Strip & Wax a Slate Foyer Floor

Sally Lost Her Floor Guy—and Her Sense of Security with Him!

Losing him she worried, would her slate ever look shiny again?

Sally had a slate foyer floor and a trusted floor guy who kept it looking its best. He’d come out occasionally to strip and wax the surface, always delivering great results with zero hassle. Most importantly, she trusted him.

But when he passed away, Sally wasn’t just left with a dull, patchy slate floor—she was left wondering if she’d ever feel safe hiring someone else. As an older woman living alone, she was nearly paralyzed by the fear of being taken advantage of. The idea of letting a stranger into her home was terrifying.

Still, her floors needed help.

When Sally called, she was cautious and skeptical. I could hear the hesitation in her voice—guarded, but curious. She asked smart, pointed questions: “Do you have experience with slate?” “Do you strip and wax, or just clean?” She made it clear—if we weren’t the real deal, she didn’t want us wasting her time.

I reassured her, sharing that not only do we have extensive experience with slate, but my husband Chris could strip and wax floors in his sleep. That seemed to calm her nerves just enough for her to invite us over to take a look.

The Floor (and the Fear).

Sally’s home is a split-level near the airport. The slate was uniform in shape and color—a dark gray, neatly squared—and it showed obvious signs of wear. White, cloudy patches near the front door made the whole entryway look tired.

I explained the cause: moisture had broken down the wax in the high-traffic entry area. Every time someone came in with wet shoes or an umbrella, the floor took a hit. The good news? It was fixable.

Chris would have no trouble stripping and rewaxing it to a like-new shine. Sally was hopeful—but still wary. She booked the job, but with visible apprehension. I promised she’d be pleased, but I knew words wouldn’t win her over—Chris’s presence and work ethic would.

The Bigger Ask: Brightening the Grout.

Along with removing the white patches, Sally wanted to restore the grout color. This was trickier. Over time, grout loses its vibrancy—and while our steam-cleaning gets great results, sometimes it’s just not enough.

Having an option to guarantee pristine white grout, we explained another option we could do for her.

The slate would be no problem to brighten and restore, but the grout could be. However, he had another trick in his back pocket, if needed. And although it was another procedure, at least we could guarantee giving her gorgeous white grout, but it would be an added procedure for an additional cost. (But instead of forcing this upon her, with her in mind, we explained the option that was there!)

Just in case, we had a grout-game “upgrade…

Just as we don’t always age gracefully, so too does the appearance of her grout. It had not aged gracefully. But, as a solution, we did offer ‘color-sealing’ that could brighten the grout and restore its appearance. However, this is a slog of a procedure, and a tedious one at that. After cleaning, should it be needed, we shared that we could apply a professional-grade impregnated and waterproof grout colorant, which does the following:

• It seals and waterproofs the grout
• It is permanent, and lasts years and years, as compared to cheap, DIY alternatives
• The sealant is available in any desired color
• It immediately restores the appearance and corrects appearance deficiencies
• It can be used to update the look of a room
• And, it has anti-microbial and antifungal capabilities, so it annihilates the germs it comes in contact with

Chris explained her options clearly. Should she want the upgrade, we could give her grout—a long-lasting, waterproof, antimicrobial treatment that could give her floor a whole new lease on life. But we didn’t push. We encouraged her to first see the results of the basic service before deciding on the upgrade.

For more on grout color sealing, check out this page and video, Grout Color Sealing. which shows how awesome the color sealing is for tired, stained, and ugly grout (or if you just want a style update and color change too)!

The Work and The Outcome.

Chris and Mark knocked it out in an hour—what took her old floor guy a half-day. The white spots vanished. The scratch in the center was gone. The wax brought out the deep, clean shine the slate had been missing.

More than just a refreshed floor, Sally got something even more valuable: peace of mind. She saw that Chris wasn’t just there to do a job—he was there to help. By the end, the fear had lifted. She was smiling, relieved, and grateful.

Just like our wonderful ‘champion client’ Leona once said: “As an older, single woman, I’ve had contractors circle like vultures. But you, Chris, and your team? You’re different. You cared. I’ll never call anyone else again.”

Sally didn’t just get her floors back—she got her confidence back.

And yes, with a quiet nod to the heavens, Chris made his mom proud again!

ps: So excited, after Passover, she’s having us back to clean her carpets!

Need slate re-waxed? Trust us for honest work at a fair price. Call Wendy—  your questions answered and reassurance we are on your side! Call us at 609.953.0472 or  CONTACT US ONLINE.