Slate floor cleaning is essential because soil and spills will damage the surface and hard to keep clean.
Slate is formed from natural stone, that is porous and soaks up liquids.
Sealers, wax and coatings make Slate floors much easier to clean.
Eventually, the wax or sealer will wear and the floor will start to absorb soils and spills.
A vacuum cleaner or soft brush, microfiber mop and water-based cleaning solution are the best ways to clean slate floors.
You can use many different tools to clean your floor. You need to know which one will work best for you.
The table below, examines some of the most popular tools on the market today.
A HEPA filter dry vacuum cleaner, soft brush or a microfiber dry mop will remove dry soils.
When you use a vacuum cleaner, make sure to use a soft brush attachment to protect the slate.
A hard brush attachment can scratch the slate.
A damp microfiber mop is best to damp wipe the floor.
If you suffer from back issues or arthritis, a microfiber flat mop may be easier for you to use.
You should mop the floor with a water-based cleaning solution because it will remove the soil residues and will not damage the slate or the existing sealer.
Mopping will leave your floor clean and shiny.
Maintaining slate floors requires regular sweeping and mopping.
To keep your slate floors looking great, it is important to know how often to sweep and damp mop them.
When it comes to damp mopping and sweeping slate floors, there are some things you should remember.
You should clean your slate floors at least 2 times a week.
If you have a heavy traffic area, pets or children, you should increase the frequency to avoid a buildup of soils.
Before you damp mop, always remove dry soil by sweeping or vacuuming with a HEPA vacuum cleaner.
A microfiber damp mop will remove more soil than an old-style cotton mop.
It is crucial that pet owners are diligent and clean up after their pets.
Weekly cleaning should take place throughout the year.
If you need to deep clean your floor and reseal your floor then try to avoid the winter months.
Slate restoration is best undertaken in the spring or summer when the weather is warmer as you will need to have your windows open to help the floor dry after cleaning and sealing.
There are three types of sealer for a slate floor
An impregnating or penetrating sealer soaks into the pores of the tiles, giving a natural matt finish.
Floor Wax can be applied directly to the slate or preferably after an impregnating sealer.
The wax gives added protection and helps make the tiles, especially if they have a rough finish, easier to clean.
Topical Urethane or Acrylic sealers site on the surface of the slate as a sacrificial wear layer.
These sealers are similar to a thick layer of varnish.
They give the slate a sheen or gloss finish.
Topical sealers are great for rough finish slates because they make the slate easier to clean.
If you want to keep your patio clean, sweep it regularly to remove dry soil and plant material.
Decomposing soil and plants release chemicals that can stain your patio.
At least once per week sweep and wash down your patio with clean water.
If there are difficult marks, use a slate-friendly cleaner to remove the marks.
Check the sealer and reseal any areas that are showing signs of sealer wear.
You can use a lot of different things on your slate patio.
There are a lot of different types of sealer available.
Make sure to use a sealer that is made for use outdoors.
Outdoor sealers contain ingredients to minimise damage from ultraviolet light.
Outdoor slate sealers should be anti-slip to prevent accidents
Don't be tempted to use traditional paint to protect your patio.
Paints will discolour the slater, covering the natural beauty of the stone.
Removing paints is difficult and messy.
After reading the above, I hope you haver a better understanding of why you should clean slate floors and surrounding issues.