You’ve made an investment in the beauty of your home or workplace. Your natural stone can give you a lifetime of service and pleasure. Stone is a natural product and simple maintenance will keep it looking beautiful.

 

Stone is a creation of nature. Every piece is unique and has no equal. Originally, your stone was cut from a mountainside in huge 50,000-pound blocks. The blocks were sliced into slabs and then refined to enhance their natural colors and texture. The hardness, colors, and variations all reflect the stone’s unique mineral composition and origin. This unique blend of characteristics is what makes your stone installation one-of-a-kind as well as beautiful and practical.

 

All stone is absorbent. The best way to prevent stains is to treat the surface with a protective sealant. Because the sealant reacts with the stone, you do not have to worry about the stone being porous.

 

As a fabricator and installer, Stonesmith always applies sealer to our finished jobs. This is a standard service we provide as a part of our installation.

 

Stone is durable, but may be etched or dulled by common foods or drinks that contain alcohol, citrus juices, vinegar—and even oil.

 

Use coasters under all glasses.

 

Use a clean dry cloth to wipe up spills immediately.

 

Don’t use Windex® or other ammonia-based products on the countertops as the ammonia tends to break down the silicone-based sealers that Stonesmith applies.

 

With granite, you can put hot items right on the stone, no need for a trivet. Granite is so hard that you can’t scratch it or damage it by cutting on it.

 

With marble or other stone surfaces, you may want to avoid direct heat on stone surfaces; some stones scratch more easily than others.

 

 

Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap, or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water. You may buy stone soap from hardware stores or your stone dealer. Use a soft cloth for best results.

 

Too much cleaner or soap may leave a film and cause streaks. Don’t use products that contain lemon, vinegar, or other acids on marble or limestone.

 

Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing and dry with a soft cloth. Change the rinse water frequently.

 

Don’t use scouring powders or creams—these products contain abrasives that may scratch the surface.

 

You can minimize soap scum by using a squeegee after each use. This may seem like a nuisance, but by doing it regularly, it soon becomes part of your routine. This keeps the area looking like new.

 

To remove soap scum, use a non-acidic soap scum remover or a solution of ammonia and water—about ½ cup of ammonia to a gallon of water. Frequent or over-use of an ammonia solution may eventually dull the surface of the stone and may break down the sealer.

 

Stonesmith applies a sealant to all granite and marble installations. To minimize water stains, you can also apply a good quality marble wax or a non-yellowing automobile paste wax.

 

Stonesmith puts on a sealer after installation. Customers must reseal about once a year and it takes ten minutes to do. Just use mild soap and water for clean up.

 

Flush outdoor pool, patio, or hot tub areas with clear water and use a mild bleach solution to remove algae or moss.

 

Dust mop interior floors frequently, using a clean non-treated dry dust mop. Sand, dirt, and grit do the most damage to natural stone surfaces due to their abrasiveness.

 

To help minimize in-coming abrasive elements, place mats or areas rugs inside and outside an entrance. Be sure that the underside of the mat or rug has a non-slip surface.

 

On stone floor surfaces, do not use worn vacuum cleaners. The metal or plastic attachments or the wheels may scratch the surface.

 

 

Do blot spills immediately.

Do use coasters under all glasses.

Do clean surfaces with mild detergent or stone soap.

Do thoroughly rinse and dry stone surfaces after washing.

Do dust mop floors frequently.

Do protect floor surfaces with non-slip area mats or rugs.

Don’t use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, and travertine or onyx surfaces.

Don’t use Windex® or ammonia-based cleaners on sealed surfaces.

Don’t use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.

Don’t mix bleach and ammonia; this combination creates a toxic and lethal gas.