Slate appliances are famous because of their color varieties and affordable ranges. Though it needs less maintenance compared to stainless ones, it needs to be cleaned now and then. So, cleaning is a must to hold a natural look. But how do you clean slate appliances? You have to clean them once or twice a month and put less effort into the cleaning process.
You can clean the slate appliances with liquid dish detergent. Mix a solution with water in a bucket and soak a clean, damp cloth into it. Get the fabric out and scrub over the debris. For stubborn stains, use a hydrogen peroxide solution with water or a paste with baking soda.
After cleaning the slates, use wax to make them shine like new. Always use a soft scrubber or brush on the surface. Learn the steps in detail before starting the process.
10 Steps To Clean Slate Appliances Easily
The easiest way to clean slate appliances is by using mild dish detergent. It’s always available in any household. You can buy it from nearby stores even if it’s not.
Step 01: Gather Necessary Materials
Before starting any task, you’ll need to gather all the necessary equipment. That way, you wouldn’t need to spouse midway and continue with the cleaning process flawlessly. Here’s a list of items you would need to clean slate appliances:
- Mild dish detergent;
- A small bucket;
- Two or three pieces of clean rugs;
- Spray bottle (optional).
You have to ensure that you are approaching in the right way. Here are the steps to follow accordingly:
Step 02: Prepare The Solution
First, you must prepare the dish detergent-water solution. For this, get the bucket and pour water until it’s half-filled.
Add the proper amount of detergent to it. Two tablespoons of liquid detergent would be enough for the job. Please don’t take too much detergent, thinking it will clean the debris more quickly. After that, you need to mix the detergent thoroughly.
Note: Use the solution of hydrogen peroxide with water for stains. If the stains are solid and hard to remove with peroxide solution solutions, use Baking soda and Hydrogen peroxide solution.
Step 03: Rinse The Cloth
Get one of the clean damp cloths and put it into the bucket. Make sure the cloth is fully submerged in the detergent solution. Otherwise, some areas will stay uncleaned.
After that, remove the material and wring out all the excess water. It’s necessary because the excess liquid will hamper the cleaning process and stay on the surface even after finishing it. And it will also take more clothes and time to dry the excess liquid.
Note: If you deal with stains on slate appliances, use warm fresh water.
Step 04: Wipe
It’s time to wipe the slate surfaces. You need to evenly spread the cloth on your hand and dab it on the appliances. If you made a bundle to wipe the surfaces, it would take more time and effort. You can also use some cleaning sticks.
Make sure to wipe in a circular motion when you are cleaning. Whenever there’s a tough and tricky spot area, you must put firm pressure to clean them.
Note: Scrubbing slightly forcefully is required when dealing with stains.
Step 05: Don’t Miss Narrow Places
Most dust and debris stay in narrow places like corners or crevices. Therefore, ensure you get all, or else it will catch more debris afterward.
After you are done with the area or the cloth becomes too filthy to clean anymore, you must put it back in the bucket and wash it. Keep rinsing it until all the dirt comes off from the first round.
Step 06: Repeat
After cleaning the first targeted area, it’s time to move on to the next one. If there is still some filth in the first area you cleaned, get the cloth again after washing it from the bucket and try cleaning it again.
Repeat the first four steps on every site you want to clean. If the fabric becomes too filthy and is not cleaning the debris properly, change it and get a new one. Keep the process going until you are satisfied with the results.
Step 07: Use A Dry Cloth
It’s time to dry the wet and clean areas of the appliances. For that, you need to get a dry, soft, and clean towel or cloth. Use it to wipe your slate appliances. It will remove the wetness from the cleaning appliances. Change the towel sides of the fabric to ensure the proper drying process.
Step 08: Use Multiple Cloths
If you need to clean a big area, use multiple clothes because a single cloth won’t cover the area. And it would be best if you put more time and effort into cleaning them. Hence, it would be wise to bring clean cloth based on the number of appliances and their areas.
