Specialist Stone Cleaning Services

APT have been providing stone cleaning for over 30 years. We specialise in cleaning, restoration and conservation of sensitive stone. Our sympathetic cleaning methods, allows us to work with some of the most prestigious organisations like, English Heritage, Historic England, Welsh Heritage and Historic Scotland.

Using Soda Blasting and Heated Steam Cleaning, we clean stone in a sympathetic and non-damaging manner. We are trusted by architects, surveyors and conservation authorities and we are regularly relied upon for our expertise in stone cleaning and restoration.

We take the time to assess your unique requirements, including your processes, downtime, and long-term goals. Our commitment to helping our clients achieve their objectives is unwavering, and we always strive to provide customised solutions that align with their business needs.

Stone Cleaning

Why is Stone Cleaning So Important?

Stone cleaning is crucial for preserving the health of the surface of the stone. Contractors have historically offered several stone cleaning techniques without proper consideration for their impact or the range of natural materials. Outdated methods like high pressure jet washing can cause permanent damage the substrate material and compromise its structural integrity, leading to expensive repairs.

Buildings are made up of various materials, such as sandstone, limestone, granite, brick, and terracotta, bound together with lime mortar. Other factors like colour, texture, tooling, form, and decay can further complicate the cleaning process. After cleaning, incidents of resoiling, iron mobilisation, efflorescence, vandalism, and graffiti may arise.

We suggest using contractors have the right accreditations and use approved cleaning equipment. Our teams are recommended by some of the most prestigious organisations and we would provide a full site survey on your requirements. APT operate nationwide around the schedule of your organisation to avoid disruption.

To learn more about our specialist stone cleaning services, get in touch or call us on 0800 0723 773.

What Wil Stone Cleaning Remove?

Soda Blasting
Soda blasting is one of the most effective methods used for cleaning stone. This eco-friendly, sympathetic stone cleaning method cleans stone and other building facades without scratching the surface of the stone or damaging the substrate material and joint mortars.

Soda blasting uses specially-graded bicarbonate of soda crystals that are fired at the stone wall to remove unwanted surface deposits. Soda blasting gently removes contamination and unsightly stains until the stone has been restored.

Soda blasting is particularly suited to the removal of:
  • Organic lime, exterior & gloss based paints
  • Algal blooms
  • Limescale, carbon & bitumen
  • Bird fouling
  • Effervescence staining
  • Graffiti removal
Heated Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning systems provide gentle cleaning and restoration for all conservation projects. Steam cleaning produces outstanding results, without causing damage to the substrate material.

Heated steam cleaning uses low-pressure, super-heated steam up to 120 degrees to remove all unwanted surface contaminants from the stone.

Low-pressure super-heated steam cleaning works to remove:

  • Algae & moss
  • Unsightly stains
  • Graffiti
  • Organic lime, exterior, gloss & oil-based paints
Clock Restoration
Historic Property Restoration – Llangefni Town Clock, Anglesey

Called on by Anglesey Council, APT provided Historic Property Restoration on a loved local Monument. We used Soda Blasting, Graffiti Removal & Stone Cleaning.

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Monument Restoration - Penrallt Column
Monument Restoration: War Memorial Cleaning at Penrallt Column

APT, with its expertise and dedicated to Monument Restoration supported Gwynedd Council with their Heritage Building Restoration Project. Find out more..

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Blaenavon Iron Works
Reviving History Through Historic Building Conservation – Iron Works Blaenavon

APT’s proudly partnered with CADW for Heritage Building Restoration at Blaenavon Iron Works to be used by the BBC. Using Soda Blasting & Eco-friendly techniques.

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K Render & Stone Cleaning - Vue Cinema
K Render & Stone Cleaning Wales – Vue

Transform the look of your property with APT’s precision K Render and stone cleaning services. Vue Cinema in Cwmbran trusts our expert team – why wouldn’t you?

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CADW - Soda Blasting, Graffiti Removal & Sand Stone Cleaning - Case Study
Soda Blasting, Graffiti Removal & Sand Stone Cleaning Wales – Welsh Heritage (Newport Castle)

With Newport Castle under threat of further graffiti attacks, Cadw turned to APT for our specialist cleaning services. Using our 30 years of knowledge and expertise, we safely and effectively removed the graffiti without causing any damage to the fragile substrate.

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Condor Ferries - Restoration & Stone Repairs - Case Study
Restoration & Stone Repairs Jersey – Condor Ferries

End of a lease on a warehouse unit at Port of Jersey. Removal of high-level security fencing, repairs to granite stone wall, and reinstatement of security fencing.

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Talbot Hotel - Soda Blast Cleaning & Stone Cleaning
Clean Stone & Soda Blasting York – Talbot Hotel

APT tackled the challenge of cleaning a busy hotel’s York stone exterior without disrupting operations. Natural finish and pollution build-up removal were key to restoring the flagship hotel’s façade.

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Our Stone Cleaning Process

Our team of highly experienced stone cleaners specialise in non-abrasive methods that can effectively remove the toughest stains and organic matter, including fungi, algae, and lichen. These methods are carefully adjusted to meet the appropriate pressure levels, and they work delicately to kill biological spores and sterilize the stone, preventing further infestations.

In addition to removing surface coatings like oil, grease, vermin staining, graffiti, and biological matter, our eco-friendly and gentle techniques are approved by conservation cleaning experts for historic structures and buildings under conservation.

