Hardwood Floor Cleaning: Oak Floor

Hardwood floor cleaning depends on the type of floor you have.  While every type of wood floor has certain commonalities, such as no wet mopping, no hard scrubbing, and no harsh chemicals, some floors require more and different care than others.

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Oak Flooring: Hardwood Cleaning and Restoration

For example, hickory flooring needs different care than oak does.  Oak flooring is used in a lot of homes. Oak is usually categorized as either red oak or white oak.  Oak is typically installed unfinished, except for a thin polyurethane coating.  The finish that is put on oak should be protected, as otherwise, you can end up damaging the  wood itself.  You should never use harsh chemicals on your oak.  Like hickory, however, a little white vinegar and water won't hurt it, but again, no wet mopping.  If you make a mistake and it ends up that you would have to replace your floor.

That's a reason why you may wish to call a hardwood floor cleaning service.  Bleach, for example can not only whiten the wood, it can strip away the manufacturer's finish. Usually, oak flooring is a mixture of oak and other woods as well.  You never want to get too rough on your oak flooring even though oak is very tough compared to woods such as pine or even hickory.  Oak, however, because of it's toughness, is a great wood to look at refinishing.  Refinishing brings back your floor to it's former appearance by stripping away damage and revealing the raw wood underneath.

Hardwood Floor Refinishing

Hardwood floor refinishing works particularly well on oak.  A bit of sanding, a bit of dusting, and then a clear coat is applied, protecting the floor from any further damage. This coating is tough, tougher even than the oak that it is covering.  Like hickory, you want to protect your hardwood floor by putting carpets at the entrances of each of the rooms that have hardwood floors installed.  This will help to trap dirt and keep your floor from becoming scratched or pitted.

Oak is golden, beautiful, and long lasting.  It smells wonderful and goes with pretty much any decor.  It will probably outlive you and even some of your grandchildren.  So why not take care of your floor?  Lightly sweep it once a week.  Use a bit of water and white vinegar.  Get a professional hardwood floor cleaning service in San Antonio, TX.

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Hardwood Floor Cleaning: Hickory Floor

Hardwood floor cleaning is all about knowledge.  First off you have to know what type of wood your floor is made of.

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Hickory Hardwood Floor Cleaning & Care

For example, one type of floor that needs hardwood floor cleaning is hickory.  According to this article excerpt from WIKIPEDIA.ORG:

"Hickory wood is very hard, stiff, dense and shock resistant. There are woods that are stronger than hickory and woods that are harder, but the combination of strength, toughness, hardness and stiffness found in hickory wood is not found in any other commercial wood. Hickory is also highly prized for wood-burning stoves and chimineas, because of its high energy content. Hickory wood is also a preferred type for smoking cured meats. In the Southern United States, hickory is popular for cooking barbecue, as hickory grows abundantly in the region, and adds flavor to the meat. Hickory is sometimes used for wood flooring due to its durability in resisting wear and character." [READ MORE]

If you have a hardwood floor that is made of hickory, there is some simple steps you can take to keep your wood floor clean between visits from a hardwood floor cleaning service.  First off, never wet mop any hardwood floor.  Instead you either want to spray mop a mixture of white vinegar and water.  If you wet mop your floor, you run a good chance of warping your floor's floorboards. Unless your hardwood has been sealed, remember that all wood is porous. Also, with vinegar, remember less is more, or whatever room you are spraying it in will end up smelling like salad dressing.  A good rule of thumb is two tablespoons for every gallon of water.  Another thing that you want to have at the entry points for each room that you have hardwood in are throw rugs, which will help to  stop grit and dirt from scratching your floor.  You also want to avoid using any cleaning products that have wax in them.  Wax will give your floor a temporary shine, but it will also build up and dull your floor's finish.

Hickory: Some Final Thoughts

If you have hickory flooring, you have a touch of southern elegance in your home.  But even though your floor is beautiful, it is also more than that.  Hardwood floor is also an investment.  As such you want to take care of it.  Sweep your floor every now and then with a dust mop or a soft bristled broom.

So if you have a hardwood floor, take care of it.  And call a hardwood floor cleaning service if you need any help

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4019 Stahl Rd, Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78217
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Ceramic Tile Cleaning: The Skinny on Tile

If you want to hire a service to clean your tile, you need to know a few pieces of information.  One of the things you should know in addition to your square footage is the size of your tile.

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What are Standard Tile Sizes?

First off, know that there  is no such thing as standard tile size. Tile manufacturer offer sizes from 1/2 of an inch by 1/2 of an inch to a whopping 24 inch tile.  There are typical sizes of tile to be found, however.  Ceramic tile for example is usually in squares or rectangles 4 X 4, 6 X 6, 8 X 8, etc.  Tiles are of different thickness.  For example, 12” x 12” ceramic tiles are 1/3 of an inch thick. Generally bigger tiles are thicker, and smaller tiles are thinner.  The size, type, and thickness of the tile will determine the sort of tile cleaning that will be involved.  Of equal, but often understated importance is the grout.

Grout helps to cushion ceramic tile as well as strengthen it.  And you want your tile strong to prevent tile from cracking.  While ceramic tile and porcelain tile are relatively cheap, you don't want to have to replace your tile and run the risk of your tile being mismatched as it will stand out in your floor.  For example, let's say  that you have a lovely Mexican cobalt blue tile, and you break it.  No problem.  It's just a matter of going out and buying another cobalt blue tile.  Wrong.  More likely your tile will be newer and as such will have a slightly darker hue than your original tile will.  And it will be very obvious that you replaced it.  That's where tile cleaning comes in.

