Maintenance guide for micro concrete, lime, stain and varnish surfaces | Cleaning, repair & renovation

Tips for maintaining waxed concrete

The nature of the materials and MA’s system

MA’s coatings consist of a primer, the material itself and a topcoat.

The primer acts as an interface with a substrate. Regulate porosity, ensure grip, level… These are all key points for liaison and preparation.

Many primers are available in the MA’s range, and craftsmen and professionals can identify the right solution for each case.

Once the primer has been applied, the material is laid. The mineral nature of our materials will express all its beauty and become the key product of your coating, its performance as well as its beauty!

These materials are made of several components and set with water (concrete, lime, silicate, etc.).

Once set, some of the water evaporates, resulting in different porosity depending on the binder. For example, concrete is more closed than lime.

Finally, a protective layer is applied to limit porosity, protect against dirt and most stains, and facilitate cleaning.

As a finishing touch, you can choose to apply a wax to obtain a natural, soft material, or a water-based or solvent-based varnish for greater stress and intensive use. Here again, it’s a question of arbitration, depending on your lifestyle and the maintenance of the area.

Qualified craftsmen will recommend the most suitable finish according to the use and purpose of the premises. This has a decisive influence on longevity, whether in residential, commercial or hotel environments.

What precautions should be taken in daily use of waxed concrete or lime surfaces?

Certain precautions can be taken to avoid damaging the surface on a daily basis. Here is a non-exhaustive list, the rest being a matter of common sense:

Water and finishing

Varnishes and waxes are waterproof. However, they are not made for stagnant water. Therefore, be sure to :

• Do not place permanently damp objects on varnishes and waxes. For example, don’t leave a damp mop or doormat in the same place all the time.
• Don’t put flower pots in porous saucers or pet bowls in the same place every time.
  Monitor appliances for water leaks and condensation.
• Do not leave hygiene or beauty products (soap, make-up, etc.) in permanent contact with varnish or concrete without intermediate support.
• Over time, renew the joints between your various materials to ensure impermeability and prevent water penetration.
• For spas and steam rooms, do not expose the material to water or steam temperatures above 60°C.

Chemical aggression

Marius Aurenti’s high-performance protections will nevertheless be sensitive to pure chemical aggression over time. The duration of exposure between the chemical agent and the material is therefore a very important factor. it is best to clean the stain as soon as possible. .

Avoid prolonged contact with concentrated or corrosive chemicals. The products most at risk are :

• Solvents
• Cleaning agents (bleach, etc.)
• Chlorine
• Pure acids
• Acetone
• Vinegar
• Dyes (hair or other)
• Reprographic inks
• Earth and wood tannins
• Oils, especially hot oils
• Rust
• Spices

Do not place hot objects directly on the coating. Example: dish coming out of the oven, saucepan coming out of the fire.

MA’s varnishes are tested to European standards and offer excellent results against chemical aggression, making us the benchmark in mineral materials protection for over 40 years.

Physical and mechanical aggression

Even the most resistant mineral materials, such as high-performance concrete (UHPC), have their limits when it comes to impacts, scratches and the like. Wear and tear scratches and micro-scratches can be anticipated, and surfaces must be protected against repetitive aggression:

• Protect the entrance to a room, especially the entrance to a house or store (doormat)
• Avoid repetitive rubbing of chairs and armchairs with feet or castors on the surface if it is not protected by a mat or glides.

Avoid physical damage to the coating:

• Do not cut directly on the coating. Beware of knocks and shocks.
• Beware of direct flames, embers or cigarettes, which can burn, stain or bubble the varnish.
• Do not place hot objects directly on the flooring. For example: dish coming out of the oven, saucepan coming out of the fire…
• Do not rub with abrasive objects. For example: steel wool, sandpaper, scouring sponge…
• Do not drag objects and furniture across the floor.

Scratches on finishes can be repaired or renovated without leaving the material exposed.

It should be noted that mineral materials are insensitive to UV rays.

How do I maintain a waxed concrete surface?

The best policy when it comes to soiling is to avoid it in the first place.

For this reason, it’s important to have an exterior carpet and/or an interior carpet, especially in shops or rooms that open onto the outside, which makes cleaning easier in general, whatever the surface (waxed concrete, tiles or parquet). Indeed, a good carpet means avoiding many problems at source.  There are specialized manufacturers for this purpose, depending on the type of business and exposure.

There’s also the notion of color, which is important because, on very light or very dark colors by contrast, urban dust (gray) or country dust (brown) will be more or less visible depending on the background color. The choice of color can also be an important factor in maintenance.

For your varnished concrete interiors

• Vacuum up dust with a vacuum cleaner fitted with brushes.
• Clean with Floor Cleaner and water.
• Make sure you use the correct quantity, as these are highly effective professional products.
• Don’t hesitate to scrub the floor with your mop. A scrubber-drier or single-brush machine with a suitable disc can be used for larger surfaces.
• Renew wash water (warm or hot water).
• Do not expose the coating to water or steam temperatures in excess of 80°C.
• Rinsing with water eliminates deposits of cleaning products that can eventually clog the floor.
• Clean white traces of limescale with Antibacterial Limescale Cleaner and rinse with water.
• Clean the greasiest areas (worktops, kitchen floors, etc.) with the
• Multi-purpose degreasing cleaner diluted 1 to 2% and rinse with water.
• Clean persistent surface marks, such as black shoe marks, with a scraping sponge (red) or a special sponge for enamel or glass-ceramic. Green sponges can scratch varnish.
• Do not add black soap, linseed oil or other nourishing products to surfaces to avoid clogging.

For waxed interiors

Use the same cleaning method as for your varnished concrete interiors.

