Stone Care Guide
Granite Care
Marble Care
Travertine Care
Stone Tile Care
Soapstone Care
Granite
Contrary to popular belief, granite is not very absorbent. Its resistance to water, dirt, pollutants and high winds are reasons it’s used for many outdoor applications such as multistory buildings, bridges, and curbs. Generally, granite requires less maintenance than acrylic/plastic solid surfaces. For daily cleaning of granite simply use mild soap and water or a good quality stone cleaner. When washing with soap and water, rinse clean and buff dry with a paper towel or clean cloth. Do not clean granite or any stone with abrasive, acidic or alkaline cleaners. Clean up spills immediately to prevent staining. Do not expose stone to acidic or oily food or drinks. It is recommended every six months to once a year a 10 to 15 minute application of a penetrating sealer. This will maintain the stone’s resistance to staining as well as enhancing its brilliance and luster. Paper towels will provide less streaking than clean cloths.
Marble
Marble is a beautiful surface for counters, vanities, fireplaces, and tabletops. But because it is quite soft and porous, marble can easily be stained, scratched, and chipped. To help prevent staining, marble surfaces are often coated with protective sealers. Depending on use, these coatings should be reapplied every year or two. Regular cleanings should be as gentle as possible. Dust the surface once or twice a week with a soft cloth. Wash the marble periodically with a cloth dampened with warm water, and, if necessary, a bit of mild dishwashing liquid. Remove the soap with another damp cloth. Never use dusting sprays or abrasive cleaners on your marble. Apply marble polish (we highly recommend Italian Craftsman Marble/Granite Polish) on a monthly basis to maintain the stone's luster.
To prevent ring marks, place coasters or trivets under glasses and dishes. Use mats or runners beneath hard objects that might scratch the surface. And always blot spills up immediately and rinse with a clean, damp cloth. If your marble does stain, you can try to remove it with a poultice made especially for drawing out stains.
Travertine
Travertine is warm and beautiful with unique pattern and color characteristics that complement almost any design. Travertine will wear well and last forever, however it is porous and sensitive to acidic or substances (juice, wine, coffee). As with marble a sealer appropriate for Travertine should be applied annually along with monthly polishing (we highly recommend Italian Craftsman Marble/Granite Polish). Spills should be cleaned up immediately. Wash primarily with hot water and a soft clean cloth to dry. For toiletry products, place them in a decorative tray to prevent rings or stains.
Stone Tiles
The secret to stone tile care is regular sweeping of dirt and debris. Dirt and debris can scratch softer stone tiles such as Travertine or Marble. The use of entrance matting will cut down on the amount of dirt and debris tracked into the home.
Occasionally wash stone surfaces with lukewarm water and wipe dry with a clean cloth. Wiping the surface with a damp chamois will not leave streaks. Once or twice a year, depending on the amount of soil accumulation, wash with a mild detergent solution (hand dish-washing detergent and warm water), rinse and wipe dry. If using mops use clean rayon mops, sponge mops, towels or rags.
A light coat of wax will protect the surface of the stone but is not considered essential. Use colorless wax. Don't wax white marble as it may tend to yellow it. A penetrating sealer can be applied to clean stone, which will protect from staining and allow soil to be wiped off with a damp cloth. Remember: Polished and honed stones can be slippery, especially when wet.
Soapstone
Soapstone is very easy to care for. You can use any kind of basic kitchen and bathroom cleaner on its surface. Due to soapstone’s non-porous nature no chemicals can harm the stone. . However some stronger cleaners will remove the mineral oil from the surface of the stone and thus causing you to reapply the oil more frequently. This of course is only if you so choose to apply mineral oil. Like marble and granite you can certainly use dishwashing soap to the surface. The advantage of soapstone is that it is non porous and nothing will ever 'soak' into the stone.
If you wish to speed up the natural aging process and create a rich dark surface, you can apply mineral oil. Apply the oil to a rag spreading the oil evenly across the entire surface.. Remember less is more! If you apply too much oil on the stone it will feel greasy. Simply wipe the excess oil off the soapstone with a paper towel.. Store your oil rag in a zip lock bag for the next use. Once the treatment has evaporated (initially 1-3 days) you may apply the next treatment. After the first few weeks you will notice that the time period between applications will lessen. You will then only need to apply mineral oil every few months or whenever you wish to have a darker appearance.
Soapstone scratches can be smoothed out quite easily depending on the depth of the scratch. For minor scratches use higher grit sandpaper between 220-400 grit. Work in a circular motion. Wipe the area clean of dust. Once finished use a dab of mineral oil and wipe clean. If it’s a deeper scratch you can use grits between 80-150.
