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First, Know Your Stone.
Natural stone can be classified into two general categories according to its composition: siliceous stone or calcareous stone. Knowing the difference is critical when selecting cleaning products. Siliceous stone is composed mainly of silica or quartz-like particles. It tends to be very durable and relatively easy to clean with mild acidic cleaning solutions. Types of siliceous stone include: granite, slate, sandstone, quartzite, brownstone, and bluestone. Calcareous stone is composed mainly of calcium carbonate. It is sensitive to acidic cleaning products and frequently requires different cleaning procedures than siliceous stone. Types of calcareous stone include: marble, travertine, limestone, and onyx. What may work on siliceous stone may not be suitable on calcareous surfaces. What Type of Stone Is It? 1. Consult with a professional stone supplier, installer, or a restoration specialist to help identify whether your stone is siliceous or calcareous. 2. Conduct a visual identification of the stone. While there are exceptions, the following characteristics are common: • Granites have a distinct crystal pattern or small flecks; very little veining. • Limestones are widely used as a building stone. Colors are typically gray, tan, or buff. A distinguishing characteristic of many limestones is the presence of shell and/or fossil impressions. • Marbles are usually veined, fine-textured materials that come in virtually unlimited color selections. • Sandstones vary widely in color due to different minerals and clays found in the stone. Sandstone is light gray to yellow or red. • Slates are dark green, black, gray, dark red, or multi-colored. They are most commonly used as a flooring material and for roof tiles and are often distinguished by distinct cleft texture. Some notable cladding projects have also included slate. How to clean floors The most important thing when cleaning stone is to not use a cleaner that is too alkaline or too acid. Both can remove the finish or shine from the floor. Always use a neutral cleaner when dealing with any natural stone. A pH of 7 is neutral. Anything below 7 is acidic, which can eat away the sealant and cause etching. Above 7 is alkaline , which is great for removing grease and grime, but can leave a damaging residue if it’s not properly rinsed and neutralized. When looking for products to clean your floors look for the words “neutral,” “residue free,” and “pH 7” on product labels. With a residue free neutral cleaner you will not leave behind any acidic or alkaline residue that could damage your floors. The method we recommend to clean and maintain your stone and ceramic floors is use a spray bottle with neutral cleaner and a microfiber mop. Lightly spritz neutral floor cleaner on your floor and let it sit for a minute so the solution can grab the dirt. Use a microfiber towel on the counters and a microfiber mop on your floors to pick up the dirt. This picks up the cleaner with the dirt and minimizes the amount of dirty liquid that may get into the grout lines or holes in a stone floor. When you are cleaning your floors you can throw your microfiber pads in the washer and use it time and time again. Using neutral cleaners also leave your counters and floors residue free which allows the light to reflect and produce the attractive shine. Try this method for an improved short and long term maintenance of your hard surfaces.
What Products Not To Clean Your Floors With
Sunshine Coast Professional Cleaning & Property Maintenance Company is a leading house cleaning company on Sunshine Coast BC. Offering cleaning services in Sechelt, Halfmoon Bay and Gibsons BC. To learn more contact us: Website: http//:www.home-makers.ca Email: [email protected] Phone: 604-803-4740 Comments are closed.
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