We know Granite as a resilient and durable material that needs marginal maintenance. You get immense benefits of paving with Granite. However, like all natural stones, this too needs occasional cleanup. Cleaning Granite pavers is a professional task and an expensive one too! Here are some tips to maintain and care for your Granite pavers so that they keep looking great for years to come.
Some tips to keep in mind while buying/using a cleaner
· Do not buy or use acid to clean Granite. Despite being hard and dense, it can react strongly. Acids can harm the sealant’ protection and stain Granite forever. Therefore, it is advisable to use a less potent cleaner.
· Several cleaning solutions are available in the market. Please read the product label to ensure the product is suitable for clean granite pavers.
· Granite pavers should be thoroughly wet before using a cleaner.
· Doing a patch test is the most sensible thing to do before using strong/acidic solutions.
Cleaning stains and treating common problems
Exfoliated finish Granite like Highland Grey or Austral Verde do not resist food spills as they absorb them and leave a stain. Here are some suggestions for you follow while cleaning stains.
· Food stains, spills or tyre marks should be cleaned immediately. As recommended above, a neutral cleaner and mild scrubbing would treat the stains.
· For tenacious oil and grease stains, mix clean water with ammoniated water in a ratio of 20:1 and scrub. Follow this with a pH neutralizer and finish with hose cleaning or wet vacuum.
· Moulds is another common problem in Granite pavers installed in dark, shady or humid places. Brush the areas rigorously in dry condition wil help you get rid of moulds.
· For dirt and grime, simply sweep the pavers or occasional hose wash them. In areas with high footfall, ride-on cleaning machine will do the job smoothly. This is advised to be done every 3-4 weeks.
Indoor and outdoor applications
· Granite floors indoors can be cleaned with pH neutral detergent without excessive rinsing. This will avoid build up or yellowing. Advisable to mop once or twice a week.
· For outdoor pavers, high pressure spraying with mild detergent does the job most of the times. However, do take care that the grout joints are not disturbed.
Important points for sealing
· If you have replaced your broken Granite pavers or they have been exposed to harsh chemicals/UV rays, do apply a sealer. We recommend a penetrating sealer that gets absorbed into the surface of the paver without leaving a sheen on top of the surface. They reduce the absorbency of Granite and do not affect the stone’s slip resistance.
· Sealing will prevent ingress of dirt and grime and will facilitate easy cleaning in future. Once sealed properly, Granite pavers would need less maintenance apart from occasional cleaning or stain removal.
In short
As evident from its use, the type of cleaning and its frequency depends on the area, traffic, and requirements of the space. Granite being one of the most durable stones will never disappoint you in terms of physical wearing or weather resistance. Since all natural stones have different properties, none of them would have the exact maintenance practices. Check out our blog on maintenance of Travertine floors.
*Disclaimer: All information and advice given above in the blog are to the best of our knowledge. Please reconfirm at your end before execution.
