During operation, stone cladding loses its aesthetic qualities as a result of surface contamination, which leads to its darkening. The stone darkens, especially when used outdoors, from dust, iron oxides and efflorescence. Inclined and horizontal stone surfaces are exposed to the greatest dusting.

Efflorescence is efflorescence. They are formed when using poor quality cement, dirty sand and the addition of substances that accelerate hardening. cement mortar, in large quantities. Spots on the surface of the cladding indoors are often formed from insufficient water protection of the back side of the stone slabs. And the light stone is covered with iron oxides. Caulking, wedges made of wood and all materials of organic origin should not be left under the stone: their decomposition can lead to the formation of stains.

To prevent the formation of stains, the lining must be regularly washed and coated with protective compounds, polished. Protective compositions should be based on wax, paraffin or mastic. The product is applied to the surface of the stone with a clean cloth. The cladding is washed before processing, and after that it is kept for about 3-4 minutes to dry the solvent. After processing, the stone is wiped with a clean cloth using an electric polisher to a shine.

To restore the shine of marble floors, tin chips are used. And for polishing a multi-colored stone, aluminum oxide and chromium oxide are needed. For various kinds stones can use some chemical and mechanical methods make the stone shine.

Chemical cleaning methods are used to remove stains from the facing surface by dissolving the coloring compounds or discoloring them. Before using chemical cleaners, carefully remove the protective mastic from the stone with white spirit, turpentine or gasoline.

The outer facing surface is cleaned mechanically. Methods with rough mechanical action are used extremely rarely, as they destroy the profile of the facing elements.

But all these means need to be prepared, found, our company offers ready-made products that will cope with stone cleaning quickly and efficiently:

1. Acid-free detergent

2. Stain remover, removes stains

3. - more strong remedy to clean the stone. Removes stains, dust, dirt, mold.

Mechanical methods of stone cleaning:

• Steam cleaning;
• Washing with water;
• sand cleaning;
• Recovery by secondary reforging;
• Surface grinding.

Washing with water is carried out under a pressure of 0.2 to 0.3 MPa in the event that the lining has retained its integrity, and surface contamination is small. This method is ideal for cleaning polished stone. Inside the premises, the cladding is washed using foam rubber rollers and linen rags in horizontal stripes from top to bottom. In this case, distilled water should not be used, as it dissolves the outer marble layer, which leads to the loss of the polished surface. Marble must be washed with water infused with marble dust.

Labradorites, granites and other stones that do not contain carbonates in their composition can be washed using ordinary tap water. If the contamination is severe, herbal or hair brushes can be used, but only if the coating does not have chips or other flaws.
To preserve the seams of marble and limestone material, as well as to avoid efflorescence, the addition of caustic soda and acids to the water is unacceptable. If you use soap, then it should be neutral, where there are no free fats and alkalis.

If the stone is protected by a protective composition, then before cleaning it is treated with a cloth soaked in white spirit or clarified turpentine.

If the lining is heavily soiled, then steam cleaning is necessary. It gives excellent results and does not have a surface negative impact. But if the texture is rough, then this method of purification cannot be called effective. The surface is treated with a jet of steam coming out of the nozzle at a pressure of 0.2 MPa. If steam is used together with water, the efficiency increases dramatically.

Sand cleaning using a sandblaster is used in rare cases. The cleaning method is suitable for flat surfaces with a polished or impact texture of hard stone. After sanding, the stone acquires original view due to the elimination of the upper dusty layer.

For simple profile elements, sandblasting is acceptable, but when sand exits the nozzle under low pressure (0.05-0.1 MPa). At the same time, the distance from the surface to be cleaned to the nozzle is increased, and the diameter of the nozzle is reduced. Instead of coarse sand, fine quartz sand is used.

Spots from iron oxides often form at the sites of leakage from coatings constructed from steel. Oxides are well removed with a 15% solution of sodium citrate. They are impregnated with gauze or a cotton swab. If the spot is bright and has sharp boundaries, then it is necessary to use hyposulfite in powder. A solution of yellow blood salt (2%) is also effective against iron oxides.

Oxides from bronze and copper are formed from prolonged exposure to water on the places of bronze and copper cladding fasteners. Such spots are green, red or brown in color. They are removed using pastes containing talc, aluminum chloride or ammonium chloride in a ratio of 1 to 4 by weight. Powders for this are mixed in ammonia to a pasty consistency.

Stains from burlap and tobacco are perfectly washed off with a product prepared from 2 tablespoons of soda mixed in a liter of water with the addition of a 2% solution laundry soap. The liquid is rubbed onto a contaminated place or a swab dipped in a solution is put on it, to which it will not be superfluous to add chalk or talc to obtain a pasty mass. Talc-based pastes take longer to dry, which makes it easier to remove them from the stone surface after it has been cleaned. To wash the paste, it is necessary to use a hot solution of 3-sodium phosphate with bleach (15%).

