Preventative
Maintenance
Cleaning
Methods
Sweeping : The old fashioned broom is still a valuable
part of everyday maintenance of any floor surface - stone included.
It is very important to remove soils from flooring surfaces
before they get ground into the floor. Soils are abrasive. The
more often soils are removed the longer the floor will retain
the original appearance. Use a broom with a bristle that matches
your surface. A soft broom or brush is recommended for smooth
surfaces. A medium-soft bristle is ideal for textured surfaces.
Vacuum : A good vacuum cleaner works better on textured
surfaces than a broom and is very efficient. Use a vacuum on
any horizontal surface when large areas are involved as it is
faster than sweeping in most cases.
Damp Poming : A damp mop is capable of picking up microscopic
abrasive soils and potential staining agents. Damp mopping is
recommended for most smooth surfaces on a regular basis. Best
done after sweeping or vacuum.
Washing :It is necessary to wash a floor regularly. The
job conditions will dictate frequency. The most frequent problems
encountered with stone floors are related to the floor simply
not getting effectively washed often enough.
Rinsing : Rinsing is one of the most critical steps in
regular floor maintenance. Dirty mop water residue is common
and a cause for much complaint. A two bucket rinse method is
highly effective in keeping floors from graying out due to soil
residues.
Cleaning Chemicals
Soaps : Natural soaps are low-tech, inexpensive and user
friendly. They are also capable of providing a sealing and/or
dressing function for stone floors. Vegetable based soaps are
best. Specialty soaps formulated for use on stone are highly
recommended and desirable on most natural stone floors and other
stone surfaces.
Detergents : These are synthetic surface-active agents
(surfactants) that are very good at picking up soils and emulsifying
grease and oil. They make water "wetter" and more effective
for cleaning purposes. The detergent used for stone cleaning
should be carefully evaluated for compatibility with the stone.
Detergents are typically used with water and may determine the
pH of the cleaning solution. Detergents tend to leave the stone
very "raw" or absorbent and residues will make water penetration
into the stone more effective.
Acids : These are used for removing grout haze, removing
mineral dposits and for rust removal. Acidic products attack
lime and cement. Use caution with acids and acidic pH products
as they attack the polish on marnbles and limestone. Phosphoric
acid, citric acid and sulfamoc acid is preferred to muriatic,
sulphuric and hydrocloric acids in almost all situations due
to safety and control issues.
Abrasives : Abrasives are sometimes useful as a cleaning
agent but should be limited to non-polished surfaces. Abrasives
may be combined with detergents or soaps for scouring a surface
and removing thin layers from the surface. There are many different
types of materials used as abrasives - soft abrasives may be
composed of nut shells or feldspars, hard abrasives can be silica
quartz, carbide or even diamond.
Bleaches : Bleaches are typically oxidizing agents (generate
oxygen) and are useful in stain removal. Enzyme types are available
which are non-hazardous.
