Slate is incredibly hard wearing, therefore makes great flooring in high traffic areas such as hallways and kitchens. However, slate can also be difficult to keep clean, particularly if you opted for a rough finish that looks rustic, but seems to collect dust.
If you want to make the most of your slate flooring, you need to invest a little time and attention to keep it looking as good as new. Here’s what the professional cleaners recommend.
Removing stains from your slate floor
- Act quickly to clear up any spills as they happen to prevent stains from settling into cracks or discolouring your grout.
- Use a soft cloth and warm soapy water to rub away stains. Don’t use anything abrasive such as a stiff brush, scouring pad or abrasive or acidic floor cleaner.
- For white grout, make a mixture of one part hydrogen peroxide to one part water in a spray bottle and spray the stain, leaving for a couple of minutes before scrubbing with a sponge or very soft brush.
- For coloured grout, use shaving cream! Apply to the stained areas and leave for up to 20 minutes before removing with a clean soft cloth.
Cleaning your slate floor
- Give your floor a really good sweep or vacuum to get rid of dirt, dust, pet hair and any other loose debris.
- Once you have done a top-level clean, use a dust mop or microfibre dusters to lift the remaining dust.
- Add two tablespoons of washing up liquid or gentle soap to a bucketful of warm water, or make a mixture of half water and half apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar and water.
- Thoroughly mop your floor, rinsing the mop regularly and changing the water every time it appears a bit grubby.
- Wipe your floor down with a clean, soft cloth such as a microfibre towel, to get rid if puddles of water – a particularly important step if you have rustic slate – and wait for the floor to dry completely.
- Once your floor has dried completely, use (yet another) clean, dry, cloth to apply your oil. Teak oil or specialist slate oil work well, but you can also use WD40 or olive oil. Put a small amount on your cloth and rub it in. Work in small areas to ensure that you cover the entire floor.
- If your floor is susceptible to stains, applying a sealant such as stone or tile sealer will help to protect it.
Never use bleach on your slate floor. If you are worried about the impact a product might have, test it on a hidden corner of your flooring before you get started. Any professional cleaner will tell you that prevention is better than cure. You can stop the build-up of stains by cleaning your floor regularly.
For more information and advice, follow Trust A Trader on X or Facebook. If you want to find someone to give your slate floor the tlc it deserves, check out our directory of rated cleaners near you.