Basic stone floor cleaning tips

There is a wide variety of stone available for flooring including slate, marble and limestone amongst others and they are becoming increasingly popular choices for flooring – especially in the home.  Due to their natural state, they are available in an almost limitless range of colours, designs and shapes while there is also a number of finishes for that extra bit of variety.  Many people choose stone floors due to the inherent durability and perception that they are easy to keep clean.  While the durability means the floor will certainly last a long time, it is also true that the floor will need to be regularly cleaned and looked after to keep it looking good – a few cleaning tips will help.

One of the factors to consider with natural stone is that it can stain – so spillages are a particular problem, as is the choice of cleaning products.  Of course spillages should be cleaned up as soon as they occur, but in the case of pets and children that may not always be possible – so it is best to be proactive when dealing with your floor.

Stone, and the tile grout, should be protected whenever possible with a good quality sealant, which will add an extra layer of protection and basically ‘waterproof’ the floor.  It is important that the sealant is applied both to the surface and the tile grout, where a separate sealant is probably advisable.  The sealant should be applied to an already clean floor (remarkably – this doesn’t always happen) and it is important that the right sealant is chosen – a stone floor cleaning specialist will be able to recommend one for you.

If the floor has been sealed, it needs to be protected from surface scratching which can expose the surface and lead to staining and dis-colouring.  Regular sweeping and vacuuming, use of doormats at entrances and taking care while moving heavy objects should reduce the risk.  Padded tips can also be added to the points of chair legs and corners of heavy objects for additional protection.

Cleaning can be as simple as using a mop and warm water, maybe with a little detergent or soap and should suffice as long as the cleaning is regular.  It is important with natural stone, and the grout used, to be careful when using cleaning products and anything with acidic content (if possible use a neutral PH cleaner) or bleach should be avoided.  Limestone is particularly susceptible to damage.  If you have any doubts – contact a professional stone floor cleaning company which will be able to offer advice as well as take advantage of modern technology and techniques to restore your floor to its original condition.