Cleaning & Care Tips for Natural Stone Showers
While a natural stone shower of any type is a beautiful statement piece in a home, proper care and cleaning are essential to maintaining the unique appearance and natural shine of the stone. At Arizona Stone Care, our knowledgeable Cave Creek tile and grout cleaning experts have their fair share of experience with natural stone care. They have offered a few simple tips to follow for daily care and preventive maintenance to help ensure your stone shower stays looking brand new.
Know Your Stone
Caring for natural stone requires a process specific to the type of stone you have. This is why it is important to know your natural stone and be aware of its needs, before attempting to clean and care for it. Your favorite San Tan travertine cleaning and sealing team from Arizona Stone Care agree that the biggest distinction to know is understanding the difference between natural stone that is siliceous or stone that is calcareous.
Siliceous stone is essentially rock that consists mainly of silicon dioxide, and includes granite and quartz. Calcareous stone is comprised mainly of calcium carbonate, and is extremely sensitive to acidic substances. This category includes marble, travertine, limestone, and onyx. These two main types of stones are significantly different from each other which means their required cleaning method is very different as well. Unfortunately, granite is very commonly used for trimming out the edges of showers, even if the rest of the shower is not made of granite. This means that a cleaning solution may be very beneficial for one area, and very harmful to other areas of your shower.
Sealant Integrity
It may come as a surprise, but many reputable Paradise Valley tile and grout cleaning experts have shared that they often come across beautiful installation jobs that are lacking in a proper sealant finish. This is a basic fundamental, and there is no easier way to ruin an impeccable natural stone shower than by forgetting to apply a high-quality sealant for protection. When a natural stone shower is properly sealed with a penetrating sealant, the stone becomes much less likely to absorb moisture or become discolored or stained. Check the integrity of your sealant before applying a cleaning solution, or you may unknowingly contribute to the breakdown of your shower tiles.
What Type Of Cleaner Can I Use?
If you are really uncertain about which type of stone you have in your shower, play it safe and use a pH neutral cleaning solution. While you may think that something as simple as Windex couldn’t possibly harm your shower, if it is sprayed on a calcareous stone such as marble, it will immediately become dull and etched. One quick cleaning session can greatly compromise the appearance and quality of your shower, and will require professional help to restore its shine and beauty.
Care And Maintenance Tips
While professional Apache Junction tile and grout cleaning is advised periodically, it really comes down to a little bit of daily care and maintenance to effectively preserve the appearance of your natural stone shower. After showering, be sure to rinse any soap residue off the walls and floor, and squeegee any excess water from the tiles and glass doors. This will help reduce any soap scum residue and absorption, along with preventing calcium and lime buildup on the natural stone.
Calcium and lime tend to bond to any surfaces where hard water evaporates, and can be identified by an off-white or chalky deposit. While these unsightly minerals can be removed with acidic solutions, remember that acid can be very damaging to the calcareous stone underneath. It is best to avoid letting the buildup occur in the first place, so that you are not in a catch-22 situation later.
While this extra step of squeegeeing the tiles may seem petty and not worth the time, it will absolutely go a long way toward preserving the integrity of your stone and extending the longevity of your shower.
RECAP
The key factor in properly maintaining and caring for your natural stone shower is to identify the type of stone. From there, you can choose an appropriate cleaning solution and ensure that you do not compromise the integrity of the stone or the sealant protecting it. Ultimately, if you have any questions or concerns, or need help identifying your natural stone, visit Arizona Stone Care. Our professionals are adept and knowledgeable with all types of natural stone and can offer solutions and expert advice regarding cleaning and maintenance routines. With many years under our belt as a five-star company specializing in natural stone cleaning, maintenance, and restoration, you can trust that we have your best interest in mind and are innovative in our approach to improving and preserving your beautiful natural stone surfaces.
Published By:
Arizona Stone Care
2036 N Gilbert Rd #2
Mesa, Arizona 85203
Phone: (559) 660-6002
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://sierrastonecare.com/