Step 09: Recheck
When you cover many areas, leaving or missing some is normal. Therefore, you must start and continue to keep track of your cleaned areas. It would be best to recheck the areas. You must before it gets dry, or it will be tough to identify them.
Step 10: Apply Polish
After the slate gets dry, you must use polish or wax to make the appliance shine. You can easily find appliance wax in online or offline stores.
Get a microfiber cloth or sponge. Apply the wax on it and rub it gently over the slate appliances. Make sure you rub the sponge in a circular motion when you blend the wax.
Step 11: Fast Apply Of The Wax
Typically, appliance wax dries out too quickly. So, the best thing to do is apply it quickly before drying out. It’s pretty challenging to blend in such a way. It would be best if you made sections while working on polishing the slate appliances.
Mistakes To Avoid During The Cleaning Of Slate Appliances
It’s common to make mistakes even in a simple process like cleaning your slate. Most of the time, these mistakes include choosing the wrong chemicals or the wrong cloth types.
However, both are unacceptable while working on slates, or your appliances will lose their looks and colors. Here are some common mistakes you should avoid while cleaning slate appliances:
- Using Bleach:
Slates are not made to fit against the bleach. And it’s a common item to clean floors and some stainless appliances.
However, if you use bleach on your slate appliances, they can lose color and wax coatings. Bleach can also penetrate a layer on your slate appliances. On top of that, bleach leaves a foul smell, which is pretty irritating, especially when you notice that it’s coming from one of your slate appliances.
- Using Scouring Pads:
To clean debris, you need to scrub the surface with detergent-soaked pads. As a result, make sure the scrubber is made of soft materials like microfiber. Consequently, if the scrubber is made of steel or glass wool, it quickly leaves marks on the surface, even if you don’t use any force during the scrubbing.
- Using Abrasive Cleaners:
Abrasive cleaners contain some specific chemicals that would react with the slate surface. As a result, it would damage the appliances. Instead of cleaning the surface, you would make it more attractive to dust or debris. That’s why experts suggest using chemicals that have a pH of 7 because it’s chemically neutral.
- Using Powdered Cleaning Agents:
Sometimes the detergent we use in households comes in a powder form instead of a liquid state. Thus, the primary concern is its dissolving nature. Some particles of powder remain undissolved in the solution. They can potentially scratch the surface and leave additional debris.
That’s why it would be a hassle to clean with more effort because of the powder form. You must avoid powder cleaning agents and get liquid ones like liquid dish detergent.
- Not Applying Wax:
Wax is a must afterward when you perform aggressive cleaning on your slate appliances. It’s because wax helps to protect the colored layer and gives a shiny look. Without the wax, the slates will lose their original color and fade. On top of that, the surface will get scratched more easily without the wax layers.
5 Tips To Maintain Slate Appliances For Long-Term Use
Some tips are always helpful whenever you are on the job or about to perform a cleaning process. Here are some pro tips for you to maintain slate appliances for long-term use:
Tip 1: Don’t use hydrogen peroxide when your slate appliances have color on it. That’s because hydrogen peroxide reacts with color agents, which will result in damaging the colors of your slates.
Tip 2: Always use a soft scrubber or brush to clean the slate appliances because the surface can’t handle harsh scrubs. Otherwise, you will notice the wax or surface layer is getting off from your slates.
Tip 3: Maintain a regular cleaning schedule with normal water. If you clean your slate appliances once or twice a month, you don’t need any cleaning agent because there will be less dust and debris. Washing with a wet, damp cloth will be enough.
Tip 4: Never ignore debris on your appliances, thinking you will clean them later. The truth is dust and debris get permanent if they stay longer and attract more.
Tip 5: Use high-quality wax after cleaning the slate appliances. It’s because cheap ones wear out too quickly and more dust and filths will attach to the appliances.
Related Questions:
Why Do You Clean Slate Appliances Frequently?
Dust and debris can demolish the beautiful color or slate. As a result, you won’t get the new vibe on your appliances anymore. On top of that, dust can hamper the performance of your appliances and be responsible for malfunctions.
