KNOW YOUR STONE
Natural stone can be basically classified into two general categories according to its composition:
Siliceous Stone (Granite)
A stone that is composed mainly of silica or quartz-like particles. It is usually very durable and relatively easy to clean with mild acidic cleaning solutions. Types of this stone are: granite, slate, sand-stone, quartzite, brownstone and bluestone.
Calcareous Stone (Marble)
Composed of mostly calcium carbonate. It is extremely sensitive to acidic cleaning products and sometimes requires different cleaning procedures. Refer to your fabricator. Types of this stone are: marble, travertine, limestone and onyx.
The natural stone you have purchased is an investment that will give you decades of beautiful service. Here are some simple care and maintenance tips that will keep your granite looking as great as the day it was installed. If you received a customer care kit, it includes a limited life time warranty. Only use the products contained in the kit, and follow directions carefully.
Daily Care and Precautions
Use coasters under all glasses, especially drinks with alcohol or any type of citrus juice is recommended. A lot of common food and drink contain acids that can etch or dull the surface of your stone. Do not place hot items directly on your countertops, the use trivets or mats under hot dishes and placemats under dishes is recommended, however most granites will be unaffected by heat. Cooking oils such as olive oil, peanut oil and vegetable oils and salad dressings can stain granite and marble. It is recommended that containers be stored in cabinets or the use of trivets if these items are to be displayed on stone tops. Many hand soaps contain oils and extracts that can stain granite and marble. Special care should be taken when using these products. Not all stones are the same, and the porosities of various stones can vary from slab to slab and bundle to bundle.
Sealing
The purpose of sealing your granite is to keep it from getting cloudy or stained due to extensive use. It is recommended to seal every one to two years, but if the stone gets a lot of use, or is shown to be more porous, then sealing every six months is better.
How To Seal Your Countertops: Tenax Sealer
- Cover areas like corners and walls that you don’t want sealed.
- Be sure that the surface is clear of any debris and has been dry for a couple hours prior to sealing.
- Pour or spray the entire surface until it is completely wet with a thin layer of sealer. When it begins to dry within 3-5 minutes, re wet the surface with another thin layer of sealant.
- After 5 minutes, wipe the excess sealer off with a clean, dry white terry cloth towel or paper towel.
- If the excess dries on the surface, spray or pour more sealer onto the granite and immediately wipe away.
- Test an area of the granite with water to check absorbency, the water should bead up. and not soak in or leave a dark mark.
Basic Care and Cleaning: HG Natural Stone Cleaner
Sand, dirt and grit do the most damage to natural stone surfaces because of their abrasiveness. If you have granite on your floors, place mats or area rugs in front of doors to reduce sand, dirt and grit. Make sure the rug is non-slip on the underside. Normally, it takes a person about eight steps on a floor or surface to remove sand or dirt from the bottom of their shoes.
- Clean the surface whenever needed with just a few sprays of neutral stone cleaner, (available at our Cherry hill showroom) or a microfiber towel and warm water. A mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water can be used. Be sure to use a clean rag or towel and not to use much soap as to avoid streaking. Less than a drop is recommended, and then thoroughly rinse and dry the countertop to remove any soap residue.
- Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the soap solutions and dry is a clean towel. Be sure to change rinse water frequently.
- Soap scum can be minimized on floors by using a squeegee after each use. To remove soap scum, be sure to use a non-acidic soap scum remover. Frequent use of ammonia solution may eventually dull the surface of the stone.
- Be sure to blot up all spills immediately, before they can penetrate the surface.
- Vanity tops may need a good quality marble wax (Italian Craftsman Polish) can be applied to minimize water spots.
Do not use products that contain lemon, vinegar, scouring powders or creams, or any other cleaner with high acid count that might otherwise etch or scratch the surface.
STAIN REMOVAL
DISCLAIMER: Care should be taken when attempting to remove stains and etches from surface. using the products incorrectly may cause more damage. We recommend purchasing a poultice from us or contracting a professional to properly repair or refinish natural stone. before attempting any of the below procedures, contact our office.
