How to Protect and Maintain Natural Stone Tiles

To make sure the natural stone tiles in your home and around your pool stay pristine for a long time, use these tips to properly clean and care for them.

Creating an outdoor patio with natural stone patio pavers is a great investment for any homeowner, and typically recoups about half the cost of installation. Natural stone flooring can be a significant investment for homeowners.

While it may seem tough and indestructible, stone flooring still has some weaknesses. So, you must learn how to properly maintain natural stone tiles to keep them in pristine condition.

Do you want to learn more about natural stone maintenance for your home and around your pool? Keep reading this guide for the top tips to protect and maintain different types of natural stone tiles. 

Seal Your Stone

One of the most important parts of natural stone maintenance is sealing your stone. This is especially important when you have natural stone tiles near your pool or other areas of your home with high traffic. 

You should seal your natural stone tiles immediately after installation and every few years following the installation. 

Not only will this protect your natural stone tiles from wearing out and staining, but it will also protect them from water damage. 

Protect Stone From Water

Because some types of natural stone are porous, it makes them more susceptible to water damage and staining.

However, most stone sealers protect your stone from this type of damage. Still, there are other steps that you can take to protect your natural stone from water. For example, if you have stone tile near your swimming pool, you should prioritize water level management.

Keeping your water level several inches below the pool's coping will ensure that your stone tiles are not constantly saturated with water. You must also regularly seal your stone tile if you have natural stone tiles in wet areas of your home, like a bathroom. 

Remove Spills and Debris

Natural stone flooring can easily stain if spills or debris are left too long without being cleaned up. Because of this, it is essential that you clean up any spills or messes on your stone tiles as soon as possible. 

For example, if you have natural stone tile near your pool, foliage from plants may stain the stone if it is left too long on the surface. To prevent this, you should sweep your patio and pool deck every few days and hose it off to avoid staining. 

Similarly, you need to be cautious with spills on natural stone tiles in your home. If you spill a drink or brightly colored food on your tile, make sure you wipe it up immediately to prevent the stain from seeping inside the porous stone. 

If you do have stains on your natural stone floor, you must learn to remove them to avoid further damage. First, you should never wipe the area with a stain, as this can spread out the spill and make the stain worse.

Instead, you should flush the stained area with clean water and mild soap. 

Use a Cleaner With a Neutral pH

Using the right cleaner will help you keep your stone flooring in good condition for as long as possible. 

It is best to avoid pool tile cleaners that are acidic, as this can damage the sealant and the stone flooring. Instead, you must always use a pH-neutral cleaner for your regular cleaning and maintenance. 

You should also avoid using harsh cleaners on your stone, like tile cleaners or cleaning homemade solutions with lemon juice or vinegar. Using a neutral cleaner will help you keep your stone clean without damaging the tiles or the sealant 

Avoid Abrasive Cleaners

Not only do you need to be cautious with the types of tile cleaners you use on your natural stone tile, but you also need to avoid abrasive cleaners. Using scouring pads or other rough cleaning products to clean your stone will scratch the surface of your floor. 

Instead, you should only use soft cloths and materials when cleaning your natural stone surfaces. This includes soft dust mops, microfiber cloths, and more.

If you vacuum the surface of your natural stone flooring, you should also avoid using metal attachments or worn-out plastic attachments. These can also scratch the surface of your flooring and may do more harm than good. 

Frequently Clean the Natural Stone Tile

Finally, regular cleaning is necessary if you want your natural stone tile to last. Small things, like dust, can easily start to wear down the surface of your stone tiles if it is tracked around. Regular cleaning will prevent unnecessary wear and tear of your natural stone tiles.

Using a dry dust mop can help you remove dirt and debris that may scratch the surface of your stone flooring. 

If you have an outdoor patio or pool area with natural stone, you should flush the stones with clean water at least once a month. This can help you remove contaminants that may cause more damage to the stone in the future. 

You can also use a mild bleach and water mixture to remove moss or algae and to prevent staining near your pool. 

Need Help Maintaining Natural Stone Tiles?

When you have natural stone tiles near your pool or in your home, learning more about natural stone care is necessary to keep them in perfect condition. Following each of these tips for maintaining and cleaning natural stone flooring can help you protect your investment.

If you need help with natural stone maintenance, LayorCare Pool & Patio Protection can help. We offer pool and patio protection products and can help you find the right solution for caring for your natural stone flooring. 

Contact us today to learn more about natural stone maintenance!