Caring for stone floors

Because of their growing popularity, some cleaning contractors have decided to specialise in stone floor care. But before jumping into this growing opportunity, here are a few things Kaivac, developers of the OmniFlex AutoVac floor machine, believes you should know about stone floor care:
 

• Closely examine the stone floor before performing any cleaning tasks. Look for wear patterns, scratches, or damaged tiles and take a picture of them. Share these images and discuss them with your client before proceeding. They might present an "upsell" opportunity or help show that the damage existed before you began your work.
   
• Know an expert. While they may be hardy, stone floors can also be temperamental. An expert certified in natural stone restoration should be consulted whenever encountering a problem you are unsure of. Don't experiment on your customers floors.
   
• When it comes to chemicals, stay neutral. In virtually all situations, when damage is done to a stone floor after cleaning it is because the chemical used either had too high or too low a pH.
   
• Avoid mopping a stone floor. As the mop and mop water become soiled, it can cause a soiled film to form over the stone floor, defacing its appearance. Consider an alternative system that dispenses neutral cleaning solution directly to the floor. The solution can be gently spread over the floor with a brush if necessary and then soils and moisture are vacuumed up.  
      
•  Suggest ways the customer can keep their stone floors looking their best. This is one of the best ways to make them a loyal customer.