Products from an artificial stone become more and more popular. Hygienic and environmentally friendly material allows you to create original sinks and countertops for the kitchen space. The pleasure of acquiring such a practical and fashionable thing will last if you know how to maintain it in its original form.

The first condition that must be observed in order to maintain a decent appearance products - remove contamination as quickly as possible. Artificial stone does not have a fast absorbency, but old spots from dyes can spoil the look, and require considerable effort from the owner.

A variety of artificial stone

The answer to how to wash an artificial stone depends on whether the product has a matte or glossy surface. The matte finish is more resistant to various household abrasive cleaners and hard sponges. A glossy sink or countertop has increased protection against grease, tea and coffee stains, but requires careful cleaning with mild, creamy or foamy detergents.

How not to wash artificial stone

Before listing effective and safe means for cleaning artificial stone, we will compile a list of prohibited substances.

1. Vinegar of high concentration.
2. alkaline compounds.
3. Solvents.
4. Degreasers.
5. Acetone.
6. Aggressive abrasives.

Products containing chlorine, or chlorine itself in its pure form, are evaluated ambiguously. On the one hand, a weak chlorine solution perfectly disinfects the surface of a countertop or sink. On the other hand, there is a danger of using too strong a concentrate of the substance (or accidentally exceeding the exposure time of the solution) on the material, which can cause damage to the appearance.

How to wash a sink made of artificial stone

The best sink cleaner is dish detergent and a soft porous sponge. It will quickly remove grease and fresh stains. In second place are special products for cleaning artificial stone. They cost a little more, but have a material safe composition that will preserve the color and integrity of the sink surface.

Sink made of artificial stone

To remove lime deposits from the sink, there are also specialized tools, but weak vinegar (no more than 2.5%) can also help. Folk remedies from improvised materials (soda, mustard, lemon juice) are also effective when used correctly.

Detergents for artificial stone

The most affordable products are a variety of liquid or creamy formulations for cleaning kitchen surfaces. They are easy to use - apply the composition with a sponge to contaminated areas, rub with a sponge and rinse with water. Means with a light abrasive (powders Comet, PemoLux, Soda Effect) are also applicable.

When using, apply the powder moistened with water to the area and leave to act (for a while). You can’t rub this mixture, because there is a risk of small scratches, into which dirt will begin to clog over time. After 5-10 minutes of exposure, the mixture is washed off with warm water, and only then treated with a damp sponge.

How to wash a countertop made of artificial stone

For countertops, all of the above methods are applicable. But one more question remains: how can you wash an artificial stone if there are forgotten traces of dyes on it?

Countertop made of artificial stone

1. General Purpose Bleach.
2. Melamine sponge.
3. Colorless gel toothpaste.

Immediately after cleaning, wipe the surface of the countertop dry so that the light color remains uniform.

Bleaches should be used with caution on dark countertop surfaces. For a light-colored countertop, bleach is not terrible, but there is another danger - the usual moisture stains remaining after processing.

The natural stone that you bought to decorate your home or elegant office decoration is an investment for many years, which will help create an atmosphere of comfort and coziness, which is so important for both relaxation and productive work. It is important to remember that the stone is natural material who needs proper care. Simple and easy procedures for its maintenance will help you to preserve its beauty for a long time.

By following simple precautions, many unpleasant problems can be avoided. Use coasters for glasses, especially if they contain alcohol or citrus juice. The fact is that many quite ordinary foods and juices contain acids, the impact of which on a polished stone surface can be negative.

Useful coasters will be for a variety of hot items, such as plates or pans. Also try to put napkins under porcelain, ceramic or silverware, as well as under any other items that can scratch the surface of the stone.

Let's say the stone is still contaminated. What is the quickest and easiest way to restore purity to him? Let's consider some of the most typical situations.

When cleaning floors, rinse the rag more often or change the nozzle of a special mop. Dirt often contains abrasive materials, such as sand, which, when in intensive contact with the surface of a granite or marble floor, can leave micro-scratches, compromising the attractive flawlessness of the polish. Mats and rugs front door will help to reduce the amount of dirt entering the room, as it usually takes just a few vigorous steps to clean the soles of the shoes. Use vacuum cleaners with special care: their metal or plastic parts, and even more so the wheels, can also scratch the delicate surface of the floor.

