What Can Happen if You Don’t Clean the Natural Stone in Your Home?

Natural stone may seem permanent, unchanging, and impossible to damage, but that doesn't mean it doesn't require some care in your home. After all, natural-stone flooring, showers, and countertops frequently face hazards that aren’t encountered in nature, like acidic liquids, soap, and personal care items. Here's what can happen if you don't clean your natural stone often enough.

Stains

Stains are one of the biggest risks you face by failing to clean natural stone such as granite, marble, limestone, and travertine. If spills aren't caught soon enough, liquid can penetrate the protective seal, seep deep into the stone, and cause deep-set and obvious stains that are difficult to treat. Even worse, acidic liquids like coffee and tomato juice can leave a stain as well as permanent damage called etching if allowed to sit too long.

Etching

Etching is a type of permanent damage to acid-sensitive stone such as marble, limestone, and travertine. Etch marks look like stains at first, leaving dull white marks on the surface of the stone. However, these marks aren't stains. They happen because the stone is physically changed when the calcium carbonate in the stone reacts with acid and dissolves a bit. Cleaning up spills right away is the most effective way to prevent this type of damage to your stone countertops.

Mildew and Soap Scum in the Shower

A stone shower or bathtub surround is a luxurious touch to any bathroom, but the stone tile benefits from regular cleaning just like a countertop. In the shower or bath, stone tile can develop mildew, especially in the grout, as well as a buildup of soap scum and grime on the surface of the stone. Bath products can also seep into the stone and leave unsightly stains and blotches that are difficult to lift.

Scratches in Stone Floors

Natural-stone tile flooring is durable but not invincible. If you don't sweep and use a damp mop regularly, your floors could become scratched by grit on the floorwhen vacuuming. Over time, this grit can leave noticeable scratches in the surface of the tile that are difficult or impossible to repair.

Pet Damage to Stone Floors

If you have pets, it's especially important to keep your stone tile flooring clean. After all, even well-trained pets can have an accident. Pet urine is highly acidic and can cause permanent damage to natural stone along with noticeable stains if it's not cleaned quickly and neutralized. Also, make sure your stone flooring is sealed regularly to avoid damage caused by pet urine.

Cleaning Natural Stone Is Easy

It doesn't take much work to clean natural-stone showers, floors, and countertops. Always clean up spills right away to prevent etching and stains. Clean the surface often with a stone-safe granite cleaner like Granite Gold Daily Cleaner® to keep your stone looking its best. After cleaning, you should follow up with sealing to guard against stains. You can also apply a stone polish to countertops, but not floors because they could become dangerously slippery.

For additional tips on cleaning natural-stone surfaces such as granite, marble, limestone, and travertine, reach out to Granite Gold® today at 1-800-475-STONE (7866). Also, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more tips each month.