If Your In Need Of Help with Cleaning And Sealing Your Tiles Contact Us
Many home owners use natural stones for floors in their entry ways, living rooms and even kitchens and baths. These types of floors give a home a distinctive style and naturist appeal. Slate is one of the more rustic stones with hints of metal and earth. It is highly durable and comes in many colors, providing a gorgeous way to protect your floors. Even if your budget is small, slate is a good choice if you want a casual country feel to your home.
You’ll be making a good investment with slate since it is very resistant to damage. If you’re building a new home, be sure to protect your slate as soon as it is installed. Sweep the floor to get rid of any dust and dirt. Then remove the dirt with warm water or a neutral cleaner. Just be sure there is no acid in whatever cleaning solution you choose or your floor will begin to break down from the acid. After cleaning your new floor, apply two or three coats of stone sealer with a cotton string mop. Be sure to let each coat dry for 30 minutes before you put on the next coat.
If your home is not brand new, you can still take steps to keep your slate tiles looking new and beautiful. Proper care is the key. Taking a little time on a consistent basis will prevent harm and extend the life of your floor. The main part of caring for a slate tile floor is getting up the sand and dirt particles. This may seem obvious, but most people don’t realize how much dirt and soil comes in off of the bottom of their shoes. Even if you can’t see it, it’s there. Over time, these particles will grind away at your floor’s surface and cause stains to become permanent. Mopping slate tiles with warm water will also keep your floor clean and stain free.
For floors that already have an old finish, use a wax stripper and let it sit for three to five minutes, then use a nylon bristled brush to break up the wax. After that, take a mop to remove all the old wax, and then clean the floor carefully with water. Once this is completed you can seal the slate tiles following the steps above. Regularly resealing floors is the finest deterrence of early wear and stubborn stains.
Even though a sealed slate floor will be easier to take care of, spills should be gotten up immediately. Once a stain sets in, it can be a very tedious task to eliminate. Since grout is very porous by nature, liquids soak right through it, making it an ideal spot for stains to reside. For non-colored grout, spray the stained area with a solution of half hydrogen peroxide and half water. Let it soak for fifteen minutes, and then do it again. Be sure only to use this solution on grout that isn’t colored. The bleach will pull the color right out of the grout. For colored grout, you can try shaving cream, but a test a spot first just to make sure it’s safe on your color. After getting rid of stains on grout, you should reseal again to keep stains away in the future.
If Your In Need Of Help with Cleaning And Sealing Your Tiles Contact Us
