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Natural Stone Tiles Care Guide

Here are our tips to keep your natural tiles looking as pristine as they deserve.

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How to clean natural stone tiles

Natural stone tiles are a big investment, so it’s important to look after them properly to keep them looking their best. With proper care and regular attention, natural stone tiles will last a lifetime, without having to be changed.

Before purchasing earth stone tiles, it’s important to consider the upkeep that required. They do require a little more work than porcelain or ceramic alternatives, but we think the result is well and truly worth the work.

In this guide we share our top tips for cleaning natural stone wall and floor tiles. We also recommend our favourite cleaning products and techniques.

Cleaning after installation

After you’ve had your tiles professionally fitted, take some time to remove any dirt that may have accumulated during the installation process. This will prevent grime being locked in after sealing.

Natural stone such as slate, travertine and marble are porous, which means they can absorb grease and dirt. With this in mind, we highly recommend sealing tiles with a quality product such as LTP Mattstone or LTP Colour Intensifier straight after installation to prevent staining and keep tiles looking their best. Both are impregnating sealers, so they will fill the open pores of the stone and prevent them from absorbing.

Cleaning products will damage the sealant over time, so you will need to repeat the process every 3-4 years. Before re-sealing the tiles you will need to remove any residue using an intensive cleaner such as LTP Colour Intensifier for walls and LTP Waxwash for floors.

If the seal has become damaged from domestic, off the shelf cleaners, it’s best to use LTP Grimex to remove what is left of the seal along with Built in Grime. Reseal with Mattstone or Colour Intensifier.

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Brushing and vacuuming

First of all, you will need to brush or vacuum the tiles to remove any residue or loose dirt. You should do this using a dry brush with soft bristles, so that you don’t scratch the tiles or cause any unnecessary damage. Make sure your hoover doesn’t have any loose plastic or damaged wheels that could cause scratches or scrapes.

Identify the stone

Next, you will need to identify the type of stone. Different types of stone have different cleaning requirements. For instance, polished stone requires a different set of products to honed stone.

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Cleaning stone tiles

 

Natural stone tiles are prone to staining, so it’s important to clean spillages quickly and efficiently. You should use cleaning products that are specially formulated for use with natural stone to prevent damage to the tiles surface, which can cause the stone to become dull over time. Multi-purpose cleaning solutions should be avoided.

  • Blot spillages immediately with dry kitchen roll or a kitchen cloth to reduce the chance of staining
  • Avoid using harsh chemicals such as bleach or ammonia
  • You should also refrain from using natural acids such as vinegar or lemon juice, especially on marble and travertine
  • Use a specially formulated natural stone cleaner or soap such as LTP Waxwash. Look out for neutral products that are labelled pH 7. Anything below a 7 is too acidic and can cause the sealant to perish. Cleaning products with a pH level above 7 are too alkaline, which can leave a residue
  • Do not use abrasive products such as a scouring pad or a stiff bristle brush on a stubborn stain. Instead, we recommend using a higher concentration of the cleaning fluid and letting it sit for 5 minutes or as instructed on the packaging. This will allow the detergent to penetrate the stain and properly get to work
  • Use warm water and a microfibre cloth in a circular motion to remove
  • After you have cleaned the floor as suggested above rinse with warm and clean water and then dry thoroughly with a towel. This will remove residue and soap streaks

 

Top tips:

Prevention is always better than cure, so we recommend cleaning tiles regularly for the best results. Giving them a quick sweep will protect the tiles against staining and general wear and tear.

We like to clean natural stone floor tiles with a sponge cloth by hand. Mops tend to push dirty water around, which causes pooling in the grout joints. This can cause the grout to discolour and stain quickly.

Invest in some door mats at the entrance to your home. This will help collect dirt and dust particles on shoes and prevent further scratching.

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Grout maintenance

Keeping your grout lines clean will have a huge impact on the general look and feel of your tiles, so careful attention should be paid to ensure they’re looking their best. Use a stone safe grout cleaner with a small and brush to gently remove any grease and grime that has built up. We recommend LTP Stonewash or LTP Waxwash for use with natural stone tiles.