There is nothing more beautiful than natural stone tiles in the home but how do you clean them so that they stay looking fantastic?  Here’s everything that you need to know.

Sealing Stone Tiles

The first and most important step in maintaining and keeping your stone tiles clean is to ensure that they have been properly sealed.  This should have been done as soon as they were installed but re-sealing may have to be performed on a yearly basis.  Choose a sealer that is appropriate for your type of stone and apply it according to your manufacturer’s instructions.  Make sure the sealer is completely dry before using or cleaning the stone at all.

Everyday Cleaning for Stone Tiles

It is easy to care for your stone tiles on a day to day basis.  You should always be sure to wipe up any spills or messes straight away.  Do this by dabbing up the spill or mess, don’t rub it or wipe it.  Once you’ve mopped up the spill, apply clean water to the area, to neutralise any remaining residue.  Wipe up the water quickly.

To actually clean the tiles, all you will need is a mild, pH cleanser specially designed for stone, or alternatively, you can use warm water and microfibre cloth, or a mild dishwashing liquid.  Never use abrasive or acidic cleaners on your stone tiles as they may cause damage such as removing the shine from the stone.  To clean the grout in between the stone, just use a soft bristled brush (a toothbrush is perfect).  Again, make sure to remove all traces of cleanser from the stone by rinsing with clean water, and drying the excess water off afterwards.

For stone tile flooring, make sure that you regularly sweep up all dust and dirt.  Sweeping is better than vacuuming as the vacuum head may scratch the tiles.  Make sure you do it at least once a week but a few times a week is preferred.  You can then mop the floors with gentle cleaner, or even just water.

Cleaning Stone Tiles Outdoors

If you have used stone tiles outside, cleaning them is also an easy process.  Simply sweep them regularly to remove leaves, dirt and other debris.  If you need to, you can use a stiff bristled broom to remove the worst of the debris and then a soft broom to remove smaller particles of dirt and dust.  You can then use plain warm water and a soft broom to gently scrub clean the tiles.  If this is not enough, add a mild stone cleaner or dishwashing detergent to the water.  If you have used a cleaning agent, rinse the tiles with water.  Once you have finished cleaning, use a dry mop to remove excess water.