Maintenance Done Right With Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish

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Maintenance Done Right With Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish

With the floor being one of the largest structures in the premises, its state has a ripple effect on the rest of the décor. Having stylish furnishings and electronics, elegant paintings and wall art, will be watered down, when the floor itself looks all dull and forlorn. The deteriorated effect is as a result of the daily abuse that is meted out on the floor, building up over time. The elegance that the installation had when it was first set up gradually dulls, negatively affecting the ambience — which is not the state of affairs you want in your home or commercial space. You want to have an interior environment that you’re proud of, where you can host your friends and relatives in confidence. A place that welcomes you whenever you can come home from work, giving you a relaxing ambience — as opposed to getting into a depressive environment each evening. Sure, there are different factors that play into this, including the cleanliness of the interior space. Properly maintaining the floor is part and parcel of this, where the occasional polishing is required to brighten up the space, and reverse that old look. This also extends to commercial spaces, where the stakes are higher given that the customers will judge your business based on the conditions of the environment in which the products and services are being offered. Your employees too want to work in a bright and invigorating space, one that encourages them to be more productive. Investing in quality floor care enables you to set up an environment that your clients and staff will enjoy — making products like the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish a necessity. We’ll delve into the value that this particular formulation brings, and how you can use it to protect your floor and enhance the décor of your premises.

Spruce up your floor

Set a glossy effect on your hard surface floor with the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish. It brings a shine to the floor, enhancing the ambience of the rooms that are being worked on. After all, that dulled appearance was dragging down the decor. Using the polish will enhance the aesthetic appeal of the space. This formulation can be used on a wide range of floors, from laminate installations, unglazed tiles, to stone and sealed marble.

It achieves this aesthetic effect while adding to the protective attributes required to protect the installation, since the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish has been reinforced with polyurethane. That way, the resultant shine gets to be preserved for longer, and the resistance of the treated floor to scuffs and scratches is increased.

Using the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish for your floor maintenance is beneficial for your budget in different ways. For starters, it has been affordably priced, meaning that you get to make savings right from the moment of purchase. It comes in 1L packages, and each litre gets to be used on 50m²of surface — giving you more coverage with each unit purchased. This, coupled with the fact that you don’t need to do a complete overhaul when you want to shine the floor in future — since you can simply clean the surface and polish it again with the formulation, results in more savings being made down the road.

Treating Your Floor With The Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish

Working with the polish is a breeze. It’s easy to apply, and a fast drying product. Given that it comes ready to use, you don’t have to worry about dilution ratios. Simply pour a wide line of the polish on a section of the floor and proceed to spread the product over the area with a Bona Applicator Pad.

Some points to note include:

• Ensure that you thoroughly shake the bottle before use.
• While the polish will have become touch-dry within 30–60 minutes after application, you should wait for at least 2 hours before allowing light traffic back onto the area. Carpets and furniture can be placed back after 12 hours.

GREENGUARD Certified

You want to be able to work on the floor without putting the persons on the premises at risk. With the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish, that will not be a cause for concern. For starters, it is within the safety thresholds stipulated in European Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 and its amendments. In addition, the formulation comes with GREENGUARD certification. Let’s expound further on it.

When it comes to the indoor air space, you don’t want the persons on the premises being exposed to toxic pollutants. Certifications like GREENGUARD were developed to independently test the amount of chemicals that are off-gassed by products ranging from furniture and electronics to building maintenance formulations, be they cleaning agents or floor finishing products such as the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish. The program is run by UL Environment, which is a global safety certification company. Why is there such an emphasis on this? Going by numbers from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the indoor air space can be five times more polluted compared to the outdoor air. This increases the risk that people are exposed to, especially since we spend around 90% of our time indoors. There can be hundreds of different types of VOCs — carbon-based chemicals, getting released into your indoor space, thus the need to take extra care when selecting sofa materials, mattresses, floor cleaning and finishing agents, and even cabinets and similar kinds of items in the house. That distinct odour in a room with fresh paint, or the new car smell that you detect are all from VOCs. The effect that they have on one’s health depends on how long one has been exposed, the level of concentration of the compounds, your particular sensitivities as an individual, all through the individual amount of ventilation available in the room.

