Natural stone has been used on floors and walls for centuries and requires a cleaning and maintenance regime to keep them in top tip showroom condition. The following instructions are a guide to cleaning them, helping you ensure that your stone surfaces will remain protected and easy to clean for many years. Let’s take a step back and look at how following correct installation procedures will aid the cleaning and maintenance of your natural stone tiles long after the tiler has completed the job.
Tile Installation Matters
Always use the correct adhesive. We recommend using a white rapid set flexible adhesive such as Kerakoll Marmorex. Marmorex is specially formulated for fixing natural stone tiles and your tiler will thank you for buying it as it’s made in part from microbeads of natural carrara stone, making it smooth and easy to work with, particularly when installing heavy large format tiles. Using Marmorex white rapid set adhesive will also prevent the common installation problem of the surface developing patchy blotches. This is caused by the use of grey slow-set adhesive which can stain the surface as moisture is drawn from the underside of the tile to the surface of the tile by capillary action.
Sealing Natural Stone Tiles
All natural stone tiles are porous therefore require sealing. However, before sealing it’s a good idea to clean the newly laid surface with LTP Grimex to remove the grease, dirt and grime accumulated during the installation process. This will help prevent impurities from being sealed into the pores of the tile allowing those pores to fill with sealer, and for the sealer to work effectively. Sealing tiles will make the surface water and oil repellent, prevent stains, aid cleaning and simplifies the removal of surface stains. We recommend LTP Mattstone for honed and tumbled surfaces such as Stonestores Bancroft limestone, and LTP MPG sealers for shiny polished natural stone such as Stonestores Italian classic Bianco Carrara Marble. Sealing once before and once after grouting, we recommend touching up the protective treatment every 3-4 years.
Aftercare Cleaning
You’ve made sure the correct adhesive is used, done a pre-seal clean, and sealed the tiles, now all that remains is aftercare cleaning. LTP Waxwash is a high-quality liquid soap suitable for all types of natural stone, including polished marble and tumbled limestone. A gentle cleaner containing a trace of linseed oil especially formulated to clean the most delicate surfaces. Ideal for use on travertine, limestone, sandstone, slate, marble, granite, porcelain, terracotta, terrazzo, concrete, quarry tiles and flagstones, it has a fresh, clean fragrance. Simply dilute two or three capfuls (five on dirtier floors) in a bucket of warm water. Wash the floor and allow to dry. Does not require rinsing, polished finished will benefit from buffing with a dry soft cloth. For advice on which type of natural stone tiles are most suitable for your project, call Stonestore on 0161 277 6850, for technical information.