The right care for natural stone floors in winter

Whether hard or soft – care is advisable before winter

Hard stones (based on quartz and/or feldspar) are used as high-quality floor coverings in polished, shiny form, but also with various roughened surfaces. They are generally very dense, very hard and hard-wearing and mostly have a very high resistance to chemicals. Despite the generally very good resistance to neutral, alkaline and acidic cleaning agents, acidic solutions as well as phosphoric or hydrochloric acid-based cleaners can attack these stones or change their color. In addition, some “granites” (e.g. from China) have come onto the market in recent years which, although they deserve to be called “hard”, do not exhibit the usual resistance, e.g. to acids, of “real” granites. Before using acidic cleaners, it is therefore advisable to carry out a material compatibility test on an inconspicuous area before applying them to the entire surface.

Depending on the type, marble/limestone is used as a floor covering in polished, honed or quarry-rough form. They are relatively soft and therefore susceptible to scratching, and in some cases have a pronounced porosity and associated moisture and dirt absorption. All limestones are sensitive to acids and can be severely damaged by contact with acidic cleaning agents, including salt brought in from the road in winter. Cleaning and protection with neutral and slightly alkaline cleaners is possible. Therefore, in addition to soft stones, hard stones can also be given a little more care in winter. Soap treatment maintains breathability, closes the pores and prevents salt from penetrating deeper and damaging the stone.