CARE & CLEANING OF NATURAL STONE SURFACES

Keeping granite looking beautiful is really quite simple. In a spray bottle mix 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar, spray on your granite and wipe off with a paper towel. If the odor of vinegar is offensive, you may rinse with water and wipe dry. This procedure will lift off any greasiness and leave tops shiny. You may also use a mild detergent and water. Be sure to wipe the surface dry after cleaning to prevent any hard water deposits accumulating on the surface which will cause dulling. 

By your faucets and sinks, should you notice a whitening on the surface, use a razor blade to scrape off the mineral deposits. To add extra shine, use triple zero steel wool (available at any hardware store) and buff it out. It takes a little elbow grease! This can be prevented by drying the surface after use.  

If you have an accidental spill on your granite top, wipe up with a paper towel in a timely fashion. While granite is very stain-resistant, should a stain occur, use a poultice. A poultice is a mixture of baking soda and water (or mineral spirits) even white flour and water, that you mix to the consistency of peanut butter. Apply the poultice to the stain approximately ¼” thick and cover with plastic wrap. Leave it on the stain for 24 to 48 hours. The poultice will actually draw the stain up. Stubborn stains may take a few applications.   

Oil-based Stains: use a poultice with baking soda and water OR mineral spirits.

Organic Stains:  use a poultice with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide solution OR acetone.

Note: if baking soda is not available, try white flour 

Additional cleaning tips:

• Oil-based (grease, tar, cooking oil, milk, cosmetics).  This stain will darken the stone and normally must be chemically dissolved so the source of the stain can be flushed or rinsed away. Clean gently with a soft, liquid cleanser with bleach, OR household detergent OR ammonia OR mineral spirits OR acetone.
• Organic (coffee, tea, fruit, tobacco, paper, food, urine, leaves, bark, bird droppings).  Outdoors, normal sun and rain action will remove the stains.  Indoors, clean with 12% hydrogen peroxide (hair bleaching strength) and a few drops of ammonia.
• Metal (iron, rust, copper, bronze). Metal stains must be removed with a poultice. 
• Ink (magic marker, pen, ink).  Clean with bleach or hydrogen peroxide (light colored stone only!) or lacquer thinner or acetone (dark stones only!).

Sealing granite is almost as simple. Your granite was sealed at installation. Marble Tech offers Stone Tech sealing products for their ease of use and proven effectiveness. Put the Stone Tech sealer in a plastic bottle, spray on, leave on 5 to 10 minutes (don’t let the sealer dry on the surface) and wipe off with a clean paper towel. There won’t be a strong odor so you can do this any time of the year, though it is recommended that sealer is applied once a year. Wait 24 hours to clean any surfaces that have been sealed to allow the sealer to fully penetrate the stone. Remember, sealer helps prevent granite from absorbing stains. It does not affect the finish in any way.

Please ask about our 15 Year Sealer! 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please call us!

The following products are available for purchase from Marble Tech Inc and U S Granite Sales.  We accept Visa, MasterCard, cash or check.  Full Information on the following is available at www.stonetechpro.com.