Tile Cleaning Vs. Replacing

With tile cleaning you can usually walk on your floor within a few minutes.  Replacing your tile will make the room that you're doing it in unavailable for a day or two at least.  Professional tile cleaning services also have techniques that not only clean y our tile, then protect your tile as well.  With things such as grout sealing and tile sealing, it will help to protect your tile and make clean up a breeze.

So remember, there is a big difference between cleaning tile and replacing it.  As such, you want to hire someone that you can trust to clean your tile.

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.

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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
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Professional Stone Cleaning and Your Floor Part 2

Part two of our series on stone cleaning explores travertine.

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How to Clean Travertine: An Insider's Guide

If you would like to know how to clean travertine, here is some information for you.  First off, know that travertine is a lot more sensitive than a stone such as granite, particularly to anything acidic.  To avoid etching your floor, make sure that you blot up spills immediately.  Even tap water may have trace amounts of chlorine in it, which is very bad.  Make sure that you blot, don't wipe.  A lot of people instinctively wipe a spill instead of blotting it.  Wiping the spill simply spreads it around.  

When you're blotting, make sure that you use either a soft cloth or a sponge.  Use hot water and a stone cleaner and stone sealer that is specifically designed for travertine.  You may also want to keep your travertine products separate from other cleaning products to avoid any mishaps, and make sure you clearly label them with something as simple as TRAVERTINE CLEANING ONLY.  While it is possible to use a pH neutral soap such as dishwashing detergent periodically, be aware that while it won't damage your stone, it will dull its finish.  

Another thing that you can do with your travertine is to use a dust mop on it at least once a week.  Make sure that your dustmop gets replaced when it starts to get worn, or you could end up scratching your stone.  Door mats, like with hardwood floors, are a good idea as they help to trap grit, dirt, and sand.  

What to Avoid When You Want to Clean Your Stone

Knowing what to avoid can also save you a lot of trouble where travertine cleaning is concerned.  First off, don't ever  use any store bought or generic products as these produces often contain acids, ammonia, or alkali, with can not only etch your stone, it can strip away any protective coatings and make your stone susceptible  to staining and damage.  You also don't want to use anything citrus based or anything like vinegar.  You also don't want use anything abrasive either as these will dull the finish of your travertine.  

So remember, taking care of your travertine is all about not only knowing what to do, but what not to do as well.  And when in doubt, call a travertine cleaning service.

Travertine is only type of stone that needs specialized care, another one is marble...

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San Antonio TX 78217
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Professional Stone Cleaning and Your Floor Part 1

Before you try to do any sort of stone cleaning, there are several things you need to know.  Let's look at travertine for example.  

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Travertine Cleaning and Hiring a Pro

Travertine should always be done by a professional stone cleaning service, unless you are 100% sure that you know how to handle travertine.  The reason is that travertine is a surprisingly fragile stone particularly were exposure to certain things is concerned. Travertine is a calcium-based natural stone in the same family as marble and limestone. It is formed when deposits of calcium carbonate congeal. One of the traits of travertine are the many holes and gaps in the stone which form when carbon dioxide escapes during the formation process. Travertine is graded based on the amount of holes in the stone. The more holes there are, the lower the grade of travertine you have. However, whether low-grade travertine or high grade, these holes give travertine its distinctive texture but they also make travertine more porous. These pores make travertine also more prone to staining. Some stains are worse than others however.

For example if you spill anything acidic on travertine such as coffee, orange juice, red wine, or vinegar for a few examples, you also have a good chance of damaging your stone. And if you think this problem is confined to what you spill, sometimes the wrong cleaning solution can damage your travertine as well. To make matters worse, wet mopping your floor may also cause long term damage as well.

Travertine Care and Cleaning

A stone cleaning service knows how to clean travertine, however. They also know what not to do as well. First off the stone is gently cleaned and then it is sealed.  Stone sealer seeps into all the pores and helps to protect your stone from further stains as well as damage.  Stone sealer is a relatively modern invention that works very well and lasts at least five years, sometimes as more as a decade.  Another reason to contact a professional for your travertine cleaning is that he can give you some tips to help keep your travertine looking its best between visits.

Travertine is a beautiful addition to any home, but if you're not careful, you could end up damaging your stone...

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4019 Stahl Rd, Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78217
(210) 637-5050
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Grout Sealing: What it Is and Why You Need it Part 2

Part two of our series on grout sealing explores giving your floor a new look.

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Grout Sealing Vs. Grout Color Sealing

There are two types of grout sealers. This sealant is either solvent based or water based. Which should you go for?  Grout sealing or grout color sealing?  Well that depends on you and your tastes.  If you just want a clean look for your floors and you wish to keep your floor looking the same, then you will want to go for regular sealing.  What about when you want to change your floor? That's were color sealing comes in.

When you call in a professional service for grout color sealing, it can totally change the way your floor looks, while at the same time protecting your floor from spills and stains.  You can choose from all of the major supplier grout colors, and give your floor a new look without ripping up the floor and re-tiling and re-grouting your floor.

Why Go For Color Sealing Your Grout

Grout color sealer is used in two ways. You can either re-capture the color that you used to have, or you can go for a new color instead. There are arguments for both. Matching your original color can make your grout look like it is new instead of years or even decades old.  It is also more about restoration.  However, if you want a fresh look, you want to change your color.  Be aware that if you want to change your grout's shade, you want to make sure that you pick something compatible.  You don't want a darker color on grout that looks better white, and vice-versa.  You want to give it careful thought before you do anything to change your floor's look, as it is can be difficult to change back.  

If you change your grout color, the color can transfer to the tile and give it a new look as well.  Be aware however, that certain types of tile such as natural stone you want to use caution on using grout color sealing as it can also change the color of your stone.  When in doubt, call a professional to help you where grout color sealing is involved.  

This concludes part two of our series on grout sealing.  For more information on this topic, be sure to read part one and part three as well.

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