Moisture damage to stone surfaces can leave behind white powdery stains called efflorescence. These are typically caused by water that seeps up through the stone, looking for a pathway to evaporate. A qualified tile and stone contractor can refinish the surface to remove these marks.
Specialized stone restoration contractors are trained to understand the unique properties of each type of natural stone. They often provide a repair and restoration option less costly than replacement.
Dust Mopping
As the name implies, dust mopping is one of the most important aspects of a commercial stone maintenance NY program. It minimizes the amount of grit, dirt, and other contaminants that scratch the surface of natural stone floors and helps reduce microbial growth, which can lead to future restoration needs. Walk-off mats and area rugs are also helpful as they keep a lot of the sand, dirt, and miscellaneous grit from getting into your stone floors in the first place.
When a commercial stone floor gets too grimy, it can leave a bad impression on your customers. This is why a well-designed stone cleaning program is so critical.
Unfortunately, many business owners with stone surfaces are being “upsold” specialized services by unqualified janitorial and cleaning services that don’t understand how to care for natural stones properly. This is where professional stone restoration contractors can help.
Sealing
Stone surfaces should be sealed to reduce microbial build-up, slow staining of porous stone, and make cleaning easier. We can recommend a variety of sealers depending on the specific type of stone surface and how it will be used. We use high-quality, environmentally safe products that are oleophobic (repels oils) or hydrophobic (repels water).
Regular sealing will help your commercial stone surfaces last longer and look great, whether it’s floors, counters, walls, or stairs. While it won’t offer a 100% guarantee against damage or staining, it will significantly reduce the risk and simplify your daily cleaning routine. It also helps us identify and repair minor areas of damage before they become major problems, saving you time, money, and hassle! It’s a small investment that will benefit your stone surfaces in the long run.
Polishing
It becomes worn and rubbed when the stone is exposed to regular foot traffic and abrasive soils. This dulls the stone surface and causes etching that cannot be wiped away. Many foods and beverages contain acids that etch stone surfaces, so protecting your natural stone by using non-slip mats or area rugs in high-traffic areas and placing trivets and mats under hot dishes or drinks is important.
When protecting your travertine, limestone, marble, and granite surfaces, you must choose a professional cleaning and restoration service that understands the unique properties of these stones. Unlike janitorial services, restoration specialists are fully trained and qualified to restore your stone surfaces to their original lustre.
The professional restoration process begins with a deep cleaning that removes dirt, grime, mildew, and other contaminants that cause etching and damage to your stone surfaces. Once the cleaning is complete, our team will polish your stone surfaces to restore their ambient shine.
Restoration
Natural stone surfaces must be restored periodically to remove stains, correct damage, and rehone and re-polished. This will bring the surface back to a state of like-new appearance.
The best daily maintenance for most natural stones is to dust mop regularly with a clean rayon or microfiber mop to minimize the abrasive nature of sand, dirt, and miscellaneous grit. In addition, using walk-off mats and area rugs to trap dirt will reduce the number of stone surfaces that require regular cleaning.
Water, rust, oil, and other staining agents can be treated with poultices that eliminate the colour or odour of the affected area without coating the stone. This treatment is a quick, relatively inexpensive process that is almost always less costly than replacing the damaged surface. It’s also less disruptive to the work environment than a full replacement.