Organic (coffee, tea, fruit, tobacco, paper, food, urine, leaves, bark, bird droppings):
Outdoors, the sun and rain action will generally bleach out the stains. Indoors, clean with 12% hydrogen peroxide (hair bleaching strength) and a few drops of ammonia. We recommend using Hg Absorber or Mangia Macchia Poltice for these stains which is available for purchase at our Cherry hill showroom.
Metal (iron, rust, copper, bronze):
These stains can be an orange or brown color, but copper and bronze stains tend to be a greener color. These stains may be removed with a poultice. A poultice is a liquid cleaner mixed with a white absorbent material that forms a paste. This is spread over the stain with a spatula about ¼ to ½ inch thick and left covered over 24 to 48 hours. This procedure may have to be repeated a few times if the stain is deep-seated. Remember that metal stains can be very difficult to remove and the stone may be permanently damaged. We recommend Stoneway TeRust Poultice powder which is available at our Cherry hill showroom.
Oil-based Stains:
Poultice with baking soda and water, or one of the powdered poultice materials and mineral spirits.
Organic Stains: Poultice with a powder poultice and 12% acetone or hydrogen peroxide (hair bleaching strength).
Biological (algae, mildew, lichens, moss, fungi):
Clean with dilute (1/2 cup to a gallon of water) ammonia, bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Do not mix bleach and ammonia.
Ink (magic marker, pen, ink):
For light colored stone, clean with bleach or hydrogen peroxide. For dark stones use a lacquer thinner or acetone. Always do a test in a small inconspicuous area before attempting to apply. Call us to verify that there will be no damage.
Paint: Small amounts can be scraped off carefully with a razorblade or removed with lacquer thinner. Large paint stains can be removed with any commercial “heavy liquid” paint stripper found at any local hardware store. Paint strippers can easily etch the surface of the stone, so you may have to re-polish. Usually latex or acrylic paints won’t cause staining; however, oil-based paints may cause an oil-based stain. DON’T use acids or flame tools to strip paint.
Scratches and Nicks:
Buff with a dry 0000 steel wool. You can also do this with water spots and rings.
Etch Marks: These are caused by acids left on your stone. Some materials will etch the polish, but leave no stain; others may both etch and leave a stain. Once the stain is cleaned, you will want to re-polish in order to remove the etch. This you can do by sprinkling a small amount of etch remover after wetting it with water. Use a clean, dry towel to rub the powder into the stone, or you can use a buffing pad on a low speed power drill.
All of these products can be found at our Cherry hill showroom.
DISCLAIMER: Care should be taken when attempting to remove stains and etches from surface. using the products incorrectly may cause more damage. We recommend purchasing a poultice from us or contracting a professional to properly repair or refinish natural stone. before attempting any of the below procedures, contact our office.
Polishing: Bellizoni Stone Polish
Polishing is recommended monthly to keep your granite looking smooth and shiny. Belinzoni Stone Polish is recommended.
- Shake bottle well to mix polisher fully.
- Apply the polish to stone by spraying surface.
- Using a clean, dry white paper towel spread polish around surface coating the entire top.
- Let polish dry to haze for 2 to 4 minutes.
- Wipe off haze with a clean, dry white terry cloth towel.
Products and Where To Purchase Them
While any Costco, Home Depot or Best Buy will have everything from sealant to polisher to daily cleaner. We recommend purchasing products from us as we have taken the time to research and test the products to be used. Your warranty will be voided if you use a non-recommended product on your countertop. A lot of over the counter cleaning products may contain oils to darken the tops which over time will stain the surface, or contain volatile chemicals that can strip and remove the sealer. Remember if you have any trouble at all give us a call and we can carry a full line of products for whatever you may need.
Remember that your granite has already been sealed by us before installation, so typically you won’t need to re-seal for another year to six months.