How To Keep Granite Floor Clean?

[tuffy]

We recently moved into a different house that has granite floors. In our old house which had tile we never had a problem with dirty floors moping 2 or 3 times a week.

In the new house even if mopped daily our feet are always filthy if we don't wear house shoes.

Is there something different with granite as to how to keep it clean?

[Farma]

There's some good information titled "Marble and Granite Installations in Residential Dwellings. Daily Maintenance - DOs 'n' DON'Ts" on this link

http://www.findstone.com/dnd.htm

[naka]

Both Granite and Marble are a pain in the boohooty.

Ceramic tiles are totally maintenance free (just don't buy the cheap shiny, slippery rubbish)

and they never stain

P.S. I always wonder why people buy sweaty, sticky leather furniture in the tropics

Naka.

[sleepyjohn]

Ceramic tiles are totally maintenance free (just don't buy the cheap shiny, slippery rubbish)

and they never stain

Naka.

Maybe not never.

The person using my bathroom previously moronically let the gas cylinder sit right under the boiler close to the shower. They couldn't be bothered to put a bit of extra hose in and get it outside. Pathetic result: big rust ring stains. They seem to be unmovable, and I have since learnt that bleaching rust stains forms an insoluble stain. THis has probably happened.

If anyone knows any different I'd love to know.

[Jing-jo]

Ceramic tiles are totally maintenance free (just don't buy the cheap shiny, slippery rubbish)

and they never stain

Naka.

Maybe not never.

The person using my bathroom previously moronically let the gas cylinder sit right under the boiler close to the shower. They couldn't be bothered to put a bit of extra hose in and get it outside. Pathetic result: big rust ring stains. They seem to be unmovable, and I have since learnt that bleaching rust stains forms an insoluble stain. THis has probably happened.

If anyone knows any different I'd love to know.

I work for a marble and granite company designing and manufacturing sink worktops and various shapes using cadcam and cnc machines

but have learnt a lot watching the boss rectify peoples damaged granite tops

especially marble

what colour are you tiles?

linofin make very good stain and colour repair kits

you can bleach them again and again to get the rust lighter and lighter

then use stain to bring colour back

also can use magnet as you clean to draw the ferrous oxide out of the tiles

do not use wirewool unless it is very fine scrub twisted stainless steel tape type

anything else wire wool wise WILL stain it

best is to use a electric polishing tool with t-cut if the tile is light coloured

very high speed but very light pressure

if coloured you could try the colour magic scratch removal colours

they can be mixed to colour match

why all probs with non ceramic

all types of granite and marble are porous

they absorb dirt and liquids

you can seal them but it must be done dry dirt and dust free to work properly

and it needs to be done every few weeks

the more porous it is then it requires more frequent sealing

ceramic is like clay fired in kiln i.e coffee cup easy to clean

but it will stain if treated badly for long enough

in the uk the most popular stone at moment from us is stone italiano

a reconstituted granite or marble powder mixed with resin

very strong very stain resistant very light but a lot more expensive unless you buy in bulk

we are doing 150 units nearly all the same so

eg cost of a single 2.5mtr x 0.8mtr unit with polished edges all round but an unpolished sink cutout and a hob cutout £135:00

yes £135:00 pounds

time to make

to load and cut slab 15mins

to polish edges on machine 10 mins

to set up cut and remove piece from cnc cutting machine 20mins

to check over and hand finish where neccesary 15 mins

so takes one hour wages £10 pr hour

machine cost £20 pr hour

Si slab £150 2 pieces from each slab £75 each

so profit £30 on each

to have a single unit with a polished sink cut out and recessed hob £ 800

lot more labour 2 hours and machine time 2 hours involved

but profit is £400+ on each piece

IMHO the standard of marble and granite work I have seen on my travels is absolutely abysmal especially in thailand ( in LOS a lot of the developers use the slabs that aren't good enough to export as they get rejected by the stone companies), even in hong kong its not that good even in the top hotels and flats some chinese dont care how it is fitted as long as they have it installed for prestige?

Remember when using power tools dont use too much pressure the ceramic fired top coating is only so thick usually 0.5 to 0.75 mm

take care and hope this helps

[Mossfinn]

linofin

Hi Jing-jo,

Do you mean Lithofin?

