Limestone cleaning – Avoid surface marking

Limestone has, as a material, been used for building and constructing monuments for hundreds of years, whilst it also has a rich history in terms of use as a flooring material.  One of the reasons for enduring is its quality as a floor and the rugged, timeless good looks which offers a classic finish and will enhance any location.  It is, however, similar to hardwood in that, for many years, a lack of knowledge led to a rapid deterioration in its finish and that has often led to the perception that it is not a good choice if you are looking for a floor that will last many years.  As with many types of flooring, with proper care a limestone floor will last for many years – but careful cleaning and maintenance is fundamental.

Limestone is tougher and more durable than most people imagine and, while less durable and more prone to wear than marble, will last for many years.  Part of this image comes from the material’s porosity and proneness to becoming marked in certain circumstances.  Water and any liquid with an acidic content can etch and mark the floor’s surface, so as a general rule limestone is not usually recommended for locations where spillages are likely such as kitchens and washrooms.

Several cleaning tips will, if followed regularly and correctly, offer ongoing protection for your limestone floor – and maintain the finish.  The first step is, after the floor has been properly cleaned (consult a limestone cleaning specialist if you are unsure how to clean an un-sealed floor), the application of a good quality commercial sealant – which will offer an additional layer of protection and reduce the porosity of the material.  This will be particularly helpful if there are any spillages which can damage the floor, but will also assist your cleaning efforts.

Once a sealant has been applied, the next step is to keep the floor clean, and that means regular cleaning, as well as ongoing protection for the sealant itself.  Surface scratches and tiny abrasions can damage the sealant and expose the surface of the floor, so care should be taken to prevent this.  Regular sweeping and vacuuming, and the use of doormats will help to prevent scratching caused by dirt and grit walked in on the soles of shoes – while care should also be taken when moving heavy objects such as furniture.

Cleaning itself to remove surface grime or bacteria should be done with warm water or a neutral PH cleaner.  Acidic cleaners or bleach should be avoided at all costs as they can etch or cause discolouring of the limestone itself, especially if the surface of the floor itself has been exposed.  Regular mopping, combined with the use of a sealant, should be enough to keep the floor looking clean.  If you do notice a build-up of staining or marking on the floor it is possible that the floor hasn’t been cleaned correctly or that the sealant has worn off.  In either case you would be advised to contact a limestone cleaning company to deal with this in a professional way.

Cleaning slate floors – Seal and protect your floor

Slate floors are all unique in design and the wide range of colours, textures and shapes offers a look that will only be found in your home – and a wonderful look it can be.  This look, however, is only great if it lasts and too many people become complacent and let their floor deteriorate over time due to lack of proper cleaning and maintenance.  Left alone, a slate floor can quickly become dull, uneven and acquire an unsatisfactory finish which can prove very difficult to rectify.

It is not difficult to understand why people fail to care for a slate floor.  Slate is a durable, relatively stain resistant material, and people translate that durability to the concept of ‘low maintenance’.  This is unwise as slate can become stained very quickly in two different ways – the surface of the slate itself and the grout used to seal the joints between the tiles.  Grout is a construction material, consists of a mixture of sand, cement and water – and is a highly porous material.  It is fundamental to care for both the surface of the tiles and the grout in order to keep your floor looking good for many years to come.

The first stage of looking after the floor actually begins with the installation.  If the slate floor is being newly installed it is vital that this is done professionally.  In the case of slate, cutting the tiles can be difficult while the application of the grout itself is notoriously difficult.  If this is done professionally – it will make the subsequent stages all the easier.  Assuming the floor has been correctly installed – the first proactive step is the application of a good quality commercial sealant to offer additional protection to the surface.

The application of a sealant is not, in itself, difficult but it is very important that the sealant is applied to a clean floor (sealants are equally effective at trapping dirt beneath it) and to make sure that the sealant chosen is the correct one.  One of the qualities of a slate floor is that a smooth, slightly rough surface offers a certain slip-resistant quality which can be nullified if an incorrect (for example a wax based sealer) is chosen.  If you have any doubts as to which sealant to use, and how to apply it – you would be well advised to consult a company which specializes in cleaning slate floors and which will be able to recommend one for you.

Applying a sealant, a grout sealant is also highly recommended, adds an additional layer of protection and greatly reduces the porosity of the surface of the tiles or grout – aiding your cleaning efforts.  Spillages will, as a result, cause less marking and staining than they would to an un-sealed floor.  It is also very important to look after the sealant as any surface scratching or abrasions would actually cause the surface to become exposed.  Regular sweeping, vacuuming and mopping are recommended to keep the floor clean.  Doormats should be used as much as possible and care should be taken when moving heavy objects such as furniture.

