San Antonio Stone Cleaning (Contd.)

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Stone cleaning in San Antonio is based on a lot of knowledge. You have to know your stone, know the stone type, and other things.

As we covered previously,frofessional stone cleaning involves a great deal of expertise to stop this sort of thing from happening.

Stone care is easy. That is when you call the right people. Who should you call? A professional stone
cleaning service in San Antonio.

Stone Cleaning and Restoration

Stone cleaning and restoration in San Antonio is more than just knowing the stone, it is knowing the stain as well. Some stains are easier to remove than others. Another thing that a professional stone restoration service in San Antonio is going to know is what to do after they are done cleaning your stone. One thing that they are probably going to do is what is called stone sealing.

Sealing
Sealing is a common step taken on some stones as an extra precaution against staining. In fact, the sealing products used in the stone industry are "impregnators" which do not actually seal the stone, but more correctly act as a repellent rather than a sealer. Sealing does not make the stone stain proof, rather it makes the stone more stain resistant. When consulting with your stone supplier, you may find that many stones do not require sealing. However, applying an impregnating sealer is a common practice.
When considering sealing, remember that sealing the stone does not make the stone stain proof, it makes it more resistant to staining.
If a sealer is applied in a food preparation area, be sure that it is non-toxic and safe for use.
Consult with your supplier or sealing manufacturer specific to the type of sealer and frequency of use recommended.
Stain Identification Tips
Identifying the type of stain on the stone surface is the key to removing it. Stains can be oil based, organic, metallic, biological, ink based, paint based, acid based. If you don't know what caused the stain, consider likely staining agents that may have been present. Here are some questions you consider:
Where is the Stain Located?
Is it near a plant, a food service area, an area where cosmetics are used?
What color is it?
What is the shape or pattern?
What occurs in the area around the stain?
Stain Removal Steps
Surface stains can often be removed by cleaning with an appropriate cleaning product or household chemical."

[Source]

How Can I Get a Stain Out of Marble?

How to remove a stain from a marble surface is dependent on whether the stone has been sealed, and whether the stain has sunk into the pores of the stone.

When in doubt, don't chance it.  Contact a stone cleaning service in San Antonio.

Read Our Next Article

Lone Star Tile and Grout Cleaning
4019 Stahl Rd, Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78217
(210) 637-5050
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Professional Stone Cleaning and Your Floor Part 3

Marble cleaning, like other forms of stone cleaning is something you should only start when you have all the facts.

Get Marble Cleaning in San Antonio | (210) 637-5050

Marble Cleaning Do's and Don'ts

While marble is a stone, it isn't as hard as you might think.  Stone hardness is measured by the Mohs scale.  Stove with a Mohs hardness level of 10 is hardest, which is the diamond.  Marble is only a 3 on the Mohs scale.  That's why you really should consider getting a professional marble cleaning service in to take care of it.  What gets a lot of people in trouble where marble is concerned is the fact that it is surprisingly easy to damage.

Not by marble polishing and marble honing mind you.  On the contrary, these activities are actually quite beneficial where marble cleaning is concerned.  Marble honing is essentially grinding, and should only be done by a professional service.  Use the wrong abrasive and you could end up scratching your marble.  Don't use a tough enough abrasive, and it won't help your floor.  As for marble polishing itself, it may be tempting to use a store-bought solution.  One of the problems with store bought cleaning solutions for marble is the fact that a great many of them give your floor a shine by using wax.  Wax can give your floor that shine, but there is a downside to it.  Over time, wax builds up, and traps dirt and other impurities which causes your floor to lose it's luster.  Another component of marble cleaning products is worse than wax, though.  A lot of products like this have acidic compounds in them.  As we covered in a previous article, marble is a delicate stone, and anything acidic spilled on it from coffee to wine can have a disastrous effect on marble.

Final Thoughts on Marble Care

You have to know what to do as well as what not to do.  If you use the wrong product to clean your marble, you could find yourself having to clean it more because of buildup, or have it damage your stone. If you buy a honing powder, and get it too abrasive, you can end up scratching your marble or having nothing happen.  So, why take the chance?

Remember, that even cheap marble is expensive.  So instead of replacing your marble, clean it.  And get the right help:  a marble cleaning service in San Antonio.

 

Lone Star Tile and Grout Cleaning
4019 Stahl Rd, Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78217
(210) 637-5050
http://www.lonestartileandgroutcleaning.com

Natural Stone Care and Types of Stone Part 2

Part two of a two part series on natural stone care explores where different stone comes from and the chemical composition of it. This is good information to know to take proper care of your floor and/or your counter tops...

Natural Stone Care: Slate Tips

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Slate requires much different stone care than sandstone does. Slate comes from shale in old clay beds. Slate is fine-grained, used on roofs, as tile or in some cases used to make furniture. Slate is often cut into thin sheets. Slate is made of a combination of muscovite, quartz, and some other trace minerals like hematite and tourmaline. Slate is usually gray in appearance, but can take on many different hues. Slate mined in North Wales for example can be gray, purple, or green. Although slate is both fireproof and fairly durable, it is also susceptible to chipping and cracking because of its fine nature. NEVER clean slate with acid based chemicals, as this will cause your stone to deteriorate. A stone care service would be able to properly polish your slate as well as recommend some tips.

Sandstone: A Different Level of Stone Care

Sandstone, on the other hand, is a much softer stone, relatively speaking. Sandstone has been widely used around the world in constructing buildings such as temples, cathedrals, and other buildings. Since it is porous, having a company apply impregnating stone sealer is imperative. Sandstone is treated with this sort of sealer when it's produced and you want to keep up the waterproof seal. To clean sandstone, wash it with warm water and dish soap. Rinse with fresh water. Don't let the water stay on there too long in case there are any gaps in the stone sealer. If you know how, grind your stone with a a 50-grit diamond-polishing pad. Grind the sandstone while it is still wet from being rinsed. If you don't know how to grind sandstone, you may actually want to call in a San Antonio stone care service.


Lone Star Tile and Grout Cleaning
4019 Stahl Rd, Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78217
(210) 637-5050
http://www.lonestartileandgroutcleaning.com

Natural Stone Care and Types of Stone Part 1
Natural Stone Care and Types of Stone Part 2