What CnC machines do you use?

Cheers

Moss

[Jing-jo]

linofin

Hi Jing-jo,

Do you mean Lithofin?

What CnC machines do you use?

Cheers

Moss

Hi Moss

yep,you got me ,it's lithofin

We use the Intermac glass 4000 (it's up for sale)easy to load onto and nice and big but prone to pieces moving due to losing vacuum and axis problems mind you it was never assembled properly to start with and if i was the boss I would have sent the thing back to Italy but then he is italian

and the Intermac plus 3200 compact very good router motor,vacuum pump and magazine system with good software but what a bitch to hand load the supports are so F###ing low

cad cam software is stonecad and stonecam pretty good but so many bugs in the new upgrade I really upset the instalation team when i said did Microsh#te complie it ?

Me and my back will be glad to quit which is happening (hopefully in time for Xmas )

as soon as the ex gets mortgage together and buys me out then LOS here i come to chill for ever and a day

play golf lie on beach getting massage eat lovely foriegn food get pissed get laid have breakfast and then start all over again

bliss

Jing-Jo

[leisurely]

What about a layer of cling film all over the floor, it will wrinkle but you can replace it daily

[egeefay]

Ceramic tiles are totally maintenance free (just don't buy the cheap shiny, slippery rubbish)

and they never stain

Naka.

Maybe not never.

The person using my bathroom previously moronically let the gas cylinder sit right under the boiler close to the shower. They couldn't be bothered to put a bit of extra hose in and get it outside. Pathetic result: big rust ring stains. They seem to be unmovable, and I have since learnt that bleaching rust stains forms an insoluble stain. THis has probably happened.

If anyone knows any different I'd love to know.

Try this product

http://www.ironout.com/

[Maizefarmer]

Looks good, lasts forever.............just dont slip on the stuff when its wet.

Go to any private hospital in Bangkok, Pattaya or Phuket and ask what the greatest cause of broken arms and legs are (in the wet season) - its a toss up between bike accidents and slipping on the granite/ceramic tiles that are laid out at all the bars (and homes!).

Tim

[Mossfinn]

linofin

Hi Jing-jo,

Do you mean Lithofin?

What CnC machines do you use?

Cheers

Moss

Hi Moss

yep,you got me ,it's lithofin

We use the Intermac glass 4000 (it's up for sale)easy to load onto and nice and big but prone to pieces moving due to losing vacuum and axis problems mind you it was never assembled properly to start with and if i was the boss I would have sent the thing back to Italy but then he is italian

and the Intermac plus 3200 compact very good router motor,vacuum pump and magazine system with good software but what a bitch to hand load the supports are so F###ing low

cad cam software is stonecad and stonecam pretty good but so many bugs in the new upgrade I really upset the instalation team when i said did Microsh#te complie it ?

Me and my back will be glad to quit which is happening (hopefully in time for Xmas )

as soon as the ex gets mortgage together and buys me out then LOS here i come to chill for ever and a day

play golf lie on beach getting massage eat lovely foriegn food get pissed get laid have breakfast and then start all over again

bliss

Jing-Jo

Hi Jing-lo,

Wasn't trying to catch you out, just wondering if we were talking about the same thing.

Looked at quite a few 5-axis machines, and I gotta agree when using the Italians you got to be on top of them , so to speak, all the time.

Good software is the stone package from Licom.

Just realised this isn't Thai related, so better add, I will be looking at machines in LOS, which probably isn't strictly true, but hey it would be great if I counld wrangle a jolly outta that one.

Just PM'd you.

Good Luck with the exit procedure, sounds like a plan to me.

Moss

[mamastar]

Have same issue - mop in the morning, a layer of dust by the evening.

As living in a rented place, replacing all the granite with ceramic tiles would not work. Any suggestions on good techniques/products that would keep the surface clean for longer? Other than mopping daily...

[tuky]

We have granite and also a level of marble.

Same problem with thw black feet, and to make matters worse half our grantie floor wasn't sealed before it was laid. Result? anything that was under the granite tiles has seeped up to the surface in the guise of a stain.

My family keep windows closed (and aircon off) in an effort to keep the floors cleaner.

My wife has decided to bin the whole lot, about 150sqm worth and replace with a normal ceramic tile. Shame because it does look really nice.