Athena Stonecare is a specialist in restoring natural stone surfaces. However, often the need for their services could be avoided with its services. In this article, managing director Dave shares a few top tips to help your clients keep their tiles looking as good as the day they were installed.
From Day One
The first step for maintenance is all about prevention. It is important with any stone floor to try to keep it clear of anything that could scratch the surface.
We advise installing good quality matting at each entrance to the property. This will pick up a lot of the dirt, sand and small stones, which can scratch the stone. It is important to clean these mats regularly, especially the outdoor ones. When they become saturated in dirt they will cease to do their job. Having a ‘shoes off policy’ in the house will also help to reduce the amount of abrasion from foot traffic.
Every Day
Making stone maintenance part of a daily routine doesn’t have to be a chore. We advise avoiding using a vacuum cleaner on stone floors. The head of the vacuum often has residue from other floors and can cause scratches. Daily sweeping is not only kinder to the stone, but much easier too. We recommend using a soft, long-hair Swiffer. When you then apply the Swiffer to the floor it will attract dirt, hair, dust and loose debris.
Wet Cleaning
The most important thing to remember is to keep the stone as dry as possible. Mopping too often, over-wetting, or use of a steam-cleaner can reduce the lifespan of the sealant and actually make the floor dirtier.
Use of pH neutral cleaning detergent is vital. Many common household cleaners are acidic and will damage the stone. Acidic products react with the calcium carbonate in marble, limestone and travertine, causing a chemical burn known as an etch mark. On the other hand, heavy duty cleaning concentrates are often alkaline in make-up. They work very well to remove dirt but will react with the sealant applied to protect the stone. This can make the floor more porous and susceptible to staining and dirt ingress. If in doubt, check that the bottle says ‘stone-safe’ or lists natural stone on the label.
For more guidance on stone care or to get your hands on the Athena Aftercare guide to simplify stone care for your clients email info@athenastonecare.co.uk
www.athenastonecare.co.uk
