WARNINGS!
1. Do not use products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids on marble or limestone. Strong detergents or corrosive liquids can dull the polished marble/granite surface and should not be used.
2. Don’t use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers, scouring powders, or “soft” cleansers.
3. Do not mix cleaning products such as ammonia and bleach together- the result is toxic.
Reseal the countertop every year or two years. Check with the installer for recommendations. Use a non-toxic sealer on food preparation areas.
TIPS
Consider using a new disinfectant cleaner made specifically for granite.
Call your professional stone supplier, installer, or restoration specialist.
Ask a professional to remove or repair a scratch in granite.
Use coasters under all glasses, particularly those containing alcohol or citrus juices. Many common foods and drinks contain acids that will etch or dull the stone surface.
Do NOT place hot items directly on the stone surface. Use trivets or mats under hot dishes and placemats under chins, ceramics, silver or other objects that could scratch the surface.
STEPS
Blot up spills immediately, before they penetrate the surface.
Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap (available in hardware stores or from a stone dealer), or mild dishwashing liquid and warm water.
Use a soft, clean cloth to clean the granite. Rinse after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft, clean cloth.
To remove a stain on granite, base the method of cleaning on the type of stain. Mix a cup of flour, 1-2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with water to make a thick paste. Put it on the stain, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit overnight.
Scrape away the mixture with a wooden utensil and rinse. If the stain is oil-based (e.g. grease, oil, milk), use hydrogen peroxide in the paste instead of dishwashing liquid-or try ammonia on it.
Try a mixture of 12 % hydrogen peroxide mixed with a couple drops of ammonia for an organic stain (e.g. coffee, tea, or fruit).
Use a lacquer thinner or acetone to remove ink or marker stains from darker stone. On light-colored granite, use hydrogen peroxide for these stains. This also works for wine stains.
Mix molding plaster and pure bleach into a paste and spread over a wine, ink or other non-oil stain. Leave on for 30 minutes, remove and rinse.
Paste a mix of molding plaster and water over an oil-based or fat-based stain. Mold it into a bird’s-nest shape and allow to stand for 3 hours.
Remove and rinse.
CLEANING A NATURAL STONE COUNTERTOP
With the proper care, your granite or marble countertop will stay new-looking for years. Stone is one of the easiest surfaces to maintain. And granite, being 7 on the Mohs hardness scale of 1-10, is virtually unscratchable. (A stainless steel knife blade is a 6 on the scale.)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & LINKS
CARING FOR NATURAL STONE
There are many natural stone distributors in our area where you can select your slabs or you can visit our showroom to select your stones. From there we take your stone and masterfully craft it to your needs. Take a look!
POLISHED FINISHES
Surfaces should be wiped down often with water or a pH neutral substance. Clean up any spills IMMEDIATELY. Please remember to always blot spills rather than wiping them up. Blot the spill with a paper towel, then wash the area with warm water and finally, dry the area with a soft, dry cloth.
CLEANERS
Clean your granite with a pH neutral cleaning solution, stone soap (available in hardware stores), or mild dishwashing soap and warm water.
PRODUCTS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED
Abrasives (such as dry or soft cleansing products), or acidic cleaning products (such as lemon or vinegar) should not be used. These may dull the finish of your granite. Please avoid anything that contains bleach or any wipe on cleaners that have grit on them. If you would like to avoid streaking while cleaning, you must wipe your tops until they are completely dry.
AVOIDING SCRATCHES
Granite is quartz based and therefore can be scratched by quartz or anything harder. Diamonds will scratch the stone. Remove any jewelry before cooking. Certain stoneware dishes that contain rough silica sand pose a risk of scratching the granite. Some pizza stones will scratch granite if they are spun around while cutting the pizza. Knives will not scratch granite, although cutting on your countertops is not recommended as it will dull your knives.
•If you use a marble or granite cutting board, please make sure the rubber or plastic feet remain secure.
AVOIDING CHIPS
Chips in granite are not a common occurrence. Granite is very hard but yet can be very brittle. If a chip does occur, it is most often caused by banging something into the edge of the countertop. Heavy pots and pans and the bottoms of large bottles do most of the damage. Should a chip occur and you find the piece that chipped out, save it. Most times it can be epoxied back into place.
TEMPERATURE CHANGES
Granite can withstand very hot temperatures, however, rapid temperature changes from hot to cold or vice versa could possibly crack your granite. If you have a seam in your countertop it is best to avoid setting hot materials on top of the seam. The epoxy in the seam is heat resistant, but can be melted if exposed to heat for an extended period. Also, Granite can take the heat of hot pans, but not hot fat. Avoid placing anything with hot cooking oils on the counter top.
STAINING
For the most part, granite does not stain. While it is true that stone is a porous material, of all the stones, Granite is the least porous. We apply an impregnating sealer to the stone when it is installed to further protect it from this possibility. Water left on a Granite counter top for a long period of time will show evidence of moisture. It will however evaporate and the “dark spot”will disappear. Oil left on a Granite surface will slowly be absorbed into the stone. It is recommended that any spills be cleaned up when they occur. If the spill is not caught in time and a stain does occur, a poultice may be applied to draw the oil back out of the stone. Over time the oil will naturally redistribute itself in the stone until it becomes virtually undetectable.
** Counter tops should be resealed every one to two years for light colors, longer for darker colors. **
