Paving areas outside and inside homes such as patios, pool decks, bathrooms, kitchens, and shared areas with natural stone is highly popular in Australia. The reason for their popularity is that natural stones are highly durable and beautify the spaces. Also, travertine, marble, limestone, and other natural stone are readily available in both large slabs and tiles thanks to leading Natural Stone Suppliers in Australia.
While you can furnish all the areas with natural stone tiles, maintaining them is pivotal in ensuring they serve you for a long time. To help you ensure the longevity of natural stones at home, we present some DIY tips in the blog post.
Protect and Cover the Surfaces
The biggest threat to natural stone flooring is the dirt that comes with shoes. To avoid the damage to the stone, keep mats with a non-stick backing at all entry points and carpet runners in certain areas to limit the dirt. Similarly, use decorative trays for cosmetics, toiletries and bath products, and coasters for drinks to protect the countertops. Remember to clean the mats, coasters, and trays regularly to keep them effective.
Dust 'mop' the Surfaces
While protecting the surfaces is crucial, keeping them clean is also imperative. Regularly clean the surfaces with either a clean, dry, non-treated dust mop or a wet mop dipped in a mixture of specially formulated stone cleaning agents in hot water. Avoid vacuuming the stone as it may chip the stone.
Wipe the Spills Immediately
While spilling water is common, it might not affect the stone as intensely as spilling of acidic materials like tomato sauce, ketchup, carbonated beverages. It is, therefore, recommended to clean the spillages quickly using hot water or a stone cleaning product, if available, to prevent the fluid from penetrating the stone matrix.
Seal the Natural Stones
Although sealing the natural stone is not necessary, it is advisable for homes with young children or pets. There are two types of sealants you can choose:
- Surface or topical sealants - they form a protective coating on the stone's surface, which enhances the stones' colours and texture. This results in an attractive, glossy finish (especially in case of natural stone tiles), and also makes it easy to sweep, clean or wipe the natural stones surface.
- Penetrating sealants or impregnators - they do not visibly change the look of the stone, unlike surface sealants. Applying penetrating sealant forms an invisible protective barrier below the surface of the stone, which acts as a repellent blocking contaminants from entering the pores and cavities of the stone.
Re-seal the Surfaces
Re-sealing the surfaces is only required when the flooring or the surface tiles become old and lose their lustre. You can determine whether the surface needs re-sealing by comparing the absorption rate of water on two sites of the surface. One can be a protected section, i.e, area under a mat and second can be a worn-out section, i.e, doorway. If the surface of the worn-out section absorbs water more quickly than the protected section, re-sealing might be a good idea. While re-sealing the surface ensure you use the same type of sealant as earlier.
Final Words
Natural stone flooring and countertops are a beautiful part of décor. Their luxurious appeal is always a selling point for home-owners. If you stay mindful and care for the stones following the measures detailed in the blog, they can look like new for decades. You may even turn to professional cleaners at least once a year for assistance. Furthermore, ensure you procure natural stones tiles and slabs from a reliable natural stone supplier in Australia as only they can provide you with high-quality natural stones.
*Disclaimer: All information and advice given above in the blog are to the best of our knowledge. Please reconfirm at your end before execution.
