How to care about the natural stone surfaces
If you have something made from a natural stone, it means that you purchased to your home one of the most wonderful thing all over the World. Natural stone surface has been created by the Nature for millions of years. Every step of the way: quarrying, slabbing, fabrication and installation has been dedicated to providing a perfect look, unachievable with any other material. Now, the rest is up to you. Simple care and maintenance will help you preserve your stone beauty for other generations to come. Taking care of your stone is not that much than taking care of a fine piece of mahogany or oak furniture.
Care must be taken to preserve and maintain quality. In this article we would like to provide you with the short routine cleaning guidelines as well as procedures for stain removal which should become necessary. If any situation arises, where you do not feel comfortable trying to remove a stain or other blemish, you can also ask for help the manufacturer who sold you your stone. Your natural stone surface, may have been sealed before you have bought it. If so, you have another level of protection above the natural wear properties.
If you are unsure whether the surface has been sealed, ask your contractor. He should recommend you the sealer which will be the most suitable for stone you bought. When natural stone is sealed, a penetrating sealer is used to provide time to wipe up spills. You should also ask how often the surface should be resealed because different stones have different porosities. Marble and Limestone are sometimes used in areas where the food is being prepared. However, granite is predominant choice in these areas. When it comes to preventive steps to avoid floor damage, you should dust mop interior floors using a clean, non-treated dry dust mop.
Sand, grit and dirt do the most damage to Natural stone surfaces due to their abrasiveness. Because this reason, we also recommend using mats or area rugs inside or outside an entrance what will help minimize the amount of materials which will scratch a stone floor. You should not also use the vacuum cleaner which has worn paths. The metal or plastic attachments or wheels may scratch the surface as well. Moreover, keep in mind that Petrolium-based soaps and detergents should be avoided, because they tend to dull surfaces over time.
In this way, the best option to protect your marble or granite floors is to use a dry mop, then hot clean water and a cotton cloth for more heavy-duty cleaning. In a bathroom or other wet areas, you can minimize the scum by using a squeegee frequently. You can also use non-acidic soap scum remover, or a solution of ammonia and water. However, remember that frequent or over-use of ammonia may dull the surface of the stone. If you have an outdoor pool or patio, flush stone surfaces with clear water. To remove algae or moss, use a mild bleach solution.
