Slate is a very popular floor and wall tile due to its low porosity; there are many varieties and textures of Slate available as such Tile Doctor has spent many years researching the best cleaning and sealing methods and products. The semi riven tile is particularly easier to maintain compared to the rough textured slate commonly available due to its cheaper quarrying cost.

These days Slate comes from all over the world including Africa, Brazil and China to name but a few countries; interestingly one of the most expensive Slates comes from the Burlington quarries in Cumbria due to its quality and texture which is actually sold in large quantities to China (akin to shipping coals to Newcastle).

Picture shows how cleaning and sealing has brought out the colour and beauty of this rough Slate floor.

Slate Stone Tile Maintenance

ROUGH/RIVEN SLATE TILES

To remove any excess sealer before cleaning use Tile Doctor Remove & Go Sealer remover which can be applied using a deck/scrubbing brush; you may find using a buffing machine on a heavily riven Slate ineffective due to the heavy texture as the machine will miss where it dips, so hand held cleaning may be the only option open to a non professional tile cleaner. Tile Doctor has agents throughout the UK who can offer to mill your Slate and take up to 80% of the roughness away leaving it akin to a smoother flatter finish with some texture which will be much easier to maintain.

Use Tile Doctor Pro-Clean Tile & Grout cleaner to effectively clean tiles, highly effective against Wax Sealers, Grease, Grime and general dirt build up. Remove any solution using a wet vacuum.

Remove any cleaning solution using a wet vacuum (any cleaning solution left on the surface may impact the performance of the sealer) then neutralise floor with clean water prior to sealing, remove with a wet vacuum and allow to dry for 12 hours or more.

SEMI RIVEN FINISH

To remove any excess sealer before cleaning use Tile Doctor Remove & Go Sealer remover using a buffer machine fitted with a black buffing pad.

Use Tile Doctor Pro-Clean Tile & Grout cleaner to effectively clean tiles, highly effective against Wax Sealers, Grease, Grime and general dirt build up. Remove any solution using a wet vacuum.

Remove any cleaning solution using a wet vacuum machine (any cleaning solution left on the surface may impact the performance of the sealer) then neutralise floor with clean water prior to sealing, remove with a wet vacuum and allow to dry for 12 hours or more.

SLATE WET ROOMS AND SHOWER CUBICLES

For heavy duty cleaning slate on vertical surfaces it is best to use Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel as this can be brushed on lightly and its gel formula will allow it to stick and dwell on the surface. Leave on the surface for ten minutes or more to strip off acrylic and waxed based sealers as well as dirt and grime.

If an impregnating sealer has been applied we recommend Tile Doctor Remove and Go which can be sprayed onto the tile. Scrub then rinse with water several times to remove the cleaning solution and leave to dry before sealing. Please ensure that all product is rinsed away from the bath or shower tray, do not leave to dwell on these surfaces.

Where black Slate has been installed this can be damaged when the sealer breaks down through the usage of shampoos, soaps and body washes as this then releases the oil in the stone. This is often referred to as Black Oil Slate Efflorescence (BOSE) in the trade and this problem is untreatable on rough slate, as such Tile Doctor does not recommend the usage of black rough Slate in shower cubicles and wet room areas unless the sealer is kept up to a high standard. Semi riven smooth slate can be cut out using Burnishing Pads, a process that can be carried out by your local Tile Doctor.

Spraying Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro on the Slate after showering will eliminate acid build-up from the use of soaps, shampoos and body-washes, this will not damage any sealer or grout colourant that has been applied.

POLISHED SLATE

Polished Slate needs to be maintained using Diamond Segment Burnishing Pads which are very expensive and require machinery and knowledge, please contact your local Tile Doctor should you require this service.

Sealing Slate

If a matt finish is preferred we recommend two or three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, this has a colour enhancing agent that will improve the look of the tile. Additionally Colour Grow is a fully breathable solvent based impregnating sealer and provided the floor is dry before the sealer is applied the sealer will fully cure in 24 hours but can be walked on after a few hours of being sealed

If a deep satin finish is required then we recommend Tile Doctor Seal and Go which adds a nice sheen and lift the appearance of the tile, however this is an water based acrylic sealer and like Goldilocks porridge the conditions have to be perfect for this to work, i.e. no damp and no salts. Please note Seal and Go is not recommended for external applications.

Black Slate rough of riven as with all black stones is this colour due to a heavy amount of Oil present in the stone. If heavy cleaning solutions have been applied in the past this can wash out the oil content leaving it an unappealing dark grey. To restore the colour we recommend applying one coat of Tile Doctor Stone Oil after regular cleaning (Slate needs to be fully dry first) but before being sealed, please allow 24 hours before applying atopical sealer such as Seal and Go or Ultra-Seal.
Please note Stone Oil cannot be used in a wet room or shower cubicle, the only sealer we recommend for this situation is Tile Doctor Colour Grow.

PLEASE NOTE: Sealers break down after 2-3 years (depending on usage) and will need to be re-applied.

Maintenance Cleaning

Always use a PH neutral cleaner such as Tile Doctor Concentrated Neutral Cleaner which once diluted with water becomes completely PH neutral unlike bleaches and washing up liquids which are not neutral and can damage the sealer with prolonged usage. 

Sealers will wear down over time depending on use so it is recommended to top up your floor sealer once a year with the original sealer; one coat should be sufficient and by doing this it will save a lot of time and expense in having to deep clean the tiles and re-seal every three to five years. 

A Brazilian riven Slate stone floor restored by Tile Doctor

For many more examples of Slate cleaning and sealing activities carried out by UK Tile Doctors please visit http://Slate.TileCleaning.co.uk

Recommend Products for Slate

When using our products please take time to familiarise yourself with the directions on the back of the bottle first.