I have a shower floor made from natural slate, cut into 6-inch squares. It was sealed when put in a few years ago and needs sealing again. (We are only here about 6 mo. a year.) The same slate, in 12-inch tiles, was used on the bathroom floor, and also needs sealing but not as urgently.

I do not know what kind of sealant was used originally, but I might be able to find out.
The guy who put it in and sealed it said never to use anything on it but water and vinegar to clean it. But the grout gets mildew in the corners and where the wall tiles meet the floor. We live in Austin TX where the humidity is often high. (If he'd said that before putting it in I would have aborted the job.)

I need advice on
1. How to clean my floor before sealing it again.
2. What to seal it with, so I can use a dilute chlorox solution occasionally to keep down/remove the mildew the existence of which is a given in Texas.
3. How hard it is to seal it myself.

So any advice on cleaners or sealants would be greatly appreciated.

 

Both of these companies have good sealers:

Aqua Mix - For Home Use - Product Detail - Sealers - Penetrating Sealer

StoneTech tile and stone sealers, cleaners and restoring products by StoneTechStore

Stay away from the acid cleaners because they can damage your stone.

 

Vinegar is an acid. Acids should not be used for regular maintenance of tile and grout. Acids actually eat away at the grout, rather than clean it, causing the the joints to become shallower and weaker. Acids can damage some tile and stone as well.

 

I just reached my tile installer, who says it is a penetrating sealer that just wipes on. He says it can be done periodically, and that I should be able to do it.

If not vinegar and water, what do I use to clean it? One of the standard spray-on bathroom cleaners such as Lysol Basin, Tub and Tile cleaner? or what? Thanks.

 

The AquaMix link I provided you will have stone cleaners as well.