How to look after and maintain your stone flooring.
Including Slate,York stone, Indian stone, Sandstone, Composite stone tiles and Terracotta.
Looking after and caring for your stone floor.
Your stone floor or tiles should last for many years providing you take steps in it’s care and maintenance.
This article will describe:
- How to clean and mop your stone floor and tiles.
- How to choose a cleaning product.
- How to protect your floor from becoming scuffed and scratched.
- How an application of floor seal can protect and make your floor easier to clean.
How to keep your stone floor clean.
- Sweep the floor. Avoid using an upright vacuum cleaner which could scratch the surface.
- Use a traditional cotton string mop and wringer bucket.
- Use a PH neutral floor cleaning product and mix according to instructions. Avoid harsh cleaning products which could remove the seal.
Sweep the floor
Use a sweeping brush to keep the floor clean or before mopping.
Avoid using an upright vacuum cleaner with hard wheels as this could scratch the surface. Carefully use a vacuum nozzle for difficult to reach areas.
Floor cleaning products
Most floor cleaning products are safe to use on your floor that are PH neutral or non alcaline. Flash or similar products are fine for regular floor cleaning as these are PH neutral. Avoid floor cleaners that add a shine to the floor as these can leave a residue on the surface which can attract dirt.
It is important to to measure the floor cleaning product correctly as per the instructions on the bottle. Mixing too much cleaning product into your bucket can leave a residue on the floor which can build up over time and become impossible to remove.
Avoid harsh cleaning chemicals and cleaners.
It is important to avoid using strong or harsh cleaning products on your floor especially if it has an application of seal of dressing.
Using high alkaline cleaning products or bleach will almost certainly dissolve or remove any seal from the floor.
If in any doubt, use a neutral floor cleaner. I highly recommend using the product opposite which is very economical and effective to use. If you are uncertain whether a cleaning product is suitable, pre test in an inconspicuous area.
Avoid using a steam mop or machine on your floor as this could damage the polish.
The best type of mop to use is a traditional string mop as illustrated opposite.
This product is available from Cutler Cleaning Macclesfield
Click here to see Jangro Neutral floor Cleaner
If the floor starts to become soiled.
Where the floor is textured, you may find dirt accumulating in the crevices or grout after a while.
Should this happen, wet the floor liberally with the mop and cleaning solution. Allow to 15 to 20 minutes to soften the dirt and scrub with a medium bristle polypropylene brush.
Then mop the floor once. Change the bucket of water and clean again to rinse clean.
Cleaning Limestone and Travertine floors:
For regular cleaning use Flash floor cleaner or a similar type of product. Always mix according to instructions and no more. Avoid using cleaning products that add a shine to the floor as this can cause a build up of residue. Do not use any acidic cleaners such as Cilit Bang which can damage the surface of the floor.
Use a traditional string cotton mop and wringer bucket and rinse the floor with a fresh bucket of water if required.
If the floor tends to become soiled over time, use Lithofin Power clean periodically to remove the build up of soil. Dilute as per instructions and allow to dwell for 10 minutes and then scrub using a medium bristle yard brush. Rinse and mop the floor with fresh water. Change water if necessary.
Use Lithofin Power Clean for Limestone and Travertine floors
Removing spillages from your stone floor
If you have a spillage which has hardened on the floor such as food, pet food or splashes from a cooker, the best way to deal with it is mop the area with your normal cleaning solution and allow to stand for half an hour or so to soften, then wipe off with a cloth. Alternatively, spray the area with kitchen cleaner such as Mr Muscle and let stand till it has softened ready for removal. Avoid using any harsh cleaners such as bleach.
Use entrance mats to protect the floor.
Grit and dirt from outside can scratch and scuff your floor whether your floor has been sealed or not. If your floor is subjected to soil and grit coming from outside, it is wise to use a scraper mat outside and a cotton mat inside the door to absorb soil, mud and moisture.
Outdoor scraper mat
Indoor cotton mat
Use protective furniture pads.
It is essential to use protective furniture pads to protect your stone floor. Without furniture pads, your floor will almost certainly become scratched or scuffed. If your floor has become damaged by furniture, an application of floor seal or dressing can hide the marks very well in most cases.
