How to Care for Your Natural Slate Flooring

Made of bonded clay and silt particles, natural slate's durability and longevity make the stone an optimum flooring choice in homes. Slate flooring comes in many interesting colors and textures that coordinate with any home décor. Although slate is naturally attractive, grime eventually mars its beauty. Most grime results from walking on slate flooring with dirty shoes. While lower-quality grades of slate are more porous and vulnerable to soil penetration than higher grades of slate, all grades of slate require steady care to maintain their appearance.

Things You'll Need

• Broom
• 2 oz. mild dish detergent
• Mop bucket
• Stirring utensil
• Mop
• Clean towels

Instructions

1. Sweep the slate flooring thoroughly with a broom. Eliminate any surface grime such as crumbs and dirt particles.

2. Prepare a mopping solution of 2 oz. mild dish detergent in a mop bucket containing 1 gallon of warm water. Stir the detergent solution until thoroughly mixed.

3. Fill another mop bucket with 1 gallon of plain water, to be used for rinsing.

4. Mop a 4-by-4-foot section of slate flooring with the mopping solution, gliding the mop in back-and-forth strokes over the dirty slate. Scrub the mop over grime residue and gunk to loosen them.

5. Agitate the mop in the plain water, and then mop the clean section of slate with the water. Rinse all detergent off the slate.

6. Clean the remaining dirty slate flooring with the mopping solution until the entire slate floor is spotless. Mop one 4-by-4-foot section of slate at once, and replace the mopping solution and rinse water whenever they become grimy.

7. Dry the clean slate flooring with clean towels.

Tips & Warnings

• Sharp cleaning materials and acid-based cleaning solutions will damage slate flooring.

References

• ServiceMagic; Stone Solid Slate Flooring; Jon Nunan
• The Flooring Lady: Slate Flooring
• Flooring and Carpets: Slate Flooring