There are rigorous testing standards involved with the GREENGUARD certification. The products are housed in dynamic environmental chambers for weeks. Here, the humidity and temperatures are controlled to ensure that there won’t be extra VOCs from the background, in order to assess how much the specific products produce. The chemical analysts carrying out the task can detect over 200 chemicals that could be coming out of an individual product. The length for which the items will remain in the chambers will vary, with electronics taking even less than a week, and some building products over a month. Once a product passes that test, its future releases must also be tested annually to ensure that they remain within the safe thresholds. With Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish having passed the stringent tests and coming with the logo bearing it, you can be sure that the quality of the indoor air space will not be at risk when the product is applied onto the floor.

For Bona Quality is King

Bona has been providing floor care products for more than one hundred years now. Since its incorporation in 1919 Sweden, it has grown to become a brand with 17 international subsidiaries and distributors and a solid presence in 90 countries — from Germany, France, Poland and Romania, to Brazil, China, the United Kingdom, and the US. Through the decades since its inception, it has made significant strides — many of which have actually contributed to pushing the industry to adopt safer and more sustainable systems.

Bona has come a long way, making significant milestones on its journey. For instance, it was one of the first manufacturers to introduce water-based finishes into the market. These were an instant hit since they provided the desired protection without releasing toxic fumes into the indoor airspace. These are still widely popular today. Speaking of protecting the quality of the air space, Bona also was one of the pioneering companies pushing for the adoption of dust containment systems. These are used during floor sanding processes, capturing the wood dust that is generated and preventing it from escaping into the immediate environment. This results in safer processes, protecting the persons on the premises from the dust that is essentially a cocktail of allergens, toxins and carcinogens.

In Bona’s efforts towards sustainability, heavy investments have been pumped into research and development to deliver formulations with lower impact on the environment. Take their popular Bona Mega for instance. Launched in 1995, this line of products is developed using renewable raw materials — vegetable oils, where the crosslinking that occurs after application of the product on the surface results in a layer that is highly durable. This leads to a finish that delivers on its performance in floor care, while being friendly to Mother Nature. The sustainability also extends to the principle of increasing the lifespan of the floors being worked on. Here, focus is on enabling floors to be refinished and resurfaced, as opposed to having the floor material itself being replaced. This reduces the amount of material that winds up in landfills. So, by providing a layer of protection over the floor — and having products such as the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Polish where one can refresh the floor and give it a new look without overhauling the underlying material, it contributes to reducing the strain on the environment.

The performance of Bona products has seen them being the go-to choice for some of the world’s busiest airports, sporting facilities like indoor arenas and basketball courts, all through to museums, restaurants, and residential establishments. There is a wide range of products under the brand, from finishing agents that add durable layers of protection on the surface, maintenance products such as filler agents that are used to deal with gaps forming in wood floors, all through to cleaning formulations that are developed to deal with the dirt and grime for the particular flooring material being dealt with, without putting the structural integrity of the installation at risk. The products for the brand are not limited to just hardwood floors. They also extend to other flooring materials like stone, tile, laminate and parquet floors. The goal is to get quality formulations that deliver superior protection to floors, while making them elegant at the same time — as is seen with the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Polish under review here.

Common Issues Affecting Stone, Tile And Laminate Floors

No one wants cracks or stains bedevilling their elegant floors. Protecting the floor’s integrity from the abrasive effects of daily life requires both proactive and reactive measures. With proactive, it entails using treatment products like the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish, and reactive mainly focus on issues like cleaning spills as soon as possible. Let’s look at the common issues that the floors are exposed to, and how you can address them:

• Etching

The etching of tiles occurs when an acidic substance comes into contact with them, penetrating into the surface. These are the likes of acidic beverages including juices and coffee, to cleaning agents like vinegar that are common for DIY projects, but end up damaging the floor.

So first off, you should never use acidic cleaners on these kinds of floors. This includes popular DIY remedies like lemon juice, as they can damage the floors. In case there are acidic spills, blot them up using absorbent paper — don’t spread on the surface, then use a soft cloth to clean the affected area. For the surfaces that are already etched, it’s recommended that you work with an alkaline-based cleaner to remove the stains. The surface can then be spruced up through polishing, where formulations like the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish will enable you to restore that new look and feel to the surface.

• Staining

This covers the broader scale of stains, which can be caused by anything from food and drink spills, cases of ink blots getting to the floor, that nail polish that was accidentally dripped onto the surface as you were applying the cosmetic products, all through to the kids with their milk and yoghurt spills, tea that gets knocked over during brunch, and even wine that sloshed over the glass at the dinner table. Any spills can stain the surface, and these can penetrate deep into the material depending on the kind of tile that is affected.