However, we recommend that you renew the wax after cleaning by applying a coat of spray wax and spreading it with an applicator broom or paint glove. This operation can be carried out using a polisher or a single-brush machine with a suitable disc.

On worktops and in showers

• To remove grease and soap, use Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner diluted 1-2% and rinse with water.
• To remove limescale and disinfect, use Antibacterial Limescale Cleaner and rinse with water.

For your exteriors and terraces

On outdoor flooring :

• Vacuum, blow or sweep the surface.
• Rinse with water and scrub with a broom or hand brush. A single-brush or high-pressure cleaner (maximum 150 bar, with the nozzle at least 3 cm from the surface) can be used with care, depending on the power of the equipment.

How to deep-clean and scour?

If your surface has become clogged over time, you can carry out a thorough descaling.

For varnished interior concrete surfaces and oil-repellent exterior floors

• Use Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner with a 10% dilution in warm or hot water.
• Leave for a few minutes before scrubbing with a broom or single-brush machine (rental available).
• Repeat the operation if necessary, preferably sucking up the water or pulling with a squeegee to a draining point. This can also be done locally in areas of high stress.
• Rinse thoroughly with clean water, the result is always astonishingly effective!

For waxed interior surfaces

Use the same cleaning method as for your varnished concrete interiors, and renew the wax after degreasing by applying a coat of spray wax and spreading it with an applicator broom and/or single brush.

How do I renovate my waxed concrete?

With time, traffic and abrasion, top coats can wear off and the surface can become dirty or damaged. In many cases, a thorough cleaning and polishing of micro-scratches is enough to avoid the need to renew top coats. However, if the substrate has many micro-scratches or is starting to become porous, it’s time to renew top coats.

Varnished concrete interior surface

• Use Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner diluted to 10% and rinse with water.
• A soft brush can be used to clean the pores of the concrete.
• Lightly sand the surface with 120-grit sandpaper, remove dust with water and, after drying, apply 1 to 3 coats of varnish.

Waxed interior surface

• Approximately every 5 years (depending on the desired appearance and patina of the floor)
• Strip with Cleaner Stripper for greasy and waxed floors or Wax Remover.
• On a dry, clean surface, apply 1 to 2 coats of Wax with an applicator broom or spray and single brush to work in the wax.

Varnished surface (floor, shower, worktop)

• Approximately every 4 to 7 years (depending on wear)
• Use Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner diluted to 10%  and rinse with water.
• Lightly sand the surface, clean thoroughly and apply new coats of Varnish.

Exterior floor

• Every year or every 2 years
• Apply 10% Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner and rinse with water.
• On the dry surface, apply 2 coats of oil-repellent impregnation or solvent-based oil-repellent impregnation.

How can I repair my surface after a heavy object has fallen ?

On waxed concrete, falling heavy objects generally cause the material to sink. Sometimes this can damage the varnish film. The application of several coats of varnish can alleviate this problem.

Rarely, it may cause a burst of material. A local application of waxed concrete may be considered. To avoid the ” patch ” effect, a tinted product (repair cream / mineral stain) can be applied to effectively mask the repair.

In the event of heavy objects being dropped, impact, deep scratches, shocks, or indelible or deep surface stains, we advise you to contact your installer, who will propose a repair on a case-by-case basis.

Three special waxed concrete cleaning products

Find all our maintenance products for waxed concrete, lime, varnish and stain on this page: Maintenance products

Floor cleaner

The special cleaner designed specifically for waxed concrete floors offers exceptional versatility by extending to various materials such as :

• Resins
• plastics
• PVC
• linoleum
• tiles
• natural stones

This unique formulation guarantees effective cleaning while preserving the integrity of protected surfaces. Its delicate formula works deep down to remove dirt and stains, while avoiding any negative impact on applied protective coatings.

The use of this special cleaner ensures optimal surface care, maintaining the original aesthetic appearance while respecting the protective properties associated with it.

This product’s outstanding performance makes it an ideal choice for maintaining the beauty and durability of waxed concrete floors, as well as other compatible surfaces, with a respectful and careful approach.

Anti-bacterial limescale cleaner

With its origins in the sanitary and medical fields, this cleaner is a powerful ally in the fight against bacteria and limescale, offering an ideal solution for the regular cleaning of various surfaces such as worktops, taps, showers, shower glazing and sanitary installations.

Its unique formulation takes advantage of its bactericidal nature, guaranteeing optimum hygiene in the spaces where it is applied. What’s more, its ability to combat limescale makes it a wise choice for maintaining the cleanliness and functionality of sanitary equipment.

Designed with a non-aggressive approach specifically adapted to waxed concrete, this cleaner preserves the integrity of this delicate surface while delivering powerful cleaning action. It offers remarkable versatility while respecting materials, ensuring optimal maintenance of sanitary and medical areas while preserving the durability of waxed concrete.

Multi-purpose degreasing cleaner

This remarkable maintenance product features a concentrated formula with exceptional degreasing power, while being environmentally friendly with over 95% biodegradability. This biodegradable formula represents a significant step towards environmentally-friendly practices, guaranteeing a minimal environmental footprint while maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

Its targeted action ensures thorough cleaning of a wide range of surfaces, such as

• Waxed concrete
• The marbles
• Tomettes
• Tiles
• Plastics
• Aluminum and stainless steel containers.

Thanks to its concentration, it offers enhanced efficiency, removing stubborn residues of grease and dirt, while preserving the integrity of treated materials.

As such, this maintenance product is positioned as a versatile solution, offering meticulous care for different surfaces, while underlining its commitment to sustainability and respect for the environment.