How to Clean Sandstone

Doing General Cleaning on Interior Surfaces

Sweep all loose dirt and debris off of the surface. If you have a sandstone hearth or sandstone tiles on your floor, sweep them off before doing a deep clean. With will get rid of loose debris on the surface and will make cleaning easier. 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.

Wipe down the surface with a damp cloth. Use a clean, soft rag to wipe down your sandstone. Simply get the rag wet, ring it out in the sink, and then wipe the entire surface of the stone. 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.Tip: When you are wiping down the surface, notice whether the water appears to absorb into the sandstone or if it beads up on top. If it absorbs into the stone, that means the stone has no sealant. If it beads up, the stone has been sealed. Sandstone that is not sealed is more prone to staining, so it needs to be used more carefully.

Don't use your general household cleaning products on your sandstone. Unless a general cleaning product, such as a "kitchen surface cleaner," is labeled for cleaning natural stones, you shouldn't put it on your sandstone. In particular, acid-based cleaning products, such as those that contain citrus or vinegar can damage the surface. Acidic cleaners can etch the surface of the stone, which will potentially change the texture and the color of the stone permanently.

Use dish soap if plain water doesn't clean the surface enough. In most cases, cleaning sandstone with plain water works perfectly well. However, if you feel that you need some cleanser, use a very small amount of plain dish soap. Put a small squirt of soap on your damp cloth and rub it over the surface. Wipe the surface with a clean area of your cloth afterwords to clean the soap off of the surface.

Dry the surface off with a towel. You should not leave standing water on the surface of sandstone, as it will gradually absorb it. Instead, once you are done cleaning, wipe off the surface until it is dry. Use a soft, clean, and dry rag to wipe down the surface so that it stays clean and doesn't doesn't get scratched.

Tackling Tough Interior Stains

Blot up spills right away. Use a clean, dry towel to pick up any spills on your sandstone. Be sure to dab and blot the area instead of wiping it. Wiping the spill around can create a larger stain by moving the food or liquid around the area. Most liquids can stain your sandstone but some that are particularly bad include wine, fruit juices, and coffee.

Avoid the use of cleaners that contain harsh chemicals and abrasives. Sandstone is a very porous stone and it can be discolored and damaged by a wide variety of cleaning products. In particular, acidic cleaners can discolor the surface permanently.Tip: Sandstone is prone to discoloration and it can't be cleaned with the common cleaners you use in other parts of your house. Thus, if you are looking for a surface for your countertops or flooring that is strong and can take a beating, sandstone is not for you.

Make a baking soda paste if plain water can't get a spot off. It's easy to make a great alkaline sandstone cleaner by mixing up a paste of baking soda and water. Put a couple of tablespoons of baking soda in a small bowl and mix in a few drops of water. Stir the mixture with a spoon and keep adding water until the mixture is a thick paste. 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.

Apply the paste to the stain and scrub it with a soft-bristled brush. Smear the paste onto the stain on the stone with the spoon you used for mixing. Let it sit on the surface for about 15 minutes. Then scrub the surface with a soft brush. You can use a variety of types of brushes, including a home cleaning brush, a nail brush or an old toothbrush.

Wipe the paste off with a clean, damp cloth. After you think you've gotten the stain out, wipe the mixture off of the stone. Allow the area to dry to determine if the stain is gone. If it is, use a clean area on the cloth to remove any baking soda residue that remains. If the stain remains, apply the paste again and allow it to sit longer than 15 minutes before scrubbing it a second time.

Cleaning Exterior Surfaces

Sweep off the surface. Remove any loose debris from the outdoor surface you are cleaning. If you are cleaning off a patio, use a large broom to sweep it off. If you are cleaning a small retaining wall or a monument, use a small broom to sweep the detailed areas. 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.

Wet the surface and allow the water to sit for about 30 minutes. Spray the surface with your hose so that it is all damp. A layer of water will start to loosen anything growing on the surface. Wait for the stone to soak for about 30 minutes before continuing on and your overall cleaning process will be much easier.Tip: If the temperature is below freezing, wait for it to warm up before putting water on your sandstone. Purposely putting water on sandstone, especially older sandstone that might have tiny cracks in it, can cause the stone to crack if water gets inside of it and freezes.

Scrub the surface with water and a plastic-bristle brush. Use a circular motion while scrubbing to get any organic material off of the stone. This often includes moss, lichen, and mold. Keep scrubbing until you are happy with the color of the stone. 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.

Use a squirt of dish-washing soap, if necessary. If you are not making much progress with plain water, you can use a mild soap to loosen dirt and debris on the surface. Simply put a small squirt of soap on your scrub brush and continue scrubbing the surface.

Use a power washer only if the sandstone is new. If you have a new patio or wall that needs to be cleaned, set your power washer to a low pressure setting and move the nozzle side-to-side as you spray the surface. Holding the sprayer at a 45 degree angle will take dirt and grime off of the surface well. 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.

Apply a diluted bleach solution to specific spots if discoloring remains. You can use a solution of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water on sandstone surfaces but it should be used sparingly. Simply make the solution and them use a rag to blot it onto the sandstone in areas that are severely discolored. Let it sit for up to 30 minutes and then scrub the area with a soft brush and rinse it with clean water. 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.

Rinse the sandstone with water after scrubbing it. Use your hose to remove any dirt and debris that you dislodged while you were cleaning. This will also remove any soap or bleach, if you used them. Once your sandstone it sprayed down, it should look much better than when you started. 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.