Here’s how we helped Welsh Heritage with their stone cleaning at Chepstow Castle:

“We were so impressed at the capabilities of the machine we have granted APT authority to be used on the Cadw sited throughout Wales as and when required. We at Opus international consultants (were Cadw consultants) have sent a memorandum to all its offices to confirm inclusion in any job specification drawn on behalf of their client Cadw where surface cleaning was recommended or required.”

Richard Turner

Why APT for Cleaning Stone?

Choose APT for your stone cleaning needs and rest assured that you won’t be taking any risks. As specialists in the field, we draw on our background as a chemicals company to select the right products for the job.

Our team is fully accredited and equipped to handle even the most complex stone cleaning challenges, with detailed site surveys and site-specific RAMS.

Our eco-friendly, biodegradable, and non-toxic cleaning products and methods ensure that our stone cleaning services are safe for the environment and will not damage the surface.

With experience cleaning a variety of stone types, including Portland Stone, Bath Stone, Sand Stone, Granite, and Marble, we provide tailored solutions to meet the unique requirements of each stone type and deliver exceptional results.

Trust a company with a proven track record – choose APT for your stone cleaning needs.

Stone Cleaning Services

Clean Stone FAQs

Stone cleaning is a specialist cleaning service and should only be carried out by accredited professionals. We use two specialist and gentle cleaning methods to effectively clean stone without causing harm to the surface. Using old fashioned stone cleaning methods could cause more damage than good is likely to cause long-lasting damage to the surface. Damaged surfaces quickly lead to lacking structural integrity and causing costly repairs. 

When it comes to cleaning stone, building owners and managers are often faced with a dilemma – to clean stone or not to clean stone. Without cleaning stone, your building will not only continue to look unkept, but lichens, bird lime and other pollutants can be damaging to the stone surface having accumulated over the years. Stone cleaning services must be specialist, ensuring that they are using suitable stone cleaning products, whilst being sympathetic to the stone surfaces, ensuring that they remain undamaged. Commonly, companies just use abrasive discs, acid for stone cleaning, high pressure washing and grit (sand blasting) for stone cleaning.

Stone cleaning requires effective and sympathetic cleaning methods. APT are one of the longest standing stone cleaning companies in the UK we have developed not only non-damaging cleaning methods, but environmentally friendly ones too. soda blasting is a unique method used to clean stone, it’s also suitable for cleaning paving stones, stone floor cleaning, cleaning a stone fireplace and can also be used to clean Indian stone. APT have been using soda blasting for over 30 years, it’s one of our preferred stone cleaning techniques. Using a vortex of compressed air to carry specially graded sodium bicarbonate crystals, soda blasting will remove:
  • Lime & cement-based paints
  • Paint residues
  • Some old oil-based paints
  • Carbon and bitumen
  • Limescale
  • Micro-organism blooms
  • Bird fouling
  • All other surface contamination
When it comes to cleaning natural stone, the priority is to ensure that no damage is made to the surface material. Commonly, companies just use abrasive discs, acid for stone cleaning, high pressure washing and grit (sand blasting) for stone cleaning. However, since APT are one of the longest standing stone cleaning companies in the UK we have developed not only non-damaging cleaning methods, but environmentally friendly ones too. soda blasting is our preferred method used to clean any type of stone since it is an environmentally friendly cleaning method that is safe to use on all types of surface materials.
A huge benefit of using soda blasting as part of our stone cleaning service is that is can be used for cleaning the exterior of stone buildings, cleaning stone paving, for stone floor cleaning and can be used to clean sensitive objects such as cemetery stones and the like. Cleaning stone floors is paramount to ensure a good impression is provided to visitors, clients and staff who enter the building. When it comes to cleaning stone floors, its essential to ensure that the cleaning method does not leave any residues on the surface of the flooring, for example not leaving sticky residues or slippery residues. This could leave to damage and safety issues for individuals in the building.
Soda blasting is one of our preferred methods of stone cleaning and revitalising. This sympathetic brick cleaning method enables us to clean stone and other building facades without causing damage to the substrate materials and joint mortars. soda blasting uses precision compressed air to fire specially graded sodium bicarbonate crystals at the stone wall (or other brick surface) to remove any unwanted surface deposits. Working from the outside in soda blasting gently removes successive layers of contamination, until the suitable brick cleaning has been achieved. Soda blasting is an environmentally friendly stone cleaning technology that is not abrasive and will not damage stones and mortar.
Cleaning any type of stone, including fireplaces requires specialist cleaning techniques.  We use soda blasting and superheated steam cleaning methods to clean stone. Using sympathetic, gentle cleaning methods ensures that unwanted deposits and stains are removed, without impacting and damaging the stone surface.

Contact APT today to gain expert advice on how best to clean your stone fireplace.

Discover Our Stone Cleaning Resources

Our sister company, APT Commercial Chemicals is a trusted UK-based manufacturer and supplier of specialist cleaning chemicals with over 30 years of experience, serving some of the UK’s largest businesses including the NHS, BAE systems, Tata Steel, the BBC and more.

Get a Quote for Our Sympathetic Stone Cleaning Services

At APT, we’re dedicated to delivering superior stone cleaning services for buildings across the UK. With our advanced cleaning products and proven techniques, we offer affordable solutions for revitalizing the beauty and hygiene of your building’s stonework. This not only improves its appearance but also provides long-term cost savings.

Our specialists are available to answer any questions you may have and offer a complimentary on-site survey if you’ve already chosen to use our services. So why wait? Contact us today to experience the APT difference and discover how we can transform the look of your building’s stonework.

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