Natural stone and man made tile can add a beautiful elegance to any home. However, if it is not looked after properly, your natural stone could be left looking dull and lifeless. As professional grout and tile cleaners, we know exactly how to best care for and maintain your natural stone surfaces to keep them looking amazing. Here are a few of our favorite DIY tips and tricks for cleaning tile and natural stone without leaving streaks.
Clean as You Go
The best way to keep up with your stone care is to take care of it consistently. Staying on top of your stone care makes long-term maintenance much easier. Make sure to use mats in high traffic areas and sweep at least once each week. This will make it less likely for any abrasive grime to scratch your tile surfaces. Don’t forget to shake out your mats often, so you aren’t tracking dirt around, and use a soft cloth to wipe up spills as they happen so you can avoid permanent staining.
Use the Right Cleaning Products
Choosing the right cleaning product is the most important things to take into consideration when cleaning your stone tile. It’s essential to use cleaning products specifically formulated for use on natural stone. If you do not have a stone cleaner readily available, consider using another alkaline cleaner. Any mild neutral liquid soap with a pH of 7 will be safe to use; your average liquid dish soap will do the trick.
Avoid Air drying
Air drying can leave streaks and spots on your surfaces. Make sure to always dry your natural stone using a microfiber towel or a blow dryer immediately after cleaning to avoid water spots. This will ensure your tile will stay looking vibrant, bright, and streak-free.
Be Gentle
Natural stone may be strong, but it is also sensitive. Be gentle when working with it. Damp mop floors often to wipe away abrasive particles that could scratch your surfaces. And most importantly, remember not to drag furniture, vacuums, or any other heavy items across the floor to avoid cracks and gouges that can lead to more intense problems down the line.
Skip the Steam
Although steam can be an effective way to clean and sanitize without using chemicals, it can damage your natural stone if not used properly. The heat of the steam can cause expansion and contraction of the stone, which can weaken and damage your surfaces over time, as well as create a myriad of other problems such as pitting and flaking of the stone surface.
Steam may also make grout harder to renew in the future, leaving you with grout coloring as the only option. This is because it opens the pores of the grout and without a professional extraction process, it can cause grease stains to settle deeper over time. This is less important for non-sanded grout. See this blog post to better understand the differences between sanded and non-sanded grout.
Finally, Consider Calling the Pros
So, you’ve taken all our excellent advice, but you still have some difficult tile and grout stains? The best way to take care of your natural stone and tile is to call in the professionals. Phoenix Tile And Grout Cleaning has been cleaning, maintaining, and restoring floors for well over two decades. Call us today and let us take care of your beautiful natural stone surfaces and leave them clean, refreshed, and looking good as new.
