Restoring shine to concrete floor

[YK-Phil]

Our condo has a minimalist/industrial look, with exposed pipes and HVAC, and (no longer...) polished concrete floors that over time have become dull, partly my mistake for using our homemade, all-purpose vinegar/water cleaner. Short of doing a full restoration by grinding and sanding the floor with a finer grit abrasive and then a very fine grit abrasive to restore the original polish and shine -do-it-yourself is a real PITA and hiring a pro is quite expensive, what else can we do to make the floors look better? I remember using a product like Mop and Glow on all types of floors at our old house but for whatever reason, this product seems to be no longer available in stores in Canada so I'd have to order it. But would it work half-decently on concrete floors? 

[Miss Piggy]

My fear in this case would be trying anything that doesn't end up matching well or blending in with what you already have. Seems like something that will be difficult to "get right" and going from "pretty cool look" to "nice try, but..."

We have used Eagle Supreme sealer, and it leaves a nice, shiny coat. But if it can't be absorbed consistently across the whole surface, it won't look good at all. Seems to me that no matter what you use, that consistent absorption is going to be key, and that will be hard to achieve if the "dullness" isn't consistent. I'm guessing you already know this and that's why you're posting, though, so I will quietly back away and see what others suggest.

[aasdfadsf]

Muriatic acid? Follow the directions on the jug. It brightens up concrete nicely. Use a mild alkaline (like baking soda) to neutralize it. If you want to stick another sealant on it afterward, then that's a good idea.

[aasdfadsf]

Muriatic acid? Follow the directions on the jug. It brightens up concrete nicely. Use a mild alkaline (like baking soda) to neutralize it. If you want to stick another sealant on it afterward, then that's a good idea.

I should say that I don't what exact kind of floor you're trying to deal with. But I've used the old HCl to beautify lots of porches and walkways, and it works wonders. Just understand that 1) you're putting hardcore acid onto it and it will burn you if you touch it, so wear gloves and clothes you don't mind ruining and use a mop you don't mind throwing away, 2) it's eating an entire layer off your concrete, and this is why you need to neutralize it after some number of minutes or you can go too far (read the bottle), and 3) you need to reseal it; the concrete is pitted and open to water intrusion because you just ate off the sealant and years of gunk, so just apply a sealant afterward if you want the concrete to last without spalling.

[lthenderson]

I've done a lot of concrete work but never for floors in my home. I would guess there was a sealer on it that you removed with acid (i.e. vinegar) and you simply need to apply a new sealer and buff it in again. I certainly wouldn't apply more acid as suggested above unless you are trying to remove grime and etch your floor further.

[Dicey]

No way in hell I would use muriatic acid first. It eats concrete if not used correctly, and you're talking about an indoor application of a toxic chemical. Hell, no!

My first thought is some kind of paste wax and a commercial buffer, which you can rent. If the area is small, a car buffer might work. If you can, test it in an inconspicuous area first.

Just nudged DH, who was a "Specialty Surfaces Specialist" in his career for a large public utility. He says absolutely not to use muriatic acid, especially indoors. He seconded my thought to try paste wax/polishing first. It's more forgiving and far less toxic. It will need to be reapplied periodically, but it's no big deal.