Do not use soap or petrol-based cleaners to clean stone floors, as they will dull the surface of the polished stone over time. It's much better to sweep dry debris with a clean, dry mop and then simply rinse the floor with hot water using a clean cotton rag. You can add a few drops of neutral detergent, special soap or mild liquid dishwashing detergent to the wash water. Specialty soaps are just as affordable as other cleaning products and can be purchased from hardware stores or directly from vendors. natural stone. We recommend that you refrain from using abrasive powders or pastes - these products contain abrasive particles and can scratch the surface. However, no matter what product you use, the water needs to be changed more often. Excess detergents or soaps can leave a film or streaks on the stone surface, so do not spare water and wipe the floors with a dry cloth after washing.

In bathrooms and other damp areas, suds often form on marble tiles due to soap suds, which can be removed with a rubber squeegee. In addition, a special, acid-free ammonia solution or an aqueous solution of ammonia (1/2 cup ammonia per 4 liters of water) will help with this problem. But you should not abuse this method, since the frequent use of ammonia can eventually lead to tarnishing of the surface of the stone.

In order for the bathroom countertop to serve you for many years, continuing to please the eye with the beauty of the clean surface of natural stone, it is recommended to treat it with a special sealant. For questions about the choice of a particular tool, it is better to contact the specialists who installed the countertop. in a good way to prevent the formation of water stains will be treated with marble wax or non-yellowing car wax.

The kitchen environment is very similar to the bathroom atmosphere in terms of the degree of aggressive impact on natural stone, so the measures to ensure the protection of countertops in both cases will be almost identical. But in the situation with the kitchen there is also an important specificity. So, for example, the sealant must be non-toxic so that it can be safely used on surfaces that come into contact with food. In the event that you have any doubts in this matter, it is better to postpone the processing of the stone and seek advice from specialists or representatives of the manufacturer of this sealant.

Remember that although natural stone products must be properly treated before installation, the sealant layer must still be updated from time to time. Firstly, sooner or later it wears out, and secondly, different types stones have different porosity, which directly affects the required frequency of preventive protective measures. For example, marble or limestone countertops are more prone to soiling than granite, which is the most popular material for bathroom or kitchen decoration due to its greater resistance to external influences.

In outdoor pools and patio areas, natural stone should be rinsed with clean water using a mild bleach to remove algae.

Let us briefly formulate the main features of cleaning natural stone.

What do we have to do:
. Sweep the floor regularly;
. Wash the stone surface only with mild detergents or special soap for natural stone;
. After using cleaning agents, rinse the surface of the stone again with clean water and wipe dry with cotton napkins;
. Do not leave the stone wet;
. Protect stone floors with non-slip mats or rugs, and countertops with wax, coasters and placemats.
... and what should not be done in any case:
. Do not use vinegar, lemon juice or other acidic products on natural stone surfaces.
. Do not use cleaners that contain acids, such as toilet cleaners, tile cleaners, construction cleaners, or pipe cleaners.
. Do not use abrasive cleaners - dry powders and pastes.
. Do not mix ammonia and bleach; their chemical reaction produces a deadly toxic gas.

Washing off cement is a laborious and troublesome task. The complexity of this process is determined not so much by the amount of work, but by the specifics of the material itself: the hardened cement tightly eats into the surface of anything. The article discusses the main options for solving this problem.

How to clean the stone from cement?

You will need: X cleaning chemicals, water, sandpaper, organic acid, hammer.

1). How to clean the stone from cement? The fact is that cement is made from carbonate and clayey rocks. It may contain substances such as chalk, clay, gypsum, limestone, fluorite, loam, as well as industrial waste and slag. Therefore, it is very difficult to wash off the cement mortar that has hardened on the surface. It usually contains sand, which scratches the surface when the grout is removed.

2). To remove cement from natural or artificial stone, you can use by special means cleaning Metalin OF-C, SZOR, Atlas, Blitz or other similar. All of these cleaning agents contain concentrated acids or alkalis. Therefore, they must be used with caution and be sure to protect the eyes and skin (rubber gloves, overalls) as well as the respiratory tract (respirator). And be sure to read the instructions before use.

3). Before cleaning the cement, it is also a good idea to check if the cleanser will harm the look of your stone. To do this, you need to process a small inconspicuous area of ​​the surface to be cleaned and evaluate the result. If the color has not changed, spots and other unpleasant changes are not found, then you can safely use this tool. Beyond cleaning decorative stone industrial means, you can try folk methods.

4). Hot water cleaning. This method is the safest for both you and the stone. But its disadvantage is that a heavily soiled stone surface can only be cleaned by soaking, which is not suitable for already finished cladding. Another way to wash cement from stone is cleaning with organic acid: acetic, formic, citric.

5). This method will easily help to cope not only with cement mortar contamination, but also with limescale and rust. The disadvantage is that the surface of the stone can be damaged. Acid destroys not only pollution, but also penetrates into the upper layer of the stone. Over time, after such cleaning, yellow-brown stains may appear or salt will come out.

