- Caring for this flooring is first determined as to whether the flooring has been finished with a sealant or not. For sealed floors, floor care consists of regular vacuuming and/or mop dusting to remove soil and abrasive debris. This should be complimented with using a natural pH floor cleaner that will not dull the floor appearance due to a too high a pH. Be sure to rinse the flooring with fresh water to remove all chemical residues, as not doing this may result in a flooring surface that becomes slippery, even when dry. Frequency of cleaning will be determined by soil load and interior activities of the house.
- For non-sealed floors, every consideration should be made to have the floor sealed early in the flooring installation. This is because of the porous nature of particularly stone floors, which will readily absorb visible dirt, stains, and chemicals, resulting in permanent stainage of the flooring surface. If opting to stay with a non-sealed floor, the same cleaning practices are required as with sealed flooring, with increased cleaning frequencies since there is no protective sealant on this type of flooring to protect it from stainage, soil, and abrasion. Because of this, a periodic clean with a high alkaline floor cleaner is required to remove the soil and debris trapped within this flooring’s open pores. Again, be sure to rinse the flooring with fresh water to remove all chemical residues.
- A word of caution should be mentioned about grouting in this flooring application. Wherever and whenever possible, ensure that you have a grouting installed whose coloration is matched to outside climate as well as being sealed with a protective water and dirt sealant, at the installation of the tile flooring. Such proactive thinking will help avoid headaches and aesthetic compromise in later years due to unsightly dirt and stainage penetrating the grout and negatively affecting the overall look of your flooring product.
- Use door mats at outdoor entrances and encourage your family and friends to remove their shoes before walking on this type of flooring. Using entrance matting is the single most important factor in keeping dirt and soil outside of your home and protecting your investment in flooring, including stone, ceramic, and porcelain tile flooring. Though the most durable flooring product on the market, the introduction of fine dirt particles and grit, can do long term damage to even this hardest of flooring surfaces.
