What Is So Special About Your Granite Flooring?

Everything You Need to Know About Granite Flooring

Granite is a popular, beautiful and durable natural stone that features not only on kitchen countertops but on floors too. Granite and granite flooring, however, is different from most other stones.

Due to its composition, it cannot be cleaned with either acidic or alkaline solutions, meaning you need to be careful with how you clean your granite floor. When cleaning granite, you need a specialist natural stone cleaner that is pH neutral and high-performing to remove dirt, grease and grime from this beautiful yet porous surface.

In this latest post, we’re going to delve deeper into granite, understand what it is and how to properly clean and maintain granite floors.

What is Granite?

To understand what is so special about granite flooring and why they need a different cleaning routine we must first look at what granite actually is.

Granite is an igneous rock that forms from the slow crystallization of magma below the earth’s surface. Granite made up of large mineral grains and is composed of quartz, feldspar, mica, amphiboles and other minerals. It is usually a red, pink, grey or white colour. Granite is rich in Silica and is therefore classified as an acidic rock.

Granite is easily distinguishable thanks to its large mineral grains that fit tightly together. The individual grains are large enough that the naked eye can see them. Granite is much less porous than stones such as limestone and marble, making it the favoured option for worktops and floor tiles.

From The Mine To The Floor

Granite is often quarried before being cut into blocks or slabs to fabricate into worktops and tiles. Popular in all aspects of the home granite can be in scenarios such as:

• Granite flooring
• Internal and external cladding
• Steps
• Sills
• Kitchen countertop
• Splashbacks
• Tabletops
• Granite Tiles
• Wall Tiles

It is also used in monuments and gravestones as its composition ensures it is durable against weathering, especially when sealed for maximum protection.

The Benefits of Granite

Known for its durability, granite flooring is the perfect flooring choice for those busy, high traffic areas such as your kitchen or hallway. As a natural stone, granite tends to have that beautiful unique quality to it, which means that no two slabs are the same. Depending on where the granite itself is mined from it can sometimes contain a range of different hues and colouring when the light hits it, giving your stone floor that extra something special.

Its natural porosity and stain resistance make it an ideal choice for allergy suffers also, as it is also considered bacteria resistant. Granite, however, is very heavy and therefore can be tricky to install, so it is recommended that you hire a trained professional. It is also naturally quite cold, making it ideal for a hot climate, but potentially not as suitable for a very cold one.

Granite is solid. So solid in fact that it is one of the hardest materials you can install in your home. It contains pits and fissures, but these do not detract from its strength. These imperfections actually make granite even more natural and beautiful.

The Negatives of Granite

Granite, however, is not unbreakable, it can be chipped or cracked if hit with a hard object. This is because its sheer strength means it lacks the flexibility required to absorb the impact, so be careful what you drop on your floor!

Granite Finishes

Granite can be finished in a variety of different finishes such as polished, honed and textured. It is recommended that if your floor is somewhere that will come into contact with a lot of water, for instance, garden paving, then you opt for a more textured finish to provide more slip resistance to your floor.

Caring For Your Granite Floor

Granite is classified as an acidic material which means if you were to clean it with an alkaline substance, such as Deepclean, then it would react with the acid in the granite and damage the floor. This is why it is recommended to clean it with a pH Neutral solution like DETERGON R3.

Its neutral composition will ensure no chemical reaction takes place on your floor, but it still packs a powerful punch!

Cleaning Granite Floor Tiles: Top Tips For Gorgeous Granite With KleanSTONE

A gleaming granite flooring inspires confidence and style in any setting, whether domestic or commercial. Here at KleanSTONE, we supply advanced floor cleaning solutions to help you achieve a spotlessly clean, perfectly finished granite floor without the elbow grease. Our stone floor cleaners tackle spills, stains and everyday grime with ease for a healthier, happier home or work environment.

Our products extend the lifespan of your granite flooring with powerful, effective cleaning that is gentle enough to use every day and perfect for floors in your home or business, inside and out. Read our general cleaning article on How To Clean Your Granite Floor for further assistance.

Aside from offering a range of products for granite stone floor cleaning, we love to share our knowledge and experience from our years helping customers succeed at extending the lifespan of your floors. Read more on the KleanSTONE Blog, explore our Help & Guides or download our range of Cleaning Guides and learn more about how to care for your natural and engineered stone floors so that they last a lifetime!

Further Reading on the KleanSTONE Blog:

• A KleanSTONE Guide To Stone Flooring
• Which Floor Sealer Is Right For Me?
• Should I Seal My Outside Patio?
• Floor Sealing: The Most Important Thing You Are Not Doing
• Cleaning Quarry Tile Floors
• How To Seal Your Stone Floors
• Is My Mop And Bucket Damaging My Stone Floor?
• How Do I Clean My Natural Stone Floor?
• KleanSTONE, The Pet Safe Floor Cleaner
• What is Travertine?
• Everything You Need To Know About Your Slate Floor…