A sealant should be re-applied regularly, annually for example, and with these steps your slate floor should stay looking good for many years to come.  If you do notice any surface changes due to staining which your regular cleaning efforts cannot remedy, you should consult a company which deals with cleaning slate floors – and which will be able to take advantage of modern techniques and technology to restore your floor to its original condition.

Tile cleaning service – When help is required

Tile floors are chosen for a variety of reasons and for a variety of locations.  Aesthetically tiles come in a wide range of shapes, designs and colours and can have smooth or textured finishes while fabricated tiles can often be made to simulate the rough finish of natural stone.  Tiles are, however, also often chosen based on the high cost durability quality and the fact that, compared to other types of hard floor, it is a relatively simple floor to clean and maintain.  However, without regular cleaning and maintenance (simple – but often overlooked) you may quickly find yourself with a floor which becomes dulled, uneven or stained in some way and begins to look unsatisfactory.

Should you follow regular maintenance tips – you should find yourself with a floor which will last, and look good, for many years to come.  In general tiled floors are low maintenance in that they are wipe-clean surfaces and therefore require very little actual effort.  However, over time it is possible to wash superficially and actually leave areas unclear, although this may not be noticeable to the naked eye.  Over time these stains and marks can build up and a stain may contain layer upon layer of built-up bacteria which can be difficult to remove - it is at this stage that professional assistance may be needed and a tile cleaning service may need to be contacted.   

Tips for maintaining the floor are relatively straightforward and begin with prevention as much as possible.  Assuming good quality professional installation, the first step should be the application of a good quality commercial sealer to make the surface less permeable and increase resistance to staining.  The floor should obviously be very clean when the sealer is applied and the correct sealer, and grout sealer will need to be chosen.  A tile cleaning specialist will be able to recommend the correct sealant for you.

Once the sealer has been applied it is important to protect it against scratches and tiny surface abrasions which expose the surface and allow a place for staining to occur.  Most scratches occur when dirt particles, sand and grit are walked in on the soles of shoes.  Doormats should be placed at entrances and floors should be regularly swept and vacuumed to remove any surface dirt before washing with a mop and warm water.  As for the sealant itself – it is recommended that it be stripped and re-sealed periodically.

If you find yourself with a stain that you cannot remove, or that the floor seems dull, it is possible that you will need to contact a tile cleaning service to restore it to its original condition.

Tile cleaning – Why regular cleaning is important

Many people choose tile floors, in both commercial and domestic settings, based on the common perception that it is an easy surface to maintain and keep clean rather than for aesthetic reasons – and this is particularly true when the floor is located in an area where spillages are common – such as wash rooms and kitchens.  There is some truth to this perception but people tend to forget that without regular cleaning and maintenance, any floor will quickly develop a dull, uneven or unsatisfactory appearance which will then be very difficult to change with common cleaning methods.

This perception comes from the fact that, unlike surfaces such as hard wood, tiles (especially ceramic tiles with polished shiny finishes) are easy to basically ‘wipe clean’ and subsequently give the impression that they are low maintenance.  It is, however, necessary to regularly clean the floor and it is a task that should be undertaken as it is not difficult to do.

Regular cleaning is important as quickly wiping the surface will often not clean the floor entirely and dirt, grime and bacteria can build-up even if it is not visible to the naked eye.  This is very much the case with the grout (the material between the tiles) and also on the surface of the tiles – and when the stain becomes visible layer upon layer of grime and bacteria may have built up to form a stain that cannot easily be removed and you may be forced to contract a tile cleaning service to restore the floor to its original condition.

There are several simple tips to keeping your floor clean, and most involve prevention.  Once the floor has been installed and the grout applied a decent commercial sealant should be applied which will offer an additional layer of protection and ease future cleaning efforts.  It is very important, however, that the floor has been properly cleaned before the sealant is applied – or you will be effectively sealing a dirty floor – this occurs more commonly than you may think.

A sealed floor is not the final step – as this sealant will need to be protected.  Tiny surface scratches, abrasions and general wear over time can all reduce the effectiveness of a sealant and this is usually caused by dirt and grit walked in on the soles of shoes.  Doormats should be placed (and used) at entrances, while regular sweeping and vacuuming should remove the majority.  Afterwards simply mopping the floor should prove effective in keeping the floor clean.  If you find that your cleaning efforts cease to be effective you may wish to consult a tile cleaning specialist who will be able to advise you.

