How To Care For Your Natural Stone Floor: Dos And Don’ts

Are you looking for a classy, stylish, and durable flooring option? If so, natural stone floors are the way to go. Natural stone floors offer you the opportunity of bringing natural beauty indoors. They are easy to maintain with proper cleaning and timely repairing. Below is an overview of the dos and don’ts of caring for your natural stone floor.

4 Tips For Beautifully Maintained Natural Stone Floors

Below are a few tips that will help maintain your natural stone floor. These tips include:

1). Cleaning Spills As Soon As Possible

A spill on a natural stone floor should be blotted out instead of being wiped as this can spread the spill on the floor. Letting a spill stay on the floor for too long before taking care of it increases the chances of staining the floor. 

2). Handle Furniture Carefully

Pushing or pulling furniture is likely to cause wear, tear, and scratching of the natural stone floor. Use protective pads on the furniture or lift the furniture when moving it. 

3). Regular Sealing

Different types of natural stones have different sealing needs. It is necessary to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

4). Use The Right Cleaners

Most individuals prefer using scouring powders or creams for their daily cleaning. It is crucial to refrain from using cleaners that contain ammonia, abrasives, bleach, or ammonia. Instead, look for gentle cleaning products specially designed for natural stone floors. A small amount of these products should be enough for cleaning your floor. 

 6 Tips For Maintaining Your Natural Stone Floor

1). Protect With Sealant

Natural stones are porous, which makes it necessary to use sealants for protection consistently. Sealants help to keep destructive material such as sand, dirt, and grit away. 

Professionals will help you identify which stones need to have the sealant applied more often since different natural stones have different needs. Natural stone surfaces made of marble and Indian stone require resealing more often. 

2). Use Bleach And Water To Take Care Of Mildew And Mould 

Mould and mildew easily grow on porous surfaces due to dirt and moisture. Avoiding acidic soaps and vinegar is advisable since these products can easily damage natural floors. Instead, it would help if you used bleach diluted in cold water. After spraying the bleach solution on the floor, you should scratch the surface to remove the mould and mildew using steel wool or a brush. After rinsing, you should use a soft cloth to dry the surface. Using warm water and acidic cleaning products is not recommended since they can easily corrode the floor. 

 3). Consistent Cleaning 

 Consistent cleaning in natural stone care is important in preventing mould growth and the accumulation of debris. Daily cleaning should be done using a PH balanced cleaner and a dry mop. Daily cleaning should also be done using mild cleaners to prevent leaving ugly scratches on the floor. 

 4). Take Care Of Dirt And Water

Area rugs help keep away dirt and water. They are most important where there is heavy foot traffic. Doormats significantly reduce the number of dirt particles and liquids that touch your natural stone floor. 

 For better results, please make sure to clean your doormats weekly. If you have an outdoor patio area near a pool, it would be best if you also considered using area rugs due to the high likelihood of the natural stone floor coming into contact with water.  

5). Get To Know The Type Of Stone

It is hard to maintain your natural stone floor without knowing the type of stone it is. The main types of natural stones include limestone, granite, marble, and quartzite. You should also know the texture, finishing, and the amount of traffic it is likely to receive. This knowledge is helpful when designing a care and maintenance program for your natural stone floor. The type of stone also helps you know where it can serve you best. For hot tub and spa areas, for example, it is advisable to use dense limestone to prevent damage from using acidic soap scum remover when cleaning. 

6). Get To Know The Condition Of The Stone

You must get to know the condition of the stone before designing a maintenance program. You should ground off or chemically strip any coatings on the stone for a more accurate assessment of the condition of the stone since coatings hide scratched and pitted mess.

Natural stone floors are not as delicate as they may seem, but they need to be well taken care of to increase their durability. Frequent cleaning and proper maintenance go a long way in ensuring that natural stone floors retain their good look and quality. If this is done well, natural stone floors should last for decades. 

Hire Slique To Restore Your Natural Stone Floor

At Slique, we are committed to ensuring that your natural stone floor retains its glorious look. We have worked with different types of natural stone floors for years, assuring you of quality work. We also offer free advice on the best ways to take care of the type of natural stone floor used at home or on your commercial property. 

For all your natural stone floor cleaning and polishing needs in Sydney, please call SLIQUE today on 02 9648 0395, or you can leave an enquiry.