Granite
General Care Tips
- The natural stone your have purchased for your home or office is an investment that will give you many years of beautiful services. Stone is a natural product and simple care and maintenance will keep it looking beautiful. Here are some recommendations for routine care and cleaning.
- Granite countertops should be sealed when they are installed, and re-sealed once or twice a year to keep them looking their best. With a solvent-based sealer, the process should take about 10 to 15 minutes. Less-expensive water-based sealants can be more labor-intensive and are not as widely recommended.
- To test if countertops are already sealed or if it is time to re-seal, spill a small amount of water on the surface. If it beads up, the granite is sealed. If the water begins to seep into the granite, it is time to re-seal.
Precautions
- 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 china, ceramics, silver or other objects that can scratch the surface.
Cleaning Procedures & Recommendations
Floor Surfaces: 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. Mats or area rugs inside and outside an entrance will help to minimize the sand, dirt and grit that will scratch the stone floor. Be sure that the underside of the mat or rug is a non-slip surface. Normally, it will take a person about eight steps on a floor surface to remove sand or dirt from the bottom of their shoes. Do not use vacuum cleaners that are worn. The metal or plastic attachments or the wheels may scratch the surface.
Other Surfaces: Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap (available at hardware stores or from your stone dealer) or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water. Use a clean rag mop on floors and a soft cloth for other surfaces for best results. Too much cleaner or soap may leave a film and cause streaks. Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft cloth. Change the rinse water frequently. Do not use scouring powders or creams; these products contain abrasives that may scratch the surface.
Bath and Other Wet Areas: In the bath or other wet areas, soap scum can be minimized by using a squeegee after each use. To remove soap scum, use a non-acidic soap scum remover or a solution of ammonia and water (about 1/2 cup ammonia to a gallon of water). Frequent or over-use of an ammonia solution may eventually dull the surface of the stone.
Outdoor Pool & Patio Areas: In outdoor pool, patio or hot tub areas, flush with clear water and use a mild bleach solution to remove algae or moss.
Do's and Don'ts
- Do dust mop floors frequently
- Do clean surfaces with mild detergent or stone soap
- Do thoroughly rinse and dry the surface after washing
- Do blot up spills immediately
- Do protect floor surfaces with non-slip mats or area rugs and countertop surfaces with coasters, trivets or placemats
- Don't use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub & tile cleaners
- 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
