How to clean and look after a natural stone shower tray
03.2022
A shower tray in natural stone is designed to last for decades. Here are the key tips to looking after it so it never loses its original beauty
Key tips for looking after a natural stone shower tray
A natural stone shower tray is a stylish choice that brings another dimension to the entire bathroom and elevates its aesthetic, particularly when its hardwearing properties are combined with modern, elegant design.
To ensure it remains as beautiful through the years as the day it is installed, there are a handful of simple guidelines to follow. In this article we share valuable tips on how to clean and look after your gorgeous natural stone shower tray, with a particular focus on the following:
- maintaining and protecting natural stone;
- how to avoid limescale build-up;
- cleaning products;
- how to remove stubborn dirt.
After all, a shower with a base in natural stone not only adds elegance to a bathroom, but is also surprisingly easy to look after as long as you clean regularly so that dirt and limescale don’t become engrained or form crusts, as that is when they become difficult to remove.
The advantages of a natural stone shower tray
Warming us up in winter, keeping us cool in summer, taking a shower is a ritual that delivers unique sensations in every season, and when your feet find stone beneath them, that special link with nature brings an added element of magic to the experience.
That sensorial aspect is just one of the many advantages of a natural stone shower tray, a solution that seamlessly combines aesthetics and quality. The undeniable beauty of this material represents a long tradition of workmanship and fine-tuning and it contains the key characteristics required for modern comfort levels.
Its hardwearing properties and durability mean it scarcely changes its appearance over the years, but here there is a proviso: it does require a minimum of intervention to ensure it doesn’t deteriorate and that you can enjoy its undimmed beauty decade after decade.
Another aspect of natural stone that is often overlooked is its eco-compatibility, because it represents the very opposite of today’s “use and discard” approach. Our philosophy is based on reducing waste and championing sustainability and as such, we adopt working processes that impact the environment as little as possible.
In short, when you choose a natural stone shower tray, you are not only choosing a unique décor element that makes the bathroom a safe, elegant space, but you are also making a contribution to a more sustainable use of resources.
Everyday maintenance and protection
Protecting and looking after your shower tray is as fundamental as cleaning your shower if you want to maintain the wonderful natural characteristics of stone.
There are three key points to focus on: regular cleaning, rinsing abundantly and applying a suitable protective treatment.
The good news is that it doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need is a quick daily clean to eliminate the impurities that taking a shower inevitably creates, whether that is dirt, soap scum or the residue of hard water. Ideally you should use specific detergents and make sure you rinse them off thoroughly so that no trace of your cleaning product remains as this could build up over time and dull the surface of your lovely stone.
Given that stone is, by nature, hardwearing and extremely resistant to wear and tear and scratches, it makes sense to look after your shower tray by making it impermeable so that you avoid the creation of unsightly blemishes and ensure it remains in perfect condition throughout the years.
How to avoid limescale build-up
One of the worst enemies of bathroom beauty has to be limescale and rule number one in combatting it is to dry your shower, including the tray, after use. By doing this, drops of water cannot form little pools on the stone and stagnate, which can lead to tiny dull-looking stains.
An important thing to keep in mind is that stone tends to be porous and while on one hand this is part of its innate charm, it also makes it slightly vulnerable as it absorbs dirt and limescale. All our bathroom products are treated with a sealant that creates a barrier, but there is no viable product on the market that completely prevents absorption. That’s why you need to rinse off any traces of substances that could potentially cause damage, including shampoo and shower gel, after every shower, and ideally also dry off your shower tray.
It can sometimes happen that we are in a rush and neglect this cleaning ritual, and skipping it occasionally is not the end of the world, however if it becomes the norm and you notice a build-up, there are products available that can remove limescale stains without damaging the stone.
These products do NOT include anti-limescale cleaners, so please stay away from them as they are aggressive and can actually end up doing more harm than good. There are professional products available that are specifically designed to remove limescale stains and prolong the beauty of your stone.
Cleaning products for a stone shower tray
There is nothing particularly complicated or onerous about cleaning a stone shower, as long as you remember that stone does have some particular characteristics, but in reality, it is actually extremely tough and able to withstand wear and tear. However, it does have a few enemies such as aggressive cleaning agents, ammonia, bleach, limescale remover and even those classic homemade remedies such as vinegar and baking soda. All of these do have the potentially to irretrievably damage limestone or marble, so our strong advice is to avoid them at all costs.
Instead, look for pH-neutral cleaning products for removing dirt and always follow the instructions provided. One such product is Fila Clean&Shine spray, which is widely available and has been expressly developed for looking after natural stone, protecting and enhancing its unique characteristics. The key thing is to look for a product that will remove limescale or encrusted dirt without attacking the surface of the stone or altering its colour and lustre.
At the risk of repeating ourselves, however, the golden rule is to dry off your shower tray so that water doesn’t accumulate and stagnate, as prevention is, as always, the best form of cure.
How to remove stains from a stone shower tray
Despite our best intentions, as we said above, it can happen that we don’t clean as regularly as perhaps we should, and residues of shampoo or soap remain. If they build up over time and become stubborn stains that are difficult to remove, you may need to turn to a specific product.
Once again, Fila Clean&Shine is your friend. Simply spray it over the tray, or even the shower walls if they are also affected, and use a clean dry cloth to spread it. This will remove the dirt without damaging the stone. A microfibre cloth or soft sponge is all you need, while scourers or abrasive pads should be avoided as they could scratch the surface.
This handful of simple cleaning and maintenance rules is all you need to follow to look after the natural stone of your gorgeous shower tray.
Natural stone adds understated elegance to patios, gardens and other outdoor spaces, but how do you look after it? We’ve put together all you need to know about cleaning exterior stone flooring.
Are you planning a walk-in shower for your bathroom? We list all the benefits of this elegant and practical design solution.
