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Never place a mat down on a wet surface or put a wet mat on any surface.ĭamp or wet mopping - All slate flooring needs to be cleaned. Be sure the floor is dry before returning them to the floor. Take them up and clean under them when you dust mop. A mat should be at least as wide as the doorway it serves.Ĭlean your mats often, daily if possible. Be careful about using rubber- or jute-backed mats or rugs on slate flooring either kind of backing can bleed into the slate, causing a stain that may be difficult or impossible to remove. There are hundreds of mats and rugs on the market today. For this reason, I would recommend placing mats both inside and outside. Studies have shown that it takes approximately seven steps to remove most loose dirt from one's shoes. If it is placed outside your door, it is only human nature and common courtesy for people to wipe their feet before entering the house. A good-quality mat will capture dirt before someone walks on the floor. Welcome mats, rugs and walk-off mats - Another important tool necessary for keeping dirt and debris off your slate floors is some type of mat, rug or what is commonly called a walk-off mat. Wash it in cold water with laundry detergent and machine-dry. Purchase a good-quality machine-washable mop and keep it clean. Do not get the dust mop wet if the floor is wet, be sure to dry it before dust mopping. For example, you should use one dust mop for your slate flooring and a separate one for other tile or wood floors. Hardware stores sell various hangers, which are excellent for storing mops and brooms.ĭesignate only one dust mop for each type of surface. When storing the dust mop, be sure to keep its head off the ground. When you have accumulated enough dirt and debris, pick it up with a dustpan and brush and take the dust mop outside to shake any remaining dust. Think of it as pushing the dirt in only one direction. When dust mopping, be sure to run the dust mop in one direction only. Remember, do not use oil-treated dust mops on slate flooring. If traffic is heavy, or the floor is located in a commercial building, do it several times a day. Several studies have indicated that floors, which are dust-mopped often, stay cleaner and shinier longer.
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If we could somehow eliminate them, this would cease to be a problem. Dust, dirt and grit are what cause most surfaces to scratch and mar. For best results, they should be followed very closely.ĭust-mopping - Of all the procedures used to maintain slate flooring, dust mopping is probably the most important. To keep your slate flooring in tip-top condition, a few simple maintenance procedures are necessary. Keep it clean and protected, and it will last until the kids move out - and may even be around when they move back in. This is exactly what you need to do for slate flooring. On the other hand, if you make the effort to wash it on a regular basis and throw a coat of wax on it every now and then, it will look as good as new for years. Soon enough the paint will fade, the body will rust, and the car will cost you a small fortune to restore. Let's suppose you've just purchased a brand-new car - and you never wash it. In fact, the main reason slate flooring gets dirty or ruined can be traced to simple neglect. The actual care and maintenance of slate flooring is not a complicated subject. Although slate can be purchased in 12- x 12-inch tiles, random patterns of varying shapes are very popular as well. The reddish tans are the result of iron oxides. Greens contain chlorite and blacks and grays contain carbon and/or graphite. Red-colored slates contain hematite, which gives them their red color. You will also find minor amounts of mica, calcite and other minerals. Slate is made up of minerals of quartz and illite.