6). If you decide to clean marble or limestone with this method, then partial destruction of the surface of the material is possible. Mechanical cleaning with a stone chisel, sandpaper and a hammer. Clears reliably, but removal of the top layer of a stone is unavoidable. Not suitable for artificial materials with a specially treated surface.

The most common and very unpleasant contaminants that spoil the aesthetic appearance are: cement plaque, salt appearance, appearance limescale on the facade or fence. Moreover, this does not depend on time - plaque can come out almost after laying or during brick laying. Often, efflorescence forms white, hardened smudges that can increase in size every day.

Unscrupulous builders try to hide or disguise defects as much as possible, unfortunately their actions are temporary and in 99% of raids and streaks appear again. This is explained by the fact that by removing the efflorescence itself, we are fighting not with the cause, but with the effect.

What is the cause of efflorescence?

There are three main types of efflorescence:

• Lime efflorescence, they appear as solid, fairly thick deposits.
• Lime smudges appear in thin layers in the form of dusty deposits, quite soft to the touch.
• Lime efflorescence in the form of crystals of insoluble and soluble salts.

When do efflorescences form?

• In a fresh mixture (primary efflorescence). With a porous mixture, OH and Ca ions move with the help of residual moisture to the outside, where they combine with CO2 in humid air (deposits form on the surface).
• In the hardened mixture (secondary efflorescence). Water from precipitation, groundwater, condensed moisture penetrates into the brickwork, thereby dissolving salts of various chemical elements, including calcium. In warm, dry weather, the salt solution rushes to the masonry surface. Water evaporates, leaving salt crystals on the wall in the form of a white coating.

What accelerates and makes possible the appearance of lime efflorescence?

• High Water/Cement ratio.
• Insufficient mixing of the masonry mixture.
• Large amounts of Ca(OH) 2 (calcium salts) and other foreign salts in mixtures.
• Insufficient binder (cement) content in masonry mixtures (increasing porosity and, accordingly, water permeability).
• Poor seam care - incorrect seam profile.
• Poorly prepared mixture - displacement of water and lime.
• Aggregate not washed from impurities
• Aggregate of uncontrolled composition and quality.
• The water is highly chlorinated, containing salt or other foreign substances, which contributes to prolonged drying.
• Filling the joints with mortar after atmospheric precipitation until the base is completely dry.
• Too fast drying of cement mixtures.

How to clean cement plaque and efflorescence

Many, when faced with such a phenomenon, panic and in part they are right, unless they imagined their house or fence this way during construction. But do not panic, all this is solved quite easily.

There are two ways:

• Calling employees of a cleaning company that cleans stone;
• Clear yourself.

What do we need to clean

1. Soap for natural stone. It is for stone, do not confuse with conventional detergents.
2. Means for removing cement and salt appearances;
3. A stone scraper and a small spatula, for cleaning heavily stubborn and hardened areas;
4. Metal brush and regular brush;
5. Bulgarian with a metal brush (it is recommended to use it only as a last resort, with strongly stubborn dirt that a metal brush does not take).

Let's start cleaning

1. The first thing we need to do is wash away all non-surface dust and dirt. To do this, we dilute the soap concentrate for natural stone in water, in the proportion recommended by the manufacturer, and carefully wash the surface of the brick with the resulting solution with an ordinary brush. And rinse thoroughly with water. At the first stage, it is not recommended to pour water heavily on the stone so that it dries faster.
2. We dilute the detergent concentrate in the recommended proportion and apply it to the surface with a brush and in a circular motion (the direction does not matter) clean the surface. We leave for 5-10 minutes. And rinse thoroughly with water.
3. After completing the first two points, you will immediately notice the cleaning effect, but places with heavily ingrained pollution will also stand out. To cope with them, pour the undiluted concentrate into a small container and apply it with a brush to the contaminated areas. When applied, a chemical reaction will occur and the concentrate on cement and salt pollution will foam, but do not be afraid of this, it should be so. We give 5-10 minutes and proceed to rough cleaning with a scraper and, if necessary, a metal brush. And rinse thoroughly with water. Let dry and repeat until a completely clean surface is obtained.
4. The main thing after complete cleaning is to rinse thoroughly with water, as chemistry can leave a white coating.

How to protect a brick from efflorescence and plaque

There are two types of protection:

1. Transparent impregnation for stone. It is applied to the surface with a brush 1-2 times. Creates a protective layer on the surface, which does not allow water to pass through, counteracts subsequent deep pollution.
2. Impregnation with color enhancement and wet effect. The most sought after and popular this moment. Creates a protective layer, gives the stone a rich color.