Natural stones, such as marble, granite, limestone and slate, bring a lot of elegance to any home. Taking care of your natural stone is pretty easy until it gets stained. Fortunately, natural stone stain removal can keep your stone floors or counters looking their best so you don’t have to replace your stone until you’re ready.
Natural Stone Cleaning and Stain Removal
Before you can clean the stain, you need to identify it. You may need to be a detective if you’re uncertain what stained it. Here are some general tips to identify different stains.
- Oil-based – an oil-based stain will make the stone darker. Try mineral spirits or acetone to blot the stain to soak it up. Although you can also use a gentle cleanser, make sure that the cleanser won’t damage the stone. Rinse the cleanser or chemical off the stone.
- Organic stains – an organic stain may not appear until you’ve cleaned up the source of the stain, such as coffee grounds, bird droppings, any type of food or natural products, even urine. Clean up the source of the stain with water if it’s outside. The sun and rain can take care of the stain. For indoor stains, use a mix of 12% hydrogen peroxide with a few drops of ammonia to blot the stain. Rinse fully to remove all traces of chemicals.
- Metals – rust stains are orange to brown in color and usually follow the shape of the item that rusted on the stone. Metal stains may need to be removed by professionals with a poultice who understand natural stone cleaning.
- Mold, Mildew, Algae, or Fungus – Clean with ½ cup of bleach OR ammonia OR hydrogen peroxide mixed with a gallon of water. Do not mix bleach and ammonia because it creates a toxic gas.
- Water spots or small scratches – buff dry with dry 0000 steel wool.
Should I Seal My Natural Stone?
Natural stone sealing is one way to preserve the finish of your natural stone. It’s recommended that most stone be sealed every year for best results, but it can depend on the type of stone and how much traffic it gets. Your kitchen floor may need a yearly sealing, while a dining room floor may go longer between sealants. Deep clean your natural stone floor before sealing. Let the surface dry for 24 to 2 hours before applying sealant. Read the instructions to apply the sealant. Buff the surface once it’s dry to the touch to smooth it out and avoid residue streaks.
Proven Natural Stone Cleaning Professionals
Get the best results when sealing your natural stone by contacting a professional who specializes in cleaning and sealing natural stone. Renaissance Stone Care and Water Proofing can assist you with all types of interior and exterior stone, contact us today for cleaning, stain removal and sealing services.