Natural stones are extracted from nature and materials used inside and outside of the buildings such as floor, wall, bathroom and the surfaces of table, coffee table. Door according to their compositions, natural stones are classified into two general categories: calcareous stone and silica / quartz-based stones. Calcareous stones are marble, travertine and limestone. Silica / quartz stones are granite, slate stone, quartz and terracotta.
Natural stones are used for aesthetic and decorative purposes in buildings. They are investments that can be used for long years with proper maintenance. They can be used for life without any deterioration when their maintenance are made with the recommended basic procedures and the correct cleaning products and methods are used. Natural stone formation takes place millions of years, but when maintenance and cleaning of this natural is not cared for correctly, beauty of these stones deteriorate rapidly.
In order for these natural stones to be used for a long time, they should be protected and daily cleaning is required. It is important to prevent and remove dust and sand accumulation from the natural stones. Since the sand has a very hard structure, it harms even the hardest natural stones. The floors should be protected with door mats against the sand which is carried by the feet. In the case of daily cleaning, it should be wiped with low alkaline or non-acid products, mop systems or cleaning automats. Soap-based and anti-static, powder-absorbing products are also suitable as a daily care product for natural stones.
In addition to the daily maintenance of natural stone surfaces, there are some procedures for protection. As the surfaces are generally porous and liquid-permeable, the pores are not filled and if they are not coated properly they are stained with liquid. It is almost impossible to remove the stains from the inside of the spheres and clean them. Application of a coating agent suitable for natural stones provides the surface with hydrophobic (water repellent) and lipophobic (oil repellent) protection against water and oil-based stains. The Natural Stone Protection Products, which serve to this purpose, intend to infiltrate and stain liquids spilled onto the coated surface. Natural stone surface protection products are applied by spraying or rubbing. It does not disrupt the natural color of the skin, so it does not change its natural appearance. After the application, the surface is extremely resistant to mechanical effects and chemicals. The protection period is effective for a long time according to the place of use and can be repeated every 1-6 months depending on the traffic usage situation.
Natural stones and their features:
Marble:
It is the most commonly used material in the building. It is used on floors, walls, bathroom and sanitary areas, and table-tops. In general, it is softer and easier to handle than other natural stones. It is affected by acid-containing products, the surface is broken.
Since the marble surfaces are porous, they quickly absorb the oil and liquids poured into it, and they fill the dirt particles. Polishing is applied in order to protect from scratching, dirt and to keep the stone polished as well as facilitating daily maintenance. In the interior decorations, rubbing polish or crystallization is applied. In the outdoor areas, only crystalline lacquers can be applied because the paint finishes are not water resistant. Countertop, marble sink, bathroom etc. are the areas in which polishing is not applied; Natural Stone Protection Products should be used on marble to protect the marble against water and other stains. However, the protection product does not protect the marble against acid products, so the marble surfaces should always be protected from acid products. However, when acid is accidentally spilled onto the surface, the coated surface is quickly wiped off, preventing damage to the surface before going inside.
Travertine:
One of the calcium carbonate based natural stones is travertine. It is formed by the crystallization of calcium carbonate, especially in the place where the hot spring waters come to the surface. It is used as floor or wall-covering material. Besides being a white colored stone, it contains impurities which can be yellow-brown color. Since the surface contains pores, with a lacquer application, a well-flat surface can be obtained. The natural stone care products which make the surface hydrophobic and lipophobic may prevent the surface from water absorbance and oil/dirt stains like a protective filter. However, even though it is coated, it does not protect against acid products similar to marble. However, when acid is spilled on the surface, the coated surface prevents damage to the surface before going inside if it is quickly cleansed.
Granite:
Granite is extremely hard and non-porous, so it is very resistant to pollution and scratching. It is in very close hardness level to diamond which is the hardest of the minerals. It is not affected by acids and alkaline. Its cleaning and maintenance is easy. Although it is a hard surface, sand particles can also harm granite. Floor mats and daily dust-collecting mops should be used to clean the floors of sand and dust.
It should be cleaned daily with neutral and quick-drying cleaning products. If it has scratches, it is not possible to repair the granite. From time to time, it can be cleaned with oil-dirt cleaning products with alkali properties for the cleaning of the dirt that fills in the scratches. The granite is naturally shiny and in no way polish should be applied.
Quartz:
It is a very frequently found stone in nature and it is known for hardness and resistance. It can be in different colors with different mineral contents. The surface coating material is obtained by the bonding of quartz mineral’s powders with the polymer resin. The most commonly used, commercial type of quartz is called Çimstone (engineered quartz stone.) It is used in indoor and outdoor floors, bathrooms, kitchens and kitchen benches. It is very resistant against mechanical and chemicals forces. It is only sensitive to acid contained in rust solvents.
Cleaning and maintenance of quartz is extremely easy. Since it is bright, lacquer is not applied separately. Sand protection extends the life span of quartz. Quartz surfaces can be cleaned with general cleaning products in daily care.
Terracotta:
It is a red-brown natural stone material. It is porous and permeable to water and other liquids. It is resistant against chemicals and mechanical effects. The most common problem in terracotta floors is the whitening of the surface as a result of the evaporation of water coming up through the pores. This white acid can be cleaned with acid products, but the problem persists with the use of excess water. For this reason, white stones are cleaned with acidic products with very little water and the water is immediately vacuumed. For the problem not to occur repeatedly, cement should not be used as adhesive; it must be affixed with a special adhesive.
Terracotta floors can be cleaned with neutral-acid-alkaline products. In indoor areas, emulsion polish may be applied. However, in order to prevent the liquid-permeability of the pores in the surface, the surface should be covered with Natural Stone Protection Product.
Slate stone:
It is generally dark gray, lead-colored natural stone. It may also be seen in brown, yellow and pink colors. It is generally used as a floor and wall covering material in outdoor areas. It is durable, resistant to chemicals and mechanical effects. It is protected against contamination and staining with the use of Natural Stone Protector Product to reduce the permeability of liquid to inside.
Eczacıbaşı Profesyonel provides Maratem brand products for the protection and maintenance of natural stones and to keep them in their first-day beauty. Natural Stone Protective Product created a protective filter on the surface of the natural stone, hereby prevents the water and oil stains from getting inside of the stone through pores. In the daily care, M233 Cleaning and Care for Glossy Surfaces product can be used to ensure fast drying effect, that no water stain remains on the stone, while ensuring a glossy and nice-smelling object. Eczacıbaşı Profesyonel contributes to the selection of the right products and methods for the cleaning and protection of surfaces by offering solutions to the enterprises in the field of education, supervision and consultancy with the EP Academy unit, which provides training to more than 6000 sector employees within 1 year.