Leaving slate appliances uncleaned for a long time will create a foul smell. The debris will produce more scratches the longer it stays on the slate surface. And scratches are not good for your slate appliances. Therefore, it would be difficult for you to work in the kitchen.
Are Slate Appliances Easy To Clean?
Slate appliances are easy to clean because you won’t need fancy or special cleaners to clean the slates. All you need is just a rag to wipe the surface. Just remember to use non-abrasive cleaners that won’t destroy the surface of your slate appliance.
Regular cleaning will make the appliance as new as the first day. If you wash them after months, use mild detergent or soap solution and rag to wipe the dust.
How Often Do Slate Appliances Need To Be Cleaned?
Well, it depends on your usage. When you are concerned about regular cleaning of slate appliances, you can do it once or twice every month. It would save you from deep cleaning after a few months, which will be a hassle every time you do it.
That’s because deep cleaning requires more time and effort than regular cleaning because of the stains and stubborn debris. If you are not using the appliance more often, you don’t need deep cleaning even after a few months. Use mild soap and warm water to wipe the dust from the surface.
How Do You Clean A GE Slate Dishwasher?
Make a solution with dish detergent or mild household soap. Simply wipe the surface with a damp cloth. Then get a soft cloth and rinse it in the solution.
Cleaning a GE slate dishwasher is pretty straightforward. You don’t need any fancy cleaning supplies or even follow any specific cleaning technique. All the dust and debris will be gone if you simply stick to the regular cleaning procedure and avoid the common mistakes we discussed.
Is There Any Diy Solution To Clean Slate Appliances?
There’s no need for DIY solutions for cleaning slate appliances. You can use the readily available cleaners that are sold in the market.
Just remember that the cleaning agent has to be pH neutral, or it will act like abrasive material. So, you can’t use vinegar or lemon to clean the slates. However, you can use baking soda or a mild soap solution to intensify the cleaning process a bit more than just using water.
What Chemicals Work Better In Cleaning Slate Appliances?
The chemicals you want to use on slate appliances must have a pH of 7. To clean the slates, you can use normal warm water, dishwasher soap or liquid detergent, baking soda, etc. However, Bleaching agents, lemon, and vinegar are out of the question.
The best option for cleaning slate appliances is to stick to simple cleaning procedures that involve no complex techniques. That way, the appliance will stay undamaged, and the surface will remain in pristine condition for a long time.
What Are The Differences Between Slate And Stainless-Steel Cleaning Processes?
The chemical used is the main difference between the stainless-steel and slate cleaning processes. The stains and debris on stainless steel are tough to clean. So, you would need more aggressive chemicals to clean them than the slates.
However, the cleaning techniques used for both stainless-steel and slate appliances are more or less similar. You must just stick to the basics and avoid extra measures while cleaning them.
Bottom Line:
Slate materials are popular for homebuilding in places such as fireplace surrounds, countertops, floorings, backsplashes, walkways, walls, etc. These appliances are in high demand because of their scratch resistance, longevity, aesthetic colors, etc. They also provide a great look to your household.
But every house appliance needs cleaning at least once a month. When it comes to slate appliances, the process is almost effortless. Hopefully, the discussion on how to clean slate appliances has been answered and given proper guidelines. Just follow each step carefully, and it won’t be a sweat to clean the slate appliances. Make your house more beautiful with slate appliances!
References
Hydrogen Peroxide Solution. (2022, August 17). FDA. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/contact-lenses/hydrogen-peroxide-solution
Waxes and Wax Compounds Selection Guide: Types, Features, Applications | Engineering360. (n.d.). GlobalSpec. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/materials_chemicals_adhesives/chemicals_raw_materials/waxes_wax_compounds
Wellbank, L. (2021, January 13). What Are the Four Types of Cleaning Agents? Martha Stewart. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.marthastewart.com/8038910/cleaning-agent-types-uses
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