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How Do You Clean Polish Slate On A Hearth?

December 31, 2011

Answer: Linseed oil or clean cloth + water

Slate has always been a very popular material in the fireplace industry and for centuries has been used to manufacture fire surrounds and fire hearths. Slate has a matt black (not shiny) background color and is consistent in appearance. Riven slate has gentle indentations running through the material (bumps & texture) that adds to the character of the material and makes it look more rustic.

How to clean & polish slate hearths

1. We often get asked how to polish and clean slate hearths and the below tips will give you all the information you need

2. Step 1: we recommend trying to clean the hearth using a soft brush (not sharp) to clear all the dust

3. Step 2: use a small amount of warm water and apply gently on the surface of the slate. Remember not to use excessive amounts of water as the material is porous and will absorb the water. Always use clean water and a 100% clean cloth

4. If your slate hearth is stained or scratched in any way, then you can attempt to hide the stain by rubbing the surface of the slate with warm linseed oil. Please be extremely careful when trying this as linseed oil is extremely flammable. Once you have coated the surface of the slate with linseed oil, allow it to dry naturally. It is important to note that linseed oil will make the background color of the slate look much darker [caption id="attachment_3295" align="alignnone" width="350" caption="Slate Hearths for Wood Burning Stoves"][/caption]