When water and dirt hit your stone floors, it’s important to be vigilant in keeping them clean. With the winter approaching and messy weather drawing near, stone floors can take a beating if not properly protected and maintained.

Knowing as much as you can about the material and its care means less labour, a cleaner facility, and a lasting impression on visitors to the building. Here are some of the factors to consider when maintaining and caring for your facility’s stone floors:

• All stone is porous, but there are varying levels of absorption. This means that where you have different types of stone, you will need to vary the amounts and types of cleaning products used.
• Cleaning products can damage the surface of your flooring if the pH levels are too high or too low. Consider sticking to pH-neutral products to mitigate the risk of damaging your stone floors.
• With stone being so porous, spills, stains, and traffic patterns will start to show and will become very difficult to remove. Protect the stone with a sealant that will keep substances remaining on the surface of the floors.
• Sealants don’t last forever, so keep the stone protected by re-sealing every four to six years for high-traffic areas, and more frequently for areas with high moisture.
• Keep mopping to a minimum, as it can wear away at the sealant and is more likely to cause grout discolouration over time.
• Be gentle when cleaning these floors. If abrasive products or tools are used, the stone can become scratched or damaged. Use non-abrasive materials to maintain your floors, and the correct floor buffers when completing a deep clean.
• Equipment like vacuums can also scratch the surface, so use brooms and vacuums with soft attachments to treat your stone carefully to prolong its life.
• Consider your floors’ finishes. Polished floors may need polishing, while honed surfaces can be dulled with certain cleaning agents. Switch up your cleaning products for each floor to keep them lasting all year.

Keep your natural floors looking and performing their best by taking these tips for cleaning and maintaining them properly.