My family just recently moved into a house that has a bathroom with black slate flooring and black slate in the shower. The stone appears to be either damaged or has some significant soap and mineral buildup (lots of white/gray film and discoloration). I can scrape some of it with my finger nail, but cleaners designed for "natural stone" are not doing anything. I do not want to use any harsh or abrasive chemicals as I know this will damage the stone. Does anyone know of someone who could come and look at the stone and deep clean it or advise me if the stone is damaged. I do not even know what type of service to look for in the telephone book.
Thanks!
If it's soap or mineral buildup, try baking soda or vinegar. We live in a "hard water" part of the country and both work well. The vinegar cuts right through the soap scum! Neither one is abbrasive. Rinse and enjoy the shine.
Dear T.,
Don't know if this site will help; however, it lists & shows pictures of every type of stone available, including slate with a picture of when the slate turns whitish, etc. (They recommended their "color enhancer" for that.) However, they also have a host of cleaning products for every type of stone. If nothing else, it's a starting point as it is very informative re: types of stones; different problems with stones; solutions for the problems, etc.
www.stonecare.com/ (Stonecare International Marble, Granite, Ceramic Tile, Grout, Corian and Stone) There is also an 800 number to call & you may contact them on line with whatever your problem is & have their expert get back to you. Hope this helps.
P.
You may want to try using these people... they restore marble and natural stone including slate.
