How to Care for Natural Stone Tile Floors

Natural stone tile looks beautiful, but it doesn't play by the same rules as ceramic or porcelain. Some everyday cleaners that are fine on ceramic can dull or damage stone. Here's how to keep it looking its best.

Know what you have

Ceramic and porcelain are manufactured and very forgiving. Natural stone is cut from rock, and different stones react differently. Many — like marble, travertine and limestone — are sensitive to acids. If you're not sure what's on your floor, treat it gently until you know.

Everyday cleaning

• Dry first. Sweep or dust-mop often. Grit scratches stone like sandpaper.
• Use a pH-neutral cleaner made for stone, or a few drops of mild dish soap in warm water.
• Use a damp mop, not a wet one, and change the water when it gets dirty.
• Dry the floor with a soft towel to prevent water spots.

What to avoid

• Vinegar, lemon and acidic cleaners — they can etch acid-sensitive stone, leaving dull spots.
• Bleach and ammonia — harsh on stone and on many sealers.
• Abrasive powders and scrub pads — they scratch.

Spills

Blot spills right away, especially wine, coffee, juice and oil. Stone is porous, and a spill that sits can soak in and stain.

The grout still gets dirty

Even well-kept stone floors end up with dingy grout lines. Our tile and grout cleaning covers ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tile — we pre-treat the grout and rinse the dirt out with hot water extraction. Read how to clean grout, or see our tile and grout cleaning page.