Tile grout cleaning – the first stage of maintenance

Tile floors can come in a variety of forms including slate, natural stone and fabricated ceramic tiles which can be manufactured in a variety of finishes.  Tiled floors are chosen for a variety of reasons, mostly aesthetic, as they are available in a range of designs, shapes and colours – but as they score highly in terms of cost durability, many people choose tiled floors due to the apparent perception that they are easy to keep clean.

It is certainly true that tiled floors are easier to clean than many other types of floor, however one may find that if regular cleaning and maintenance is not carried out – you can be left with a floor which acquires a dull, uneven or unsatisfactory finish very quickly.  Part of the misconception comes from the fact that the surface is often shiny and even with a smooth finish can be easy to simply to ‘wipe clean’.  However people often neglect to consider the grout and that is where the problems can arise.

Grout is a construction material which consists of a mixture of sand, cement and water and is a highly porous substance which stains very easily.  The grout is used to fill voids and seal joints, exactly like those between tiles – and as it forms an integral part of the overall finish of the floor, another dis-colouring of the floor can affect the entire finish.  For this reason the grout should be treated with care and with a couple of simple steps shouldn’t cause you any problems.  The first step should be to make sure it is correctly and professionally applied and if you find it is stained, call in a professional tile grout cleaning company which will be able to clean it – and once it is clean and looks uniform, you should look at prevention.

To prevent staining of the grout, usually as a result of spillages, the first step in prevention is the application of a good commercial sealant.  Sealants can either be transparent or in the form of a colour grout sealer and basically offer a protective barrier to prevent spillages from coming into contact with the grout – effectively ‘waterproofing’ it.  If the sealant is correctly installed then the job of cleaning grout becomes as simple as cleaning the surface of the tiles.

Grout sealant, as with any sealant, also needs to be protected as any damage to the sealant will expose the surface and staining can occur.  Most damage will come in the form of surface scratching and surface abrasions usually as a result of dirt and grit which has been walked in on the soles of shoes.  Simple steps such as placing doormats and regularly sweeping and vacuuming should deal with the majority of this problem.

If you need advice on the type of sealant to use, the application or you need the floor or grout cleaned, it is advisable to consult a tile grout cleaning specialist.

Wood floor cleaning – Problems caused by pets

Hard wood floors are, without doubt, one of the most beautiful and classy floors that one can have in a domestic setting and has been considered for centuries a sign of class.  The warmth and homely feel that is offered will last for years providing you are able to maintain it properly.  General cleaning efforts are not always helped, however, when there are pets present in the area.

Pets are of course a wonderful addition to any family and give years of happy memories, but they do cause problems and will affect your hard wood floors if extra care is not taken.  Regular cleaning and maintenance tips often focus on spillages and the importance of keeping the floor ‘scratch free’, but pets (especially dogs and cats) add an extra complication.

Animals need to be ‘trained’ where to go and of course with a new kitten or puppy accidents will occur, as it will when a cat or dog gets too old.  Whilst spillages will usually occur when you are close by, most people cannot spend all day with their pet to clean up after them.  One of the most important steps is without doubt the application of a good sealant to ‘waterproof’ the floor and provide extra protection.  This will prevent liquids seeping into the floor and basically staining it.  A sealant is not the be all and end all solution, but a good quality one is vital – a company which specializes in wood floor cleaning will be able to recommend one for you.

Stains can be crudely split into old and fresh, and in the case of fresh stains the key is simply to clean up as soon as possible, blotting to absorb as much liquid as possible before cleaning the area first by rinsing with warm water.  This water should be completely dry so as not to affect the floor further before the application of a specialized stain and odor remover should be applied.  Older stains can be trickier as over time they may have seeped into the wood or seeped into spaces, and this will happen more if there is no sealant, or if the sealant is worn or has been scratched.

A professional cleaning specialist will be able to advise as to the extent of the effect, but once wood has been actually stained or effected in some way, sanding the surface to achieve the same uniform look as before can often be the only solution.  Care should be taken to make sure that the sealant is protected, and clipping the claws of cats for example, and dogs of course, will prevent them from scratching and marking the floor as they run and play.

If there has been visible damage or the appearance has been affected in some way, it is probably a good idea to contact a wood floor cleaning company which will be able to assess and offer the best course of action, as well as deal with any of the damage done.