Maintenance

Normally the detergent must be neutral, but in some cases it is not enough to clean and you have to resort to different solutions such as ammonia or bleach that are good on all natural stones. Detergents are the chemicals used in cleaning and belong to different categories according to the composition and type of material on which they can be used. In general, acid-based products are distinguished from those with an alkaline reaction, together with compounds that belong to the group of surfactants, soluble salts (in whole or in part) or extracting solvents to be used for particular uses. Acid-based compounds (e.g. muriatic acid) are unsuitable for treatment on carbonate stones such as marbles, ornamental limestones, limestone tuffs, travertines and limestone sandstones, but can be used on silica-based stones such as granite, porphyry, serizzi, gneisses and quartzites. Alkaline-based compounds, ammonia for example, are mainly used for marble, ornamental limestone, limestone tuff, travertine, limestone sandstone, slate that cannot withstand acid products, but of course also work well on granite. For smooth or shiny surfaces, only low-concentration products with a degree of acidity of the solutions (ph) slightly higher than neutrality should be used, while on compact and not very sensitive materials it is possible to resort to concentrated solutions to exert a more drastic action of dilution. In all cases, after washing with basic or acid solutions, it is always necessary to inhibit the action of the detergent by washing it away with water or particular neutralizing substances in order to limit the corrosive power and eliminate most of the salts that can form by reaction with visible materials. Before the application of detergent products, it is advisable to carry out tests to determine their effectiveness because the action on very altered surfaces and in the presence of highly porous surfaces there is a risk of penetration of the detergent without then the possibility of removal with the final washing . Other detergents are expressly dedicated to the elimination of rust stains, verdigris, cement stains and more.

The resins and waxes have a slightly protective function, as they create a surface layer to offer a certain resistance to the action of water and, to a lesser extent, of oils.

Generally on all natural stones with a prevalent composition of calcium carbonates (limestone) such as marbles, travertines, onyxes (alabaster), slates, breccias, a hydro-oil repellent protective treatment should already have been applied upon delivery to protect the polished surface because weakly acidic liquids such as lemon juice or drinks such as Coca Cola could have a blotting effect that would stand out more on a light colored and homogeneous material. Natural materials based on silicates (quartz, feldspar, mica) such as granite, quartzite, porphyry, serpentine and gneiss are more resistant and less sensitive to chemical attacks even if they can be corroded by some strong acids. Furthermore, marbles and granites are not completely impermeable to water due to their porosity with the consequent risk of saline efflorescence due to the transport of salts diluted in the water or the formation of yellow / reddish stains due to iron oxidation which is the typical problem of some marbles including the whites of Carrara. All these drawbacks are solved by an adequate surface treatment that closes the microscopic porosities. The hydro-oil repellent treatment is a good rule that it has already been done upon delivery and is not part of ordinary maintenance which instead includes cleaning and any polishing.

In the case of old floors, the use of a wax remover allows you to eliminate all traces of old emulsified waxes based on natural, synthetic waxes and resins that may be present and to remove dirt in depth without affecting the original gloss of the material. For periodic cleaning after the elimination of old waxes, it is instead sufficient to use a specific detergent for marbles available on the market. For new floors, clean with a concentrated cleaner. They are pleasantly scented and with a pH specially designed for the thorough cleaning of marble and all stone materials without damaging them. Diluted in water in the recommended doses, their action is concentrated on dirt without affecting the marble.

For extreme solutions in front of floors with particular degradation for some time, it is possible to try a recovery with basic detergents (ammonia, bleach) diluted in water that have a whitening effect, it is advisable to ask an expert opinion in these cases or in any case if not. you can resist experimenting with very strong detergents (for example basic) at least first test the result on a small, not too visible part of the floor. It should be borne in mind that natural stones vary a lot from each other, the external floors in porphyry cubes are almost immortal, the floors in glossy white marble (which are placed only inside due to the slipperiness they would have when wet) are instead among the most sensitive. (even white clothes get dirty before dark ones).

Polishing with wax usually follows the cleaning of polished marble surfaces, although it can also be done on granites with protective value. The best yield is obtained with specific industrial products for some time also available in large-scale distribution. The paste polishes are concentrated in noble waxes dissolved in a non-flammable solvent. they are paste products ideal for the final polishing of marble, granite and polished stones available in various colors: (colorless, black, green, red, yellow, brown). They dry quickly, creating a very hard surface, forming a high-effect and long-lasting gloss. They are applied by rubbing by hand or machine with fine steel straw, felt or dry woolen cloth. the result is shiny without streaks and long lasting thanks to the composition that penetrates into the pores, closing them and eliminating small cracks. To obtain a brilliant result, rub with a clean rag, or with a fine iron wool or hard bristle brush. To delay drying, they should instead be diluted with white spirit. With one liter you can treat from 30 to 60 m2. Liquid polishes are non-flammable solvent-based, designed to revive the colors and beauty of marble, granite and stone, leaving a pleasant “wet look”. The most classic use in the home environment is that with the classic polisher or manually with the use of a wool cloth of normal cleaning. Those with modified silicone are specific for polishing and protection in the production phase of tiles, slabs and strips in marble, granite, agglomerates, terrazzo after polishing. The special formulation also allows manual use to polish and protect skirting boards, internal and external coatings, risers and monuments. There is also a silicone-based version suitable for the daily maintenance of bronzes, steels and polished metals in general, accessories that normally join natural stone. It does not contain solvents, does not affect the paints or patinas of modern bronzes and does not damage the ozone.

