Natural stone flooring is a good choice in both domestic and commercial settings for a variety of reasons. Aesthetically stone is available in a variety of colours, styles and shapes, with many different types of surface finish, but most commonly a matte slip resistant surface finish. It is also probably the most durable type of flooring and adds to the perception that it is the easiest type of floor to keep clean and in its impeccable original condition. To a certain extent this is true but stone floors, as with any other type of flooring, requires regular maintenance and cleaning to keep it in pristine condition.

Often the first step to keeping your floor clean is the application of a good sealer. To this end you may wish to check if your stone floor has already had a sealer applied, and applied correctly. To do this you can pour a couple of drops of water onto the surface and observe - if it forms into small balls and 'floats' on the surface then your floor has been correctly sealed, if it is absorbed in any way - then your floor is in need of a sealer.

It is important to clean the floor before it is sealed as natural stone products contain dirt, residues and dust and this will need to be cleaned before any sealant is applied. To clean the surface of natural stone it is important to sweep and vacuum as well as possible and in some cases you may wish to consider a residue cleaner. After any surface dirt and grime has been removed, you can have the floor sealed - a stone floor cleaning specialist will be able to give you advice on this and recommend an appropriate sealer.

Another important step to consider is maintenance - and this involves the continued sweeping and vacuuming of the floor to remove sand, dirt and grit which is often walked in on the soles of shoes and do the most damage to natural stone surfaces due to their abrasiveness. Other forms of prevention involve simple steps such as placing doormats at entrances - and keep these clean as well.

Once all the surface dirt and grit has been removed damp mopping on a regular basis should keep your floor looking beautiful for many years to come. If you wish to add a supplementary cleaning product then be sure to use a neutral PH detergent or soap and be sure to dry the surface with a soft cloth. Avoid using products that contain abrasive cleaners or ammonia based products and be sure to clean up spillages as soon as they happen.

If for some reason your floor gets scratched or you see a build up of staining or a dulling or uneven appearance then you may need your floor to be professionally cleaned and a stone floor cleaning company should be contacted.