But there are maintenance issues to be cautious about. Natural stones are highly durable materials and they can withstand high and low temperatures. However, that doesn’t mean all types of stones will be perfectly fine without being taken care of properly at home.
In this blog post, we want to give you some of the tips we often give our customers who purchase or are thinking about purchasing natural stone tiles or mosaics.
Table of Content
Different Types of Natural Stones
Get them sealed
That is the first thing your want to do. Make sure all your tiles and mosaics are properly sealed. Some stone mosaics come sealed. You can still add an extra layer if you want, but if you purchase natural stone tiles (such as marble or granite) make sure you seal them for higher water resistance and durability.
Seal the grout
Don’t leave the grout out when sealing your tiles or mosaics. Grouts are also part of your flooring or wall. And don’t forget they are porous. So if you forget to seal your grouts, moisture could find its way into your wall or floor and start damaging your beautiful tiles or mosaics.
Use the proper cleaning products
This is very crucial because you could potentially completely ruin your tiles if you use the wrong product. Although natural stones are highly durable they can’t really withstand abrasive or acidic substances. Therefore, never use products such as bleach or the same thing you use to clean your porcelain tiles.
We recommend using Lithofin stone cleaning products.
Schedule routine cleaning
This goes without saying that if you want to keep your materials clean and in good shape, you should clean them regularly. This does not have to be too intense. A simple mop or brush can do the work. Make sure the environment is well ventilated and that moisture residue does not remain on the tiles or mosaics.
If your tiles or mosaics are located in your bathroom, avoiding bad ventilation is more important. You can look at this blog for more information on how to keep your bathroom tiles clean and well-maintained.
Remove stains immediately
If you remove any stain immediately, you will not have any major issues with most natural stones. It is the remaining moisture and stains that bring permanent damage to the material. Make sure to use the right cleaning product to clean any stains.
Different types of natural stone
Although natural stones have similar characteristics, not all of them are the same. When it comes to cleaning and maintaining them, there are some differences that you should have in mind. Some natural stones are softer than others. And some of them are more porous and can get damaged easier.
Marble
Perhaps, the most popular type of natural stone for interiors. Marbles are famous for their elegance and beauty. They are relatively easy to maintain. Marbles are harder and more durable than limestone and travertine and are not porous. With good sealing and regular maintenance, marbles will land for years without any issues. Just keep in mind to retouch the sealing. It depends on the traffic and the use of the tiles, and how often you should redo the sealing. If your tiles are in a high-traffic location or are exposed to heat and water often, you need to seal them more often.
Marble kitchen countertops are also very popular. You definitely need to make sure that your seal your kitchen countertops, as it could get scratched by items.
Limestone
Limestones are often used for exterior. They are softer and more porous than marble stones but have high temperature resistance. Limestones have been used since ancient times and some historical monuments such as the Greek Parthenon are made with limestone.
Limestones are not recommended for kitchen countertops as they can get damaged much easier than marbles or granites.
They should be sealed for better maintenance and make sure no acidic residue is left uncleaned on limestone (even something like lemon juice).
Travertine
Travertines are among the most affordable natural stones. They bring a nice natural feel to your home and are often used for outside pavers around the pool. The downside of travertines is that they are porous. Often they will have a sandblast finish that gives them a very cool and natural appearance. They should also be sealed regularly.