Stone floor cleaning – Regular maintenance

Natural stone and slate floors are popular choices for both domestic and commercial locations and the natural finish of stone certainly offers a certain quality to any ambience.  Natural stone is also available in many colours, shapes and designs and as long as it is correctly looked after and maintained should last for many years to come.

Stone is an extremely durable substance but for regular maintenance to keep the floor looking good it is important that the floor is correctly installed.  A professional should be contacted to cut the tiles and especially to apply the grout to make sure that there are no voids in the material that could complicate future cleaning efforts. 

Once the floor has been correctly installed, it is advisable to apply a quality sealer.  A sealer offers an additional layer of protection and eases cleaning efforts, as it makes the surface less permeable, essentially waterproofing the surface and helping to prevent staining.  Despite the application of a sealer – it is still advisable to clean up spillages as soon as they happen.

The major problem with regard to stone floors is the risk of surface scratching and abrasions and these can be caused by a number of different factors.  The most common cause of scratching is from grit and dirt, which is usually walked in on the soles of shoes, but surface scratching can also be caused by chair legs or incorrect moving of heavy objects such as furniture.  Surface scratches are a risk as they can damage the surface and also remove any sealer that may have been applied, exposing the surface in the process.

Placing doormats at entrances and regular sweeping and vacuuming, followed by mopping with warm water should be sufficient to remove the risk posed by surface grit but this does need to be done regularly as any professional stone floor cleaning company will tell you.  Care should be taken to lift rather than drag heavy objects while felt pads should be placed on the tips of chair legs if at all possible.

If you notice that the is a dulling of the floor, an uneven appearance develops or there is a stain you cannot remove, it may be time to call in a stone floor cleaning specialist.  In the event that this happens it helps to know what has previously been applied to the floor, as it may be just a surface build-up of grime and bacteria, but there may be surface scratching – in which case regular cleaning efforts may cease to be effective and a sealant may need to be re-applied.