How Should I Clean My Natural-Stone Floors - Without Ruining Them?

Whether it’s time to touch up your home in the months after spring cleaning, or a summer storm has led to mud tracked all over your floors, inevitably, you’re going to need to have an efficient, effective (and preferably) easy way to bring your floors back to square one. We also know that there’s a lot of misinformation out there, and that our granite or other natural-stone floors just aren’t as impervious as they may seem. We need to find a balance between cleaning our floors thoroughly and keeping them in good condition; otherwise, cleaning them is just going to get harder and harder over time. Or, even worse, we’ll accidentally ruin our floors by using an overly harsh product. Wondering what we mean? Let’s see how bad it could get.

Granite Disasters: Floor-Cleaning Horror Stories

One woman was excited to try a grout-cleaning hack that she picked up on TikTok — one that involved using highly toxic, very strong toilet cleaner on grout and surrounding stone. Not only did it fail to work, but she also dissolved her grout and ruined her floor. (Other people who have tried the same hack have managed only to dye their floors bright blue.) From ruining gorgeous marble tile with etch marks from using straight vinegar to leaving soap scum all over granite surfaces, there are many ways to try to clean your floors that likely just won’t cut it. Even leaving standing water or excess moisture on your natural-stone floors can cause a white film to appear — which can be mystifying. This, according to the Natural Stone Institute, may be something called efflorescence—which happens when water draws salts up from the interior of your natural stone. Fortunately, the Natural Stone Institute also has recommendations regarding the proper care and cleaning of stone floors — and so do we.

Follow These Steps to Clean Your Stone Floors with Ease

Whether you’re cleaning marble floors or granite flooring, there are some good practices that you should incorporate into your floor care routine. Clean your floors (reasonably) frequently. You shouldn’t wait until there’s a buildup of grime on your floor — try to incorporate regular cleaning into your weekly or monthly activities. We recommend cleaning natural-stone floors at least monthly, but if they’re in a high-traffic area (or you have children or pets), you may need to clean your floors one to three times a week. Start by sweeping and dusting. The first step in a stone care and cleaning routine is to remove all surface contaminants. However, you don’t want to use a straw mop with lots of prickly, coarse bristles—that could scratch your stone. With a soft dust mop or a wool sweeper, go over every inch of your floor. (You can do this in sections, if it’s easier, or if you need to move furniture strategically.) Use a natural-stone cleaner to lift grease and grime. Forget what the Internet says — harsh DIY cleaners with lemon, vinegar or ammonia are going to harm your floor. Instead, use a stone and tile floor cleaner that was made specifically for stone. This will save you money, effort and headaches over time. Use a soft mop to buff this cleaner into your natural stone, and don’t leave any wet spots if you can! Apply a seal to protect your stone floors. Sealing your stone frequently will leave your stone protected against stains and etches, preventing costly repair and replacement.

Trust the Stone Care Experts to Help You Keep Your Stone Floors Clean

Whether you’re looking for best practices for cleaning your floors or you need assistance after trying a cleaning hack gone wrong, we can help. Give us a call, and our experts can help assess any damage and recommend an action plan! With three generations of stone-care expertise, our Stone Care Experts are passionate about helping you take care of your natural stone floors. If you have any questions or concerns, call our friendly team today at 1-800-475-7866.