How to Care for an Old Slate Floor
Slate floors add natural elegance to a home that no other floor covering can offer. While bringing beauty and sophistication to your home, they will also require some regular maintenance. The traditional way of installing slate floors is to use grout at the base of the floor and between the slate tiles. A sealant is applied to the floor after the grout has dried and the installation is complete. Sealants will become streaked and discolored over time, so it is important to strip the sealant when this occurs and apply a new coating. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Strip the old sealant from the slate floor with an acetone solution. Acetone is basically the same solution that is contained in fingernail polish remover, and can be purchased at any warehouse home improvement store.
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Clean the grout thoroughly before the new sealant is applied. Regular household cleaners should do the job, but a solution such as chlorine bleach might be necessary for heavy duty stains. If grout has been cracked or damaged, it should be chipped out and replaced.
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Apply a new protective sealant to maintain the natural beauty of your floor. An acrylic sealant will work best, applying three coats to ensure the slate and grout is properly sealed.
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Maintain the newly restored floors by first adding some new rules in your home. Avoid wearing shoes on the slate floor and use rugs wherever possible. Rugs should be place in areas where spills are likely to occur, such as sinks, stoves and in bathrooms.
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Clean the floor with regular household detergents and water.
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Rinse the floor with fresh water, making sure all detergent and dirt has been removed.
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Dry the floor thoroughly with a soft cloth.
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Wax the floor with regular household floor wax if you would like additional protection.
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Mop the waxed floor with a damp mop about once a week to keep it clean and beautiful.
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