How to Clean and Restore Cement Terrazzo Floors
For cement terrazzo without wax, the process depends on the floor's condition. For deep cleaning only, use HD13 with a Novagranit White Pad. To clean and add light shine in one step, use HD13 with a Duo Pad. If the floor has lost its shine, restore it with either the Bonastre pad system (simpler, no resin experience needed) or the Munich Pro resin system (best possible result, required for deep etching). Every restoration step is worked wet.
This guide covers natural cement terrazzo floors without wax. Check your floor by touch first, then follow the matching option in order. Do not skip steps. Epoxy terrazzo is treated differently and is covered in a separate guide.
Choose the right process
Run your hand and fingernail across the floor. What you feel decides where you start.
Pads or resins? The pad system is simpler and needs no resin experience. Resins give the best possible result and are required for the heaviest damage (Option E).
Equipment for all options
For restoration, it must apply 100 to 140 lbs of pressure to the surface.
Option C, Method 2 and Option E.
A pass is one trip of the machine across the section being worked.
Deep clean
Result: removes soil and residue. Does not change the gloss level.
- Remove dry debris and soil with a dry microfiber mop.
- Spray HD13 (8:1 dilution) on a 150 sq ft area.
- Let it dwell 1 to 2 minutes.
- Use a 175 rpm floor machine or auto scrubber, 4 to 6 passes.
- Extract the residue.
- Repeat on the rest of the floor.
Deep clean and light polish
Result: cleans and adds light shine in one step. The Duo Pad is a 2-in-1 pad that polishes while it cleans.
- Remove dry debris and soil with a dry microfiber mop.
- Spray HD13 (8:1 dilution) on a 150 sq ft area.
- Let it dwell 1 to 2 minutes.
- Use a 175 rpm floor machine or auto scrubber, 6 to 8 passes.
- Extract the residue.
- Repeat on the rest of the floor.
Light restoration
Result: restores shine and reflectivity on terrazzo with dull traffic lanes and light etch marks. Choose one method.
Method 1: Pad system
Simpler- Remove dry debris and soil with a dry microfiber mop.
- Mask adjacent surfaces and baseboards.
- Use a 175 rpm floor machine or auto scrubber that applies 100 to 140 lbs of pressure to the surface.
- For each grit, add water and run 6–10 slow passes with about 25% overlap.
- Remove the residue, rinse and dry.
- Inspect for an even finish with no scratch pattern before moving to the next grit.
- If any scratch pattern remains, repeat 6–10 passes on the same grit.
- Spray Stone Soap (6 oz per gallon) on a 150 sq ft area.
- Go over it with a Novagranit White Pad, 4 to 6 passes.
- Extract the residue. Repeat on the rest of the floor.
Method 2: Resin system
Best result- Remove dry debris and soil with a dry microfiber mop.
- Mask adjacent surfaces and baseboards.
- Use a 175 rpm floor machine or auto scrubber that applies 100 to 140 lbs of pressure to the surface.
- For each grit, add water and run 6–10 slow passes with about 25% overlap.
- Remove the residue, rinse and dry.
- Inspect for an even finish with no scratch pattern before moving to the next grit.
- If any scratch pattern remains, repeat 6–10 passes on the same grit.
- Same machine and pressure.
- Add water and run 6–10 slow passes with about 25% overlap.
- Remove the residue, rinse and dry.
- Same machine and pressure. Wet the surface.
- Sprinkle NovaMarmol (1 to 2 oz per 10 sq ft) over a 25 sq ft section and mix with water into a wet slurry.
- Buff with a Novagranit White Pad, 5 to 10 passes per section.
- Check the gloss level with a squeegee. When satisfied, move the slurry to the next area and repeat, adding NovaMarmol and water as needed.
- Remove the mixture with a wet-dry vacuum and rinse thoroughly.
- Spray Stone Soap (6 oz per gallon) on a 150 sq ft area.
- Go over it with a Novagranit White Pad, 4 to 6 passes.
- Extract the residue. Repeat on the rest of the floor.
Moderate restoration (pads)
Result: restores terrazzo with a dull or matte finish, medium etching and light wear.
- Remove dry debris and soil with a dry microfiber mop.
- Mask adjacent surfaces and baseboards.
- Use a 175 rpm floor machine or auto scrubber that applies 100 to 140 lbs of pressure to the surface.
- For each grit, add water and run 6–10 slow passes with about 25% overlap.
- Remove the residue, rinse and dry.
- Inspect for an even finish with no scratch pattern before moving to the next grit.
- If any scratch pattern remains, repeat 6–10 passes on the same grit.
- Follow step 4 of Option C, Method 1 exactly.
Full restoration (resins)
Result: restores terrazzo with deep etching, scratches you can feel with a fingernail, and a rough surface where the aggregate can be felt by touch.
- Remove dry debris and soil with a dry microfiber mop.
- Mask adjacent surfaces and baseboards.
- Use a 175 rpm floor machine or auto scrubber that applies 100 to 140 lbs of pressure to the surface.
- For each grit, add water and run 6–10 slow passes with about 25% overlap.
- Remove the residue, rinse and dry.
- Inspect for an even finish with no scratch pattern before moving to the next grit.
- If any scratch pattern remains, repeat 6–10 passes on the same grit.
- Follow steps 4, 5 and 6 of Option C, Method 2 exactly.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use pads or resins to restore terrazzo?
Pads are simpler and need no resin experience, and they cover light to moderate damage (Options C and D). Resins give the best possible result and are required for deep etching and a rough, textured surface (Option E).
Can I use this process on epoxy terrazzo?
No. This guide is for natural cement terrazzo without wax. Epoxy terrazzo needs a different process.
How do I know if my terrazzo needs cleaning or restoration?
If the shine is intact and the floor is just dirty, use Option A. If it is clean but dull, use Option B. If shine is lost with traffic lanes or etching, use Option C, D or E. Run your fingernail across the damage and feel for the aggregate: scratches you cannot feel point to C, medium etching with no rough texture points to D, and scratches or aggregate you can feel point to E.
Do I need a special machine?
Yes. Use a 175 rpm floor machine or auto scrubber. For restoration it must apply 100 to 140 lbs of pressure to the surface.
What does the Duo Pad do?
It cleans and polishes at the same time, so you get light shine without a separate polishing step.
Why inspect between grits?
Each grit removes the scratches left by the previous one. Skipping ahead leaves scratch patterns that show up in the final shine.
Does this work on floors with wax?
No. This guide is for natural terrazzo without wax.
Order the pads, resins and cleaners online, or send us a photo of the floor and our technical team will tell you exactly where to start.