With stains, prevention is always the best solution. However, we all know that you can’t completely avoid them. Spillages will be inevitable at one point, with the risks increasing higher the busier a household gets. In order to minimise the chances of the stains affecting the floor, it’s recommended that you treat it using a sealant. These are used to coat the surface, and add to the stain resistance of the floor.

For the stains that have already formed, work with a deep-cleaning solution that is suited for your particular kind of floor. Here, you need an agent that will soak into the stone, tile or laminate floor, breaking down the stain and enabling you to remove the residue, without putting a risk to the structural integrity of the installation.

• Scratches

Scratches are bound to occur at some point during the life of the floor. The chances are increased the higher the level of traffic that is handled in the premises, and the state of cleanliness. With grit and sand particles getting grinded against the floor surface, it creates tiny scratches that, over time, contribute to the dilapidating appearance of the floor. Scratches are also caused when the tiled floor comes into contact with sharp tools, as well as when furniture is dragged across the floor. Even the stationary sets can leave behind dents on the tile.

Sealing the floor contributes to increasing its resistance to scratches, as well as polishing the surface with the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish. Also, day-to-day measures can be put in place to protect the installation — such as by encouraging people getting into the premises to take off their outdoor shoes and switch to indoor footwear, to minimise the amount of dirt that gets into the room. In addition, whenever the furniture is to be moved, lift and carry it, instead of dragging it across the floor. For cases where the surface appears worn out due to the scratches and wear effects that build up over time, using the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish on it to polish the surface will restore that new look.

• Fungal growths

Mould and mildew growth on the floors can drastically change their appearance. The fungi breeds on any damp surface. In fact, if you can clearly see mould on the pores of the natural stone and tiled floors, then chances are there is already more of it breeding within the structure. Mould is problematic since it ruins the aesthetic appeal of the affected structure, and also puts the health of those in the premises on the line due to the spores and mycotoxins that are produced by the growths. The mould and mildew also grow in the cracks and pits that are in the floor’s tile and grout, since these areas accumulate water.

The first step in preventing mould and mildew growth is ensuring that there isn’t any dampness within the structure, especially with the porous nature of these floor materials. Also deal with spills quickly, mopping them away. Increase the water resistance of the floor by cleaning it thoroughly and treating it with a waterproof sealant. This shuts the pores of the floor, forming a protective barrier that keeps the stones and tiles from absorbing water. One can use penetrating cleaners to remove the mould and mildew that can have grown on the floor.

• Cracks in the tile and grout

These are usually as a result of heavy impact using acidic cleaners on the floor, or improper sealing. With the acidic cleaners, the effect is by weakening the structure of the soft grout, which makes it more susceptible to cracks. The tiles can also crack under the pressure of heavy furniture, especially if they were not installed properly, or there are issues with the underlayment.

To prevent cracks, ensure that the installation is done right from the word go. Also use grout sealers that help in preserving the structural integrity of the installation. For the floor that already have cracks, you can work with pigmented flexible epoxy/resin adhesives, where the different colour options enable you to make the repairs with an adhesive that matches the rest of the floor. After fixing the cracks, proceed to seal the rest of the tile and grout to enhance the protection.

• Hazy appearance

Hazing on your tiled floor is typically due to the tiles being sealed before sealing the grout — causing the moisture that is in the grout to get trapped and allow mould to grow. This causes there to be a hazy appearance under the sealant coat applied on the tiles. This is also the case when the tiles are sealed while still wet, since the mould underneath will quickly spread across the surface.

You can prevent hazing by first ensuring that the grout has been sealed, before sealing the rest of the tiles. That way there won’t be moisture getting trapped in the grout. In case the floor already looks hazy, then the top sealant will have to first be removed, then the floor given a thorough clean and allowed to dry, before sealing it again.

• Heat damage

Hot objects placed directly on the floor, or hot liquids that are spilled on it, can leave behind etching marks. Before you place a hot object on the surface, first place a heat-resistant material, then proceed to put the hot item on it. For the floors that already have heat damage, polishing the surface can minimize the marks that were formed.

Routine Maintenance

Given that dirt and grime will still be a threat to your floor, routine cleaning will still be needed. For this, you want to work with products that will get the task done without losing that lustre that you have obtained from the polish.

For the cleaning, work with Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Cleaner, with tools like the Bona Cleaning Pad. The cleaner has been particularly formulated for these types of surfaces, being tough on the dirt but gentle on the floor. It’s easy to use and eco-friendly, given that it is a fully biodegradable product that is GREENGUARD Gold certified — making it safe for establishments like schools, hospitals and day-care centres. This particular standard uses a stricter health-based criteria requiring an even lower emissions limit than the GREENGUARD certification analysed earlier.

