

You can do a quick test by dropping a little bit of water on the floor and seeing if it sits on the surface (as it should do) or starts to absorb into the floor (in which case it might be time to re-seal).' 'A stone floor will require re-sealing every few years to ensure maximum protection from stains. In any case, there shouldn’t be any need to scrub at spillages if you act in a timely fashion since the sealant will form a protective layer to the tiles,' he says. 'General household cleaning products may be too abrasive and can damage sealants, as can good old-fashioned scrubbing. He advises against using generic cleaning products to clean a stone floor, and even warns against using a scrubbing brush.

These are formulated to be effective cleansers but also to be gentle on the sealants which are protecting the floor.' 'The floor can then be given a quick wash with a recommended, product-specific cleaning product. 'The best way to maintain a fully sealed stone floor is to sweep or vacuum it regularly to remove surface dirt,' adds Roby-Welford. Our bathroom floor tile ideas include stunning stone designs. Once the stone is sealed, spillages won’t permeate the surface and can simply be wiped away. 'A stone floor can actually even improve with the patina of age but it's really important to follow the product-specific recommendations when you’re installing stone. 'One of the key things to remember about natural stone is that it’s porous so sealing will protect it from stains and keep it looking its best for years to come.'

'Once your stone floor is clean, you should protect it from water and staining with a specialist stone floor sealer. Ideally, finish with either a specialist stone floor wax or - for a more durable surface on high foot traffic areas - a specialist protective coating.'Ĭolin Roby-Welford, creative director at Fired Earth agrees that a stone floor should be sealed to keep it looking good. 'If you're working with new stone,' says Morris. It's important to protect your stone, particularly in a high-traffic or area of high humidity. Once you've banished dust and grit you can move to the next stage of cleaning your stone floor. 'Scratches will be much more visible and worn out vacuum heads can cause lots of damage,' they say. In fact, the experts at Beswick Stone advise against vacuuming if the floor is made of dark stone or slate.

You'll need to make sure the vacuum cleaner itself is in good condition and that there is no risk of the stone floor being damaged by worn, rough-edged wheels and attachments. Most stone surfaces can be brushed with a soft brush, or gently vacuumed with the correct hard floor attachment. The first stage of cleaning a stone floor is to dry clean the surface to remove any loose dust, sand or grit.
#Best way to clean slate floors how to
(Image credit: Malcolm Menzies) How to clean old stone floors
