Stone Cleaning Vs Restoration

Cleaning vs restoration

One of our most common enquiries is for stone cleaning. The initial conversation will either start with ‘I just can’t get the floor to look clean’ or ‘it’s the grout that I am most concerned about’. In the case of a natural stone floor this doesn’t just mean that the floor is dirty but that it has lost its beauty. The floor will have dulled and often the sealant may have visibly degraded.

Whilst our stone cleaning service will remove surface dirt, it is often worth considering the additional benefits of a restoration service.

Deep Clean:

Our deep cleaning services for stone use agitation and chemicals to remove the surface dirt. This will also remove any sealant that is left on the stone as well as cleaning the grout lines. We always get the most likes for our videos of stone cleaning on social media because the impact is so instant.

For textured floors or those that require a little extra, we will also use a honing powder. This provides extra agitation and a very light abrasion that will help to really get into the pores of the stone.

All of our stone cleaning services will always end with the application of a sealant to protect the stone. This is so important to ensure that the stone will stand the test of time. The results of a deep clean will leave the stone surface clean and protected.

Restoration:

Very often when a client enquires about having their stone cleaned, we will also explain the benefits of restoring the stone. This will be particularly relevant for stone that is a little older.

Stone restoration doesn’t always refer to the services that we provide to clients that are refurbishing and renovating their home. In fact, we will often use the words restoration and resurfacing interchangeably. You might even want to think about is as rejuvenation.

When we resurface a stone floor, we use diamond abrasives to not only strip away the sealant but remove the top layer of the stone surface. This has a number of advantages not only on the end result but on the ongoing maintenance of the floor.

When we resurface a stone floor in this way, a fresh layer of stone will be revealed. This means that not only do you have a clean floor, but the stone will have a look a lot closer to when it was first laid. Resurfacing in this way will remove surface scratches, dulling and etch marks on the surface of the stone. It will regain the colours and properties of that initial stone. This means that once sealed, it will retain its finish for a lot longer than a floor that has been simply cleaned.

For stone that is more deeply scratched, or shows uneven heights at the grout joint (lippage), we can offer deeper restoration services too. This is something that we will discuss with clients on a case by case basis. For any further information on stone cleaning, resurfacing, polishing or maintenance please don’t hesitate to get in touch.