How to Clean Stone & Tile Showers and Bathrooms

It’s the one room of the house no one wants to clean… the bathroom. But it’s in the bathroom where your stone & tile surfaces may face their harshest conditions. Everyday toiletries like toothpaste, mouthwash, or perfume contain acids that can degrade sealers and damage your stone’s surface. In the shower, exposure to moisture and frequent use of shampoos and soaps can lead to soap scum, mold, and mildew which can leave a mess on your beautiful surfaces, and even worse, create an unhealthy environment for you and your family. But with a little know-how, and of course the right STONETECH® care and maintenance products in hand, you can not only prevent these issues, but also undo some of the unsightly stains left behind from past problems.  

An ounce of prevention…
As the old saying goes, the best offense is a good defense. Preventing stains from happening is the best way to protect your bathroom surfaces. This of course starts with making sure your stone and tile surfaces are properly sealed with a penetrating sealer like STONETECH BulletProof® Sealer. This will prevent stains and protect those delicate surfaces from the day-to-day wear and tear.  

Once your surface is properly sealed, knowing how to clean stone & tiles in the bathroom is a key. Avoid “multi-purpose” cleaners which can strip sealers and expose your surfaces to more damage.  Your best course of action is to use a pH neutral cleaner to keep the sealer from being stripped. STONETECH Stone & Tile Cleaner is great for day-to-day maintenance and can be used on your vanity and shower/tub. Routine use will remove residues from everyday toiletries without damaging the sealed stone surface. For a quick grab, keep a bottle under your vanity to wipe down the counter after each use. For added protection, you can use STONETECH Revitalizer™ Cleaner & Protector to not only clean your stone or tile shower and bathroom surfaces, but to also reseal and defend against stains and odor causing bacteria, mold and mildew.

Between cleanings, be sure to wipe down wet areas in the shower with either a squeegee or dry cloth to prevent the build-up of soap scum and mineral deposits, and try to prevent things like toothpaste, shampoo, or soap from sitting on surfaces for too long. If possible, open a window when showering to allow excess moisture to exit the room, or consider adding in or upgrading an exhaust fan fit for your room size to properly remove moisture and avoid continuous mold growth.  

• STONETECH KlenzAll Cleaner is a heavy duty, alkaline cleaner that removes tough dirt, grease, and grime from granite, marble, porcelain, and grout and will prepare the surface for sealing.
• STONETECH Restore Acidic Cleaner is a concentrated cleaner that can remove hard water deposit build up and rust stains from acid resistant stone, masonry, and grout – surfaces like ceramic tile, porcelain tile, and granite.

With both of these heavy duty cleaners, you will need to reseal the surface with a sealer such as STONETECH BulletProof® Sealer.

The takeaway… 
Knowing how to clean a stone & tile shower doesn’t have to be hard. Once you know what causes the most common problems in the bathroom, it’s easier to stop these problems from becoming major headaches. Using the correct products can keep a new bathroom looking fresh and help bring new life to a bathroom that’s been neglected over time. We always recommend testing new cleaners on inconspicuous areas before using, and if you’re not sure what kind of surfaces you have in your bathroom, consult a professional beforehand.

If you’re looking for more helpful tips, check out this video, and be sure to visit STONETECH.com for more helpful tools and information on the complete line of products.