Cleaning Your Bluestone Steppers for Outdoor Spaces
A stone patio or walkway that has been skillfully planned and built is the foundation of any outstanding outdoor living area. The stone you select for your hardscaping project will help define the style and atmosphere of your outdoor living area. Because every stone is different in style, it’s ideal to make your choice with your overall design taste in mind. Today, we will be talking about Bluestone steppers; they are known to be one of the best ways to capture the organic feel of an area. However, like every stone, these Bluestone steppers also need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Let’s start from the basics and lead our way to one of the best ways to clean these natural stones.
What Is Bluestone?
With a high feldspar concentration, Bluestone is a kind of sandstone that can be deep blue, light grey, blue-green, or earthy brown in colour. Because of this, Bluestone steppers and pavers have a fine, granular texture that makes it an excellent non-slip surface for places like pool surrounds, front entrances and backyard paths where good grip is desired or where the surface is likely to be exposed to dampness.
But because Bluestone is porous by nature, it can be harmed by water, ice, snow and chemical degradation from pool water’s salt or chlorine. Bluestone needs a specific surface treatment or processing in order to combat this. The rich blue that first draws consumers to traditional Bluestone rarely lasts because the minerals that make up the stone oxidise and fade when exposed to air and sunshine.
Do We Need to Seal Bluestone Steppers to Keep It Clean?
As previously mentioned, Bluestone is a porous material, making it susceptible to staining from liquids and materials like dropped, damp leaves. Even seemingly harmless substances like frying oil may leave an enduring, black stain that requires effort to get rid of. Additionally, Bluestone is prone to etching from acidic spills like vinegar, wine, fruit juice, soda and ordinary home cleansers, much as Granite, Travertine or other natural stones.
Although this etching first seems to be light stains or hard watermarks, it is actually long-term surface damage to the stone. Before sealing your stone, thoroughly clean it to remove any debris and let it air dry. Remember to seal the grout between your tiles as well!
Additionally, grout is highly porous and stain-prone. Although sealing your Bluestone steppers is generally advised every six to twelve months, this really depends on how it is used and whether some sections get higher traffic or dirt than usual. If you’re not sure, you can always do the water test to see whether sealing is necessary for your stone: Apply a layer of water, around three inches across, over the surface in many places and allow it to settle for half an hour. It’s time to reseal if you see a black mark or ring where water is seeping through the stone.
How To Clean Bluestone Steppers?
- Use Stone-Specific Cleaners
The issue with the majority of indoor-outdoor floor cleaning solutions is that they frequently use strong chemical mixes, either acidic or alkaline, which can erode and dull stone, harming the stone’s seal. These blemishes accumulate and become visible on surfaces with rougher finishes, like sawn cut, but they stand out more on surfaces with finer polish or honing, such as countertops.
We advise utilising cleaners which are pH neutral and specially designed for use on Bluestone steppers. They will effectively clean your stone without weakening its seal. Use a nylon brush or stone-safe scrub pad in difficult areas to remove dirt and grime without damaging the surface. Resealing the stone in that location is important to remember after any severe cleaning or scouring.
- Mop Up Spills as They Happen
Sometimes, the best defence is a good offence. Cleaning and mopping up spills as soon as they occur is a crucial step in maintaining the integrity of your Bluestone stepper’s protective coating. Since previously said, liquids can leave difficult-to-remove stains on stone, since even water can temporarily leave a trace on it. Preventing spills such as wine or lemon juice helps preserve not just your seal but also the polished appearance of your stone.
- Keep The Stone Clear of Debris
When it comes to stains, food spills aren’t the only concern. You may be left with some filth that is hard to remove if moisture is allowed to build up behind detritus on the stone, such as leaves, a hose that has been left outside or even potted plants. In the worst-case scenario, these growths and organic debris from moist leaves and grass clippings can create a persistent discolouration beneath the Bluestone stepper’s surface. For this reason, it’s critical to sweep the stone as needed and, if at all possible, prevent moisture buildup.
The Bottom Line
A lovely patio or pathway may be added to your house with Bluestone. Whether you want a modern, rustic or mid-century aesthetic, Bluestone steppers may help you achieve it. Due to its longevity and durability, Bluestone is a well-liked material for outdoor living hardscapes. You can look for premium stone wholesalers like Stoen Depot, who offer the best-in-class Bluestone steppers for all your applications. They aim for customer satisfaction. Hence, you can fill out their form and get free samples of Bluestone delivered to your home so that you can be happy about your decision later.
