Keeping your stone floors shining and stain free is what professional cleaners do!

So if you want to know how to clean stone floors, you’ll need some expert advice and we have some great tips here.. Follow the below steps and keep your natural stone, marble, travertine, limestone, sandstone, slate, or granite floors looking like new.  This method is perfect whether you are cleaning your own floors or are a residential or commercial cleaner!

The most important thing when cleaning stone is to not use a cleaner that is too alkaline or too acid. Both can remove the finish or shine from the floor. Always use a neutral cleaner when dealing with any natural stone. A pH of 7 is neutral. Anything below 7 is acidic, which can eat away the sealant and cause etching. 

Secondly, you should take simple steps to maintain your floors daily, especially when dealing with marble. This will make your cleaning much more effective and efficient, as well as keep your floors from scratching.

MOPPING

There are two methods when cleaning any type of flooring. The first is to use a spray bottle with a floor cleaner and a dry microfiber mop. Lightly spritz the cleaner on your floor and let it sit for a minute so the solution can grab the dirt. Then proceed to mop.

Another  method is to use a mop bucket with your floor cleaner and dip your mop pad in the water, wring it well and mop. When using this method, work in small areas and rinse your mop pad often. Avoid leaving behind a lot of water.

PROTECTING NATURAL STONE FLOORING

Sealing is a very important way of making your natural stone floor last a lifetime. Natural stone floors are porous. This means they have holes, which makes them highly susceptible to spills, cooking oil, dirt and grime. This stuff will penetrate natural stone that hasn’t been sealed properly, causing stains and making it harder to clean and maintain. Sealers impregnate the stone, meaning they seal the holes so liquids and oils don’t penetrate the stone’s surface, but remain on top of the stone for easy cleaning. Cleaning products containing acid will break down the sealant over time making your floors porous again.

The most common cleaner used on floors is an alkaline detergent added to mop water. In the short term, the soapy water collects some of the dirt leaving the tile looking clean. As the water evaporates the dirt and soap remains. Since soap is on the alkaline side of the pH scale, when it dries it leaves behind a slightly sticky residue. This in turn causes more dirt to stick to the surface. This buildup, over time, produces dirty grout and stone and can harbor bacteria. Besides becoming unsightly, the bacteria build-up can produce odors.

That’s why an excellent natural stone floor cleaner is one with a neutral PH level. When you are looking for products to clean your floors try to find  “neutral” or “residue free” on product labels.