If your interior sandstone surfaces are not on the floor, such as if you have a sandstone counter top, use a dry towel or a small, hand-held brush to wipe all crumbs, dust, and other debris off of them. Opt for a brush that has medium to soft bristles. You can also use a vacuum to get rid of all loose dirt and debris on the surface.
If you are dealing with a sandstone floor surface and you don’t want to get on your hands and knees, you can use a microfiber mop head or other soft floor cleaning mop. Rinse out the rag if it gets very dirty and then continue on until the entire surface has been cleaned.
Acidic cleaners can etch the surface of the stone, which will potentially change the texture and the color of the stone permanently.
Wipe the surface with a clean area of your cloth afterwords to clean the soap off of the surface.
Use a soft, clean, and dry rag to wipe down the surface so that it stays clean and doesn’t doesn’t get scratched.
Most liquids can stain your sandstone but some that are particularly bad include wine, fruit juices, and coffee.
You can also buy specific natural stone-cleaning products online or at many home improvement and hardware stores. However, a simple baking soda paste is likely to work just as well.
You can use a variety of types of brushes, including a home cleaning brush, a nail brush or an old toothbrush.
If the stain remains, apply the paste again and allow it to sit longer than 15 minutes before scrubbing it a second time.
Removing the top layer of dirt and debris this way will help you assess what areas need to be deep cleaned and which just need a light scrubbing.
Wait for the stone to soak for about 30 minutes before continuing on and your overall cleaning process will be much easier.
Most outdoor scrub brushes will work for fine for this. You can use a hand brush or a brush on a pole. Just make sure that bristles are medium-firm, meaning that they bend when you push the brush across the surface. Never use a wire brush or extremely firm plastic-bristle brush on sandstone. It will scratch the surface and speed up decay. [3] X Research source
Power washers can be too strong for sandstone that is old and has delicate designs, like the detailing on old tombstones. Only use a power washer on new sandstone and use a low setting, if possible, as the pressure of the power washer can force water into the stone.
Using cleaners on your sandstone can take off the protective layer that the material naturally builds up on the surface. This will lead to faster decay over time.
In some cases, you will have to do several rinses to identify areas that you need to continue scrubbing. Simply go back over areas with your scrub brush that don’t look clean enough.
