Monday 30 November 2015

Some Useful Guidelines for Tile & Grout Cleaning and Natural Stone Maintenance


Bathroom cleaning is an important task and is necessary to keep it hygienic. The ingredients of commercial cleaners are often harsh chemicals that can disturb the delicate PH balance of your natural stone surface. These strong chemicals will also affect the stone’s mineral layers and destroy the overall look and feel. 
 Some cleaners also have lemon or vinegar composition which are acidic and can etch the surface. Thus it’s clear that even though commercial cleaners do clean your bathroom, they can affect the tiles and grout. This will necessitate frequent repairing or even replacing the tiles with the passage of time.

Recommended cleaning products such as stone soaps and cleaners are PH balanced and designed to gently penetrate porous surfaces of natural stones and lift in-grained dirt. If you want safe and effective bathroom cleaning, you should call for professional stone repairing and cleaning services.

Grout Sealing   

Sealing the grout is a must to safeguard it from damages. Sealing helps the grout looking its best and last longer. After thorough cleaning of the tile and grout, leave it dry and then apply the sealer. You can use either penetrating sealer or membrane sealer. Penetrating sealers get absorbed into the grout and require to be applied once in 3 years. Whereas the membrane sealers protect the tile and grout by forming a barrier and they need to be refreshed once in two years. While applying the sealer, follow the grout lines and apply using pen like applicator. If the tiles are glazed you can spray or brush the sealer over the surface. After it gets dried apply the second coat.

Natural Stone Honing 

Water ring and spots: It commonly occurs in marble and other natural stones due to etching or hard water minerals such as magnesium and calcium that are left behind when water gets evaporated forming spot or rings. Professional honing can restore the stone from this water rings and spots.

White stun marks: They appear commonly in certain type of marbles which are tiny explosions of the stone. The marks are caused by pin point pressures which may be due to blunt pointed instruments or women’s high heels. They are difficult to remove and may need honing or grinding by stone restoration specialists. 

Stone Polishing and Diamond Grinding

The best and optimal method to restore the stone is mechanical abrasion which is also called as diamond grinding. Stone restoration done with diamond grinding will retain its fresh look longer than the same done with other methods like honing powders, sanding screens and paste polishes. It may cost you more initially but can be done once in 4-6 years instead of 1 to 2 years with other methods.

High quality granite is very resistant to damage, but the stone will chip if hard or heavy object hits the weak corner. Cracking can also result if there are errors in installation or fabrication. Some stones that are sold as granite absorb cooking oil easily and it darkens the surface significantly. Only through poultice you can remove these stains. Stone containing calcium gets etched and whitened by acidic substances like vinegar, citric juices etc. These stones are marked as granite but true granite doesn't get acid etching. The sealers also get damaged by these acidic substances.   

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