Italy. In addition, we also discovered that the terrazzo floors were have been waxed and it was causing the areas to look yellow. The previous cleaning procedure created an extremely rough surface on the edges and severally etched the floor. We then investigated the product that the previous cleaning company used and was claimed to have been safe for the floor according to the information related to us about the product used. Upon research we could not find any MSDS or Technical Data Sheet for the product which raised a few red flags. There was no way to know what ingredients were in the product. We finally found 1 review online that mentioned that the product potentially contains inhibited phosphoric acid. There was also a warning about using protective gear and proper ventilation when using the product. This could be the potential answer to the problem but we cannot be certain as we were not present during the original cleaning attempt so we decided to begin our own terrazzo restoration process.

Epoxy Terrazzo Floor Restoration Success

We began by moving the clothing racks and carefully protecting the surrounding areas with plastic and tape. We then started the restoration process by removing the wax coating and carefully working on the main areas of concern to remove all the etch marks and damaged caused by the cleaning product. We were able to accomplish a matching factory finish and the epoxy terrazzo floor felt clean, smooth, and looked amazing. Client was thrilled that we saved them from having to replace the floors and gave us a 5 star review. Click here to read the review

To learn more about our terrazzo restoration services, visit our Terrazzo Services page.

Contact us online or call 281-377-4890 for a FREE estimate on terrazzo repair and restoration services in Houston, Texas and the surrounding areas.