Simply mist the cleaner onto the surface and use the cleaning pad to wipe the floor. Rinse the pad as it gets soiled. In case there are sections with stubborn grime, including sticky spills and rubber heel marks, spray the cleaner onto the area and allow it a few minutes of dwelling time. Use the cleaning pad to scrub the spot.

When signs of wear start showing up on the floor and it needs to be freshened up, you don’t have to sand through to the bare wood just yet. Here, simply give the surface a thorough clean then apply a new layer of the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Polish.

Should there be a situation that calls for the polish to be removed — like when there is a build-up of the material on the floor, you can use the Bona Polish Remover.

Prolong The Life Of Your Bona Stone, Tile Or Laminate Floor

You want your floor to retain its structural integrity for long, as well as the resultant aesthetics after treating it with the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish. Here are some handy tips for the everyday maintenance of the installation.

• Dust mop frequently

Allowing dust and debris to pile up on the surface increases the rate at which the floor becomes dull. You don’t want those particles getting grinded against the floor. Routine dust mopping or vacuuming is an integral part of the daily maintenance, and is a simple measure that goes a long way in retaining the beauty of the floor. As you vacuum, remember to check the condition of the wheels. Any metal or plastic attachment should be assessed before usage, to avoid a case of the components scratching the floor.

• Always use the right cleaner

The emphasis here is on ensuring that you’re using a cleaning agent that is suitable for the particular type of floor. Assuming that an “all-natural” cleaner is good for your floor is risky. For instance, some of these agents contain acidic ingredients that can damage the installation, like vinegar or citrus. These will lead to etching of the installation, damaging the grout over time. Work with formulations that have been specifically indicated to be suitable for the specific floor in question.

The general steps for the cleaning include:

1. First sweeping/vacuuming to remove the loose dirt particles.

2. Preparing a solution of a neutral cleaner with warm water.

3. Dipping microfibre towel, mop or duster into the solution and cleaning the floor. You can work from the furthest corner of the room and head towards the exit — changing the cleaning solution as it gets dirty.

Using tools like spray mops makes it easier to control the amount of solution that is getting onto the floor, since you should also avoid scenarios where you’re drenching the surface in water.

After the cleaning, the surface should be thoroughly rinsed using clean water and allowed to dry.

• Seal the stone floors

Any stone installation can get stained, with the difficulty of treating the stain increasing the more porous a stone gets. Sealing the installation closes off the pores, preventing the stone from soaking up the spills — which reduces the risks of staining and discolouration.

Different factors will determine whether the stone can be sealed. For instance, how hard and porous is it? How high are the expected chances of getting stained? Will the sealant being considered affect the aesthetics of the stone? Is the installation in an area like a living room or foyer, or wet sections like the bathroom? For some situations, it will be vital to seal the stone to protect it from dirt and spills, and in other cases you can leave the stone untreated, such as for situations where using topical sealers would alter the surface texture and finish, building up on the surface and creating a layer that is less durable — and is not recommended for exterior applications due to the moisture that can get trapped in the top layer of the stone. This would put the structural integrity at risk with the seasonal freeze/thaw cycles.

Definitely, sealing the floor does not mean that you should allow spills to remain on the surface. While applying the sealant helps in protecting the floor, you should also deal with the spills quickly.

When dealing with the spills on the floor, you should blot up the excess liquid, then wipe the area. This is to avoid a situation where the spill is getting spread over the floor surface.

• Invest in a doormat

The goal here is to reduce the amount of dirt and grime that is transferred from the outdoors into the interior space. Note that you want a mat that actually has the capacity of holding grime, not just a pretty one for decor. Shake out the mat regularly to remove the grime that is being held by the fibres. This will reduce the rate of wear and tear on the rest of the floor.

You can also get carpeted runners that go from the entrance into the corridors and lobbies. These are particularly beneficial in helping to dry shoe soles. For commercial spaces, ensure that the maintenance personnel have strict instructions to mop up wet floors, which is key to protect the underlying floor and also prevent slip and fall accidents on the polished surface.

• Avoid working on the floor with abrasive brushes

The precautions are not limited to just the cleaning agent. Care has to also be taken with regards to the tools themselves. Abrasive equipment — like wire brushes or steel wool, will end up creating tiny scratches on the floor, and this can also lead to rust stains being formed. Stick to equipment like the microfibre mops. The brand behind the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish also has plenty of such tools for you to work with, including spray mops that give you more control and flexibility during the task.

Maintenance Done Right With Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Polish