Expert: Jan Hayner - 10/17/2009

Question
Hi Jan -- I have natural slate kitchen floor(sealed with Tilelab product) which looks great, but a pain to keep clean. I found a cleaning product by TileLab specifically for stone surfaces and it works great for keeping the sealant looking fresh. But no "cleaner" product or method seems to truly clean the floor as evident by pools of mud in the grout after any cleaning method. I have tried every mop known to mankind but all shred to pieces after only a few uses due to the rough 'bumpy' nature of the stone.  Is there a mop that can withstand the stone surface that I could use to damp mop the dirt that will actually lift the dirt back onto the mop for rinsing and not just move the dirt from one area to the next -- as it seems to be the case. I have found the only way to clean the floor is to go on my hands and knees and scrub each tile/grout with a brush. Since it is such a major chore I do not do it much more than a few times per year -- but if I could find a method/tool to use that could make this job no more difficult than cleaning a smooth tile floor with a swiffer I know I would gladly clean weekly and thus end this drudgery! Since you are a proponent of 'work-smart, not-hard' I thought you may know of a better way!

Answer
Hi Diane;
Join the family of tile slate cleaners that say UGH!!!!!!

Believe it or not, all mops do the same thing when it comes to grout. It is the poursness of the grout that causes the main problem. But it can also be that the grout isn't sealed evenly because some of the sealer has soaked in more in some areas or worn off faster in some.

I, once again, got down on my hands and knees and used a regular scrub brush that you use for cleaning your fingernails and scrubbed the grout. I use a combination of vinegar (1 cup) to 1/4 cup of baking soda and then use the scrub brush. Be careful, when these two are added together it causes a reaction and will rise almost double in your container, however, it settles down within a minute. This is good because it shows you the cleaning action that it can produce. This is also green cleaning, so will not harm anything. Do it This way, it pulls all of the dirt out of the non sealed grout surface.

Then, Use a heavy bodied sealed and put it on with a brush instead of the kind in an applicator. You have more control over the amount and can recoat spots instantly when you see that it is soaking in. Let this dry a good 30 hours before walking on it. Mainly because the outside can feel dry, however it is deceiving.

Then you should be good when washing with a sponge mop.

When I am in a big hurry, I use the sponge mop to wash and then simply put a piece of paper toweling on the floor and wipe. This pulls all of the excess off easily.

HINT*** Grout needs to be resealed once a year to keep it easy to wash, it wears off and the chemicals from your soaps will wear it off in that amount of time. They don't tell you this when you buy the stuff though!
It is the closest I can come to working smarter-not harder!
Happy cleaning,
Jan Hayner