Marble Restoration & Stone Care Service

Tips on the Do’s and Don’ts of Stone Care and Maintenance

Do’s

Do: Damp-mop the floor when deemed necessary. Clean stone surfaces with pH neutral stone cleaner, (ask in home centers or hardware stores), or mild soap and warm water.

Do: Clean the countertop using a sponge or soft cloth. Dish soap is commonly recommended for granite countertop care as a daily cleaner because it will not damage your stone or sealant if it is a mild, plain soap like Ivory or Dove with a few drops to a gallon of water. Rinse after cleaning and dry with a soft, clean cloth or paper towel.

Do: Dust-mop regularly. Some people choose to use a vacuum cleaner. But be real careful. Worn parts or grit jammed by the wheels may scratch the surface.

Do: Use a coaster or gliders under chairs and other furniture.

Do: Do keep marble and natural stone clean and dry around cooking surfaces and sinks.

Do: Blot up spills immediately. Acidic substances like wine, coffee, fruit juices, tomato sauce, sodas, etc. can etch the polish or stain the surface. Cooking oils may also leave a stain if not wiped up.

Do: Use coasters under all glasses, bottles and cans. Will a beer bottle set on your granite for five minutes leave a ring? Not if it was sealed properly, but it would be in marble too.

Do: Use trivets and hot pads under pots, pans and dinnerware. Yes, you can take a hot pot off the stove and put it right on granite, quartz or soapstone without any problems. Not true for marble and all other surfaces.

Do: Use door mats inside and out along with runners and area rugs. Grit, dirt and sand carried in by our shoes are abrasive and will wear and scratch the surface.

Do: Call us for problems that appear too difficult to treat.

Don’ts

Don’t: Use generic cleaning products such as bleach, glass cleaners or degreasers. These products that you buy at your local store contain acids, alkalis and other chemicals that can etch or damage the stone surface or degrade the sealer, leaving the stone more vulnerable to staining.

Don’t: Use bathroom, tub & tile or grout cleaners. The powders and even the “soft” creams contain abrasives that will scratch and dull surfaces.

Don’t: Sit or stand on your countertops. Unlike laminate countertops, granite, marble and quartz countertops are very hard, but not flexible and they do not have plywood backing, so too much weight in one spot could cause a crack.

Don’t: Place toiletry products directly on your countertop surface.
Hair products, perfumes, colognes, nail products, creams, lotions and potions may stain or damage the surface or etch the polish, leaving a ring.

Don’t: Don’t drag heavy objects across stone floors.

Don’t: Don’t allow water to stand around sinks, which causes deterioration of the stone over time.

Don’t: Don’t cut directly into natural stone. Use a cutting board or have your fabricator or supplier custom-make one to match your stone.