A Stone Cleaning Service in Chicago, IL Successfully Restored This Natural Stone Shower's Appearance

February 10, 2020

Despite their rough appearance, natural stone showers are quite delicate and often require regular maintenance to preserve their rustic charm. If they're not properly cared for, these types of surfaces become dull and unappealing, changing the overall appearance of the bathroom for the worse. However, if your shower's stone surfaces have dimmed over time, there are things you can do to salvage them.


Our most recent customer was an amiable lady from Chicago, IL. After retiring, she moved to another state and left her lovely home in the care of her youngest daughter, who was still attending college nearby. During a visit, she noticed the natural stone shower in the master bathroom was no longer what it used to be. The once beautiful tiles were dull and the fixtures were deteriorated. Fearing the situation wouldn't be solved before she left, she asked her daughter to search online for Chicago Stone Cleaning professionals.

At her mother's request, the young woman went online and searched for a reliable hard surface restoration company. She soon found Sir Grout Chicago's website. After reading some of the reviews left by previous customers and browsing the picture gallery, she called to request a free in-home consultation.

A few days later our crew arrived at the client's residence to perform the assessment. Once they finished inspecting the shower, our experts concluded the current state of the shower was the result of improper maintenance. Our techs asked the client's daughter about her cleaning routine. She explained that she didn't clean regularly. She also said that she had used store-bought products to clean the shower on several occasions.

Sustained use of improper cleaning products can be extremely harmful to natural stone surfaces. The chemicals found in these products not only ate away at the stone's porous surface but also the grout lines. On top of that, the caulk on the expansion joints was damaged beyond repair.

Luckily, Sir Grout Chicago's team had the tools and expertise to solve the problem. Our specialists offered the homeowners a thorough stone cleaning service. This process involves honing the stone to remove any signs of damage. They would also re-caulk the shower's expansion joints and seal the grout lines using ColorSeal. The customers agreed to their proposal.

Our technicians returned to the client's home later that week to restore the shower. They started by soaking the shower's surfaces with a pH-neutral stone-safe cleaner. This cleaner contains enhanced properties that help inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms. Once most of the dirt came loose, our specialists began cleaning the tiles and grout lines using a high-speed scrubber. They also used a steam cleaner to remove the most stubborn dirt. After they finished cleaning, our experts honed the shower's surfaces. To do this, they used a low-grit diamond pad until the surfaces regained their former appearance.

Next, our professionals scraped out the damaged caulk and began sealing the shower's grout lines with our proprietary sealant ColorSeal. This is an acrylic-based sealant that protects grout against water, stains, soap, mold, mildew, and many other external agents. This long-lasting solution comes in a variety of colors. The clients chose a light tone that matched the color of the tiles. To finish, our crew re-caulked the shower's expansion joints with our own mix of epoxy grout. This is an epoxy-based grout mix that's specially made for humid environments. It also shares the same protective properties of ColorSeal.

The clients were satisfied with the outcome. Our team's hard work had managed to restore the shower to its former glory. The homeowner jokingly promised to nag her daughter every once in a while to keep the shower in prime condition.

Natural stone needs special care. Our techs thought it would be best to give the young woman a few care tips before they left. The most important thing is to never use acidic cleaners or bleach because these tend to etch natural stone upon contact. To clean stone surfaces, it's best to use a pH-neutral stone-safe cleaner like Sir Grout's Natural Hard Surface Cleaner. Our team also recommended wiping away excess water after every shower to prevent water stains. The client's daughter thanked our crew for the tips and said she would take good care of the shower moving forward.

Are your stone surfaces dull and lifeless? A stone cleaning service might be just what you need. Here at Sir Grout Chicago, we have the necessary tools and expertise to offer the best hard surface restoration services in the industry. Call us at (773) 923-2084 or fill out the "Request a Quote" form on this page to schedule a free in-home evaluation today. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with our latest news and promotions.