Cleaning compounds come in all sizes, colors fragrances, concentrations and chemical forms. They may be either acidic, alkaline,  neutral or volatile (solvents) in nature. Most are intended to be diluted prior to use. Some are specifically formulated for a single task while others are designed for a wide range of applications.

Selecting the proper products for stone and masonry surfaces has proven to be a challenging task for many.
MASONRY VERSUS SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
Synthetic materials are developed in a controlled and closely regulated environment. The resulting uniformity of the synthetics mean their care is fairly straight forward and uncomplicated.
Stone, however, bears natures’ many complexities and at times unpredictable characteristics.
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS

Masonry is a term applied to stone, brick, ceramic tile, terra cotta, and concrete. All these materials share a two common characteristics, they are absorbent and they all have pore structures which can catch and hold dirt and soiling debris.
NATURAL ATTRACTION

Stone is composed of a variety of minerals and these minerals have an inherent ability to attract like, similar and different substances to themselves. This attraction varies depending on the physical characteristics of the substance.
THE SOILING PROCESS

In the simplest terms in relation to cleaning, dirt/soiling is matter in the wrong place. It may be classified as inorganic, (containing various minerals), organic, (vegetation, food, smoke) or a combination of both. It generally has a greater surface area than the surface it may adhere to.
When these types of soiling matter are ground-in and or liquefied ( by rain, sprinklers,the cleaning process ) they can be carried into the pore structure and cracks, accumulate over time,  resulting in staining and a gradual over all color change. They also may contain soluble salts that can cause salt decay.

PRODUCT FORMULATION

The above conditions often make stone and masonry difficult to clean and maintain. Conventional hard surface cleaners  contain… surface-active detergents. These help penetrate, suspend, emulsify and dissolve surface soiling conditions. They have been  primarily formulated to clean non-porous materials. Using these traditional cleaners has shown (as you may have already experienced) not to solve the most common cleaning problems of stone. In fact, many of these cleaners are the contributing causes to an unsuccessful stone maintenance program.

Stone care products have been formulated to effectively solve specific cleaning problems  related to the porous and mineral characteristics of stone.
Most stones used today are sensitive to both acidic and alkali cleaners. Acids will burn many stones. Strong alkalis will cause deterioration and attack the colored minerals, fading them. This makes the proper selection of chemicals very important for a successful stone maintenance program.

THE pH FACTOR

What is pH, and why is it so important when it comes to a successful stone care program?

A practical definition of pH is a scale to determine the acidity or alkalinity of a aqueous solution.(solvents do not have a pH rating)

The pH scale ranges from 0 – 14 and is divided into three sections. Beginning with the Acid range 0 – 6.9, moving into the Neutral range of 7, neither acid nor alkaline, concluding with the Alkaline range 7.5 – 14.

The strength of a solution is determined by where on the pH scale the reading falls. As a general rule, on the acid side, the lower the number the stronger the acid and on the alkaline side, the higher the number the stronger the solution. The pH reading measures  “strength” not quality.

Few realize how rapidly alkalinity is increased as the pH is raised or how quickly acidity increases as the pH is lowered. For example, we begin with a solution that is pH 7 neutral. When the alkalinity of the solution is increased to 8, the strength is now 10 times stronger than that of pH 7. Increase the pH to 9, the solution is 100 times stronger than it was at 7 (10 X10=100). For each whole step up or down the pH scale, the strength increases or decreases by 10 times. This rapid buildup continues until pH 14, which is 10 million times as strong as pH 7. It is the same for the acid side of the scale. There is a far greater difference in the concentration of strength than the values (0-14) indicate.

We can now begin to understand why so many floors and surfaces of all types of materials are damaged by the improper use of strong chemicals and cleaners.
pH CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Many of the minerals in the different stones are sensitive to acidic and alkaline cleaners.

Take baking soda (alkali) and vinegar (acid), add a few drops of vinegar to some baking soda and notice what happens. You’ll see an aggressive pH chemical reaction. You maybe wondering, what does this have to do with stone care?

Stone is composed of chemical compositions in a solidified state; and the use of an inappropriate cleaning solution on stone may have an immediate chemical reaction, such as, the use of a acidic cleaner on marble, the acid attacks the calcium (alkali) resulting in dulling and etching the surface, depending on the strength of the acid; or the use of a high pH 9 – 10 all-purpose cleaner on a daily basis, this can produce gradual chemical reactions that can go unnoticed for some time, resulting in the fading of the colored minerals in the stone and other more serious deterioration problems.

A word of caution…many conventional products that are labeled “Neutral” cleanerscan have a pH ranging from 6 – 8. The chemical reactions of these cleaners are gradual.

Much of the damage caused to stone is the result of using improper cleaning products. It is not recommended to use “all-purpose” cleaners that list stone as “one” of the many things they clean.

Understanding the pH factor will help in selecting the proper stone “safe” cleaning chemicals.

The companies that manufacture natural stone care products have thoroughly tested them on all types of stone surfaces to meet expectations and avoid surprises.

STONECARE TECHNIQUES distributes one of the finest most comprehensible stone maintenance product lines available…Stone Care International…These products are USDA approved, environmentally safe and biodegradable. The USDA status ensures that their products are safe to be used were food will be present without concern of
cross-contamination.

“UNDERSTANDING STONE AND THE PRODUCTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR STONE CARE ARE VITAL ELEMENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL STONE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM”