Natural Stone Cleaning and Maintenance Tips
Maintenance
Natural Stone is popular flooring choices in homes because they’re allergen-friendly, durable and are worth the investment. The only downside is that many types of stone have porous surfaces that can trap soils and bacteria. Anyone who has attempted to clean stone or grout lines knows how daunting the task is with little results. Instead of putting yourself through the stress of cleaning your grout, let the professionals do the work.
At The Most Thorough, our cleaning technicians are trained and certified to perform cleaning on a wide variety of natural stone surfaces. Contact us today to schedule a cleaning.
Avoid General Cleaners
General cleaners not specifically formulated for natural stone or tile are never recommended. These can break down the sealer, thereby removing its protective properties and making the stone and tile grout susceptible to stains. Even worse, many cleaning products (including those that contain lemon, vinegar, bleach or ammonia) can etch away the polish, discolor the surface, or even scratch your stone.
Many cleaners have a cleaning agent in them, which breaks down and dissolves minerals in hard water. Since all stone is made up of minerals, these types of cleaners will dissolve and cause streaks over prolonged use.
Limestone
Limestone is similar to marble in that it’s sensitive to acids and household cleaners containing cleaning agents. It varies in hardness and sometimes will have fossil imprints. We offer cleaning, honing, polishing, and sealing of limestone. For best results, have your limestone sealed and use a neutral stone cleaner.
Marble
Marble is softer and more porous than most stones. It scratches easily and etches easily. Marble is sensitive to acids in many different food items (including citrus products, sodas, etc.) and the chemical agents in household cleaners. We offer rust and stain removal as well as cleaning, polishing, and sealing of marble floors and countertops. For best results, have your marble sealed and use a neutral stone cleaner.
Travertine
Travertine is limestone that has been formed by hot springs. Travertine is similar to marble in that it can be polished, and is sensitive to acids and household cleaners. We offer cleaning, honing, polishing, sealing and enhancement sealers for Travertine. For best results, have your travertine sealed and use a neutral stone cleaner.
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic stone usually black, gray or green. It’s not acid sensitive, but prolonged use of household cleaners with chelating agents can cause streaking and dullness. We offer slate cleaning, sealing or enhancers that bring out the deep rich natural color of slate. For best results, have your slate sealed and use a neutral stone cleaner.
Granite
Granite is extremely hard and not as porous as other natural stones. Though not acid-sensitive, prolonged use of household cleaners with chelating agents will cause streaking and can be a homeowner’s nightmare. We offer cleaning and sealing of granite countertops and floors.
Terrazzo
Terrazzo appears more uniform than most natural stones and is available in tile form or by a pouring application on the slab. Terrazzo is a mixture of Portland cement and marble chips; these chips can range in size from a fraction of an inch to as large as several inches. We offer Terrazzo cleaning, polishing and sealing. For best results, have your terrazzo sealed and use a neutral stone cleaner.
Trust The Most Thorough Professional Services
If you’re looking for a service that successfully caters to your natural stone needs, look no further than The Most Thorough! Our focus is simple: make our clients happy with the work we do. We deliver high quality work through meticulous cleaning processes that leave your natural stone shining and looking like new. Your natural stone deserves a worthy investment. With us, you’re guaranteed changes that are durable, long-lasting, and that look fabulous.