As a first treatment, use a Liquid Wax to obtain a warm, dry and long-lasting shine. The best is the one with a concentration that allows excellent dilutability in water, significantly increasing its yield and retaining an excellent scent. It must resist foot traffic for a long time and not create halos and not contain resins that create unsightly films. The spray version comes with a foaming product suitable for cleaning and polishing needs. in one pass. The presence of waxes in its composition increases the luster and durability over time on marble, granite, but also varnished wood. It does not contain chlorine fluorine carbides and does not damage the ozone.

After the first treatment, it is advisable to use a specific product for the quick and simple maintenance of natural and agglomerated stone floors. Polishers are used to combine washing and polishing in a single operation.

In the case of very old floors, which are unable to acquire gloss with the normal procedure, the use of particular products is recommended which, thanks to a special glazing agent and the use of a single brush, hardens the surface giving a lasting gloss similar to that of polishing of the marble worker. The crystallizing products are suitable for maintenance interventions to re-polish and harden marble floors and marble agglomerates, without the use of waxes and resins it is necessary to have a single brush machine equipped with a steel straw disc which causes a thermochemical reaction. called “crystallization”, with which there is the superficial dissolution of calcium carbonate (natural component of marble) by weak acids, which result, by mixing with a vitrifying agent contained in the product, a brilliant and extremely hard, glass-like. Completely closes porosity, makes the floor much more resistant to foot traffic. To obtain the best result, the floor must be thoroughly washed with specific non-degrading products. For very dirty or very old floors, you can also use trichlorethylene or bleach to be rinsed well and allowed to dry well because no traces of old or greasy waxes must remain) After having moistened the surface to be treated evenly with a rag or sprayer pass the floor machine with a roll of iron straw with a slow sliding. The vitrifying agent will dry on the surface creating the thermochemical action of crystallization.

For stubborn stains, each stone is different from the others and there are endless methods and exceptions to fix them. Usually the mechanical action alone removes the encrustation but leaves the stain due to the penetration of staining material into the pores of the stone. Faced with extreme cases, such as graffiti with silicone spray, there are stones that calmly withstand solvents such as trichlorethylene and white spirit, or even the acids used in domestic cleaning such as muriatic: granites, serpentine, quartzite, gneiss, serizzi. For marbles it is best to try first with domestic ammonia. If the stain is due to the use of descaler on a marble, alabaster, breccia, sandstone, slate that are made of limestone, then it is not a stain but a surface corrosion that requires re-polishing of the injured part. Instead granite, serpentine, quartzite, beole, serizzi are not at all made of limestone but of silicates and are not afraid of this problem. All other particularly stubborn and evident stains such as oil, industrial grease, food grease, coffee, etc. they can be eliminated with paste products recently placed on the market. Specially formulated for the elimination of stains on stone materials such as marble, granite, limestone, slate and onyx, they do not affect the gloss of the material, do not leave halos and allow you to restore the original beauty of the material. The chemical composition allows to absorb in depth most of the particularly resistant stains. They are applied by spreading a layer with a thickness of about 5 mm with a spatula or a palette. which is then covered with a plastic film (for example polyethylene) to create the necessary moisture to keep the paste soft and make the stain absorption more effective. After 2 or 3 hours, the plastic film must be removed and after about 8 – 10 hours, depending on the ambient temperature, the dust can be removed with a brush. Even the photocopier toner that has penetrated deeply into the pores of the natural stone of the floor can be removed with a little stubborn application of the stain and stain remover available on the market. Once finished, any substance you have used for stain removal must be removed by washing it off with water. In any case, the recovery of extreme stains are always experiments and you must first try on a small part that is not too visible and the best advice in these cases is to ask for a free opinion from those who work the natural stone care.

Exposure to degrading and wearing agents if placed on a continuum varies according to the function
– of use: it is maximum for external floors, minimum for internal coverings,
– of the chemical composition of the material, alabasters (called onyx today) are soft and not very resistant to chemical agents while granites are hard, resistant to wear and only fear some strong acids from which they are corroded.
– of its chromatic homogeneity and of the color itself, on homogeneous whites the spots immediately stand out on a dark polychrome marble much less
– of the surface processing, a shiny surface is always more delicate than a natural quarry split.
– climate, temperature, rain, winds are active agents on external applications
– air and rainwater pollution for outdoor applications, for interiors attention must be paid to bathrooms where corrosive liquids can be introduced into the hot water circuit during maintenance of the boiler pipes, which are then transported to bathrooms. In these cases, salvation comes from preventive protective treatments that close the pores of the material making it impermeable to the pollutants carried by the water. For furniture items, creamy and ecological products, solvent-free, water-based for interiors and exteriors are on the market. Ideal for polishing marble, granite, natural stone even in rooms with poor ventilation, allowing to obtain results that were previously only possible with the use of solvents. Their job is to close small cracks and pores.

A degraded floor even in the most extreme cases in which the surface part of the material is irrecoverable can become new again by re-polishing and re-polishing it with specific machines in the process of levi-polishing and possible filling of cracks with mastic of compatible color. The cost is lower than a new floor as well as being a recovery that avoids environmental waste of unique and historical materials.
The polished natural stone floor properly cleaned maintains its appearance for centuries without altering or becoming opaque, the passage helps to keep them shiny as seen in the centuries-old floors of the churches or the arcades of Piazza Duomo in Milan due to the continuous abrasion of the feet .
If there is an opacification (loss of reflectance) it means that the material – typically a marble – for some reason is losing its surface smoothness and a protective treatment would be needed, the surface crystallization for example that would make it shiny again and similar to a granite for surface hardness.