ACID CAN DAMAGE STONE
As there are many different cleaning materials and cleaning products available, it is important to not use methods, which can potentially contribute to the build up of grime or even cause permanent damage.
Where surfaces are in poor condition, the services of a professional floor restoration company may be necessary in order to fully recover stained or damaged areas.
There are many cleaning products available and it is important not to use substances that can actually cause damage. Always fully read the label of any cleaning product even if the product is called “floor cleaner” as many of these products can be very acidic. You should NOT use acid-based cleaners on calcium-based varieties of stone like marble, limestone, or travertine, as they are very sensitive to acids. Acids can etch tiles and grout leaving permanent marks.
Etching can also result from fruit juice, alcohol, soft drinks and other common acidic substances.
You should use a specifically formulated stone care cleaner, and a soft cloth.
Never use vinegar and water or acidic or alkali cleaning products to clean your floors. Powdered cleaners or abrasive pads should not be used on stone flooring as these will often result in scratching, dulling the character of your surfaces.
A general clean using a mop and household cleaners may seem to be working as long as the flooring is not very old, but gradually grime and dirt build up, and the surfaces can begin to look worn and tired, grout lines start to change colour or even become grey or black, and greasy to touch. Mopping floors has a tendency over time to move a lot of the dirt, oils and grime around the floor and transfer it into the lines between the tiles. Grout contains microscopic pores that can absorb containments and dirt like a sponge, making it impossible to clean using off the shelf cleaning products and a mop.
Sealing will make your surfaces stain resistant but not dirt resistant. Sealed surfaces should be cleaned as regularly as non-sealed surfaces. If certain problematic substances come into contact with the surface, they will be much easier to clean, compared to a non-sealed surface.
Sealing is necessary because your grout lines and natural stone surfaces are porous and will absorb spills and oily soils. It can be very difficult to clean or extract these soils once they have deeply penetrated the surface of your grout or stone. The sealing process fills these pores with a clear impregnating sealer, but does not change the appearance of the surface, unless you have chosen a colour enhancing sealer. The sealer will make it easier for you to properly clean the surface, and will protect the surface from becoming deeply, permanently stained.
Etch marks are often confused with a stain. Etching is however caused by soft drink, coffee, lemon juice and other common acidic substances that can instantly eat away at the stone. A stain is a mark that has penetrated the stone but not damaged the surface.
THE PH BALANCE SCALE
Acidic: Being or containing an acid; having a pH of less than 7.
Alkaline: Relating to or containing an alkali; having a pH greater than 7.
Neutral: Having neither acid nor basic properties, it is neither acidic nor alkaline. On the pH scale it has a rating of 7.
Rules for Stone and Tile Cleaning
Do not use too much water. Excessive water can be absorbed by the grout lines and contribute to tile and grout contamination.
DO NOT use anything acidic to clean calcite-based stone such as marble, limestone or travertine. This can include vinegar, lemon juice and other cleaners.
Clean up spills immediately
Dust floors regularly
Rinse off chemicals. Chemical residue can collect dirt and become sticky.
Always read product labels
Rinse and dry floors after washing
Clean floors with a stone soap or a mild detergent.
Place non-slip mats at entrances to minimize the amount of sand and dirt that is carried across surfaces.
Do not use abrasive materials that can scratch your surface.
Cleaning stone + Concrete
Why use Neutral PH Cleaners?