Cleaning Granite Countertops
Care and Maintenance for Granite Countertops
In general, cleaning granite counterops is easy, as granite is relatively maintenance-free and does not stain. However, since granite is a natural stone and somewhat porous, it should not be exposed to any type of liquid for a prolonged period of time. Avoid exposing your stone surface to oils, citric acids, oven cleaners, paint remover, or any other harsh chemicals. Cleaning Granite Countertops is simple. Common care for granite involves only periodic washing with clean, potable water and a neutral (PH7) detergent soap or cleaners specially made for stone cleaning. Rinse thoroughly with clean, potable water to remove all traces of soap or cleaner solution. Dry all granite countertops or vanity tops with a soft cloth and allow to thoroughly air dry.
At Euro Stone Craft, we use CrystaSeal, a high quality specially formulated granite sealer on your granite countertops. We apply the sealer before and after the installation of your granite countertops. With most other sealers, you would need to frequently re-seal your granite countertops. However with our CrystaSeal sealer, you normally would not need to re-seal your granite coutertops for several years. Frequency of application depends on types of cleaners used to clean your granite countertops which could shorten the life of the sealer. There is a simple test you could perform at your home to find out when your counters need to be re-sealed. Please call or e mail us for instructions on performing this test.
Care and Maintenance for Marble
Marble is not as maintenance-free as granite. It is more prone to scratching and staining if it is not cared for properly. Many common foods and beverages contain acids, which could etch or stain the surface of your Virginia marble countertop. Spills of any type should be immediately wiped up and the area should be washed. Washing should be done with clean, soft cloths and lukewarm water; occasionally, a mild detergent or cleaners specially made for marble may be used. Never use products that contain lemon, vinegar, bleach, ammonia or other acids on a marble countertop. Do not use scouring powders or creams on any stone as these products contain abrasives that may scratch stone surfaces. We recommend that you reseal your marble countertops more frequently than granite. To clean Marble countertops, Euro Stone Craft recommends clean potable water and neuteral PH balanced detergent, or specially-formulated for marble cleaning products. If you have any questions regarding cleaning of your marble countertops, please call us or visit our showroom in Fairfax to consult with one our customer service specialists.
Care & Maintenance for Soapstone
The only maintenance required for soapstone countertops is the application of Carnuba Wax (*Combination Wax & Mineral Oil), or just Mineral Oil, to enhance the natural darkening process of the Soapstone. Once Carnuba Wax or Mineral Oil is applied, the stone will turn into a very dark charcoal gray, sometimes black. Often times, varieties of soapstone will keep a hint of green. You can take a pot right from your stove and place it on your soapstone countertops without harm. You may use any household cleaner to clean soapstone counter surfaces. However, harsher solvents may remove the Carnuba Wax treatment, generating more maintenance. Soapstone Countertop is soft and will scratch. However, most scratches can be hidden by applying Carnuba Wax lightly. If you get a deep scratch, you will need to do some sanding; use 120 grit sandpaper or steel wool and sand the scratch in a circular motion until the scratch is almost gone. Then, using 220-grit sandpaper do the same thing; this time using water. Clean up the countertop and reapply Carnuba Wax in stages until you reach the final color.
Soapstone is very dense stone and very non-porous. Soapstone countertops would never require sealing. When you apply wax or the oil, it is mainly for oxidizing and enhancing the stone, and it does not act as a sealer. Please contact us if you need to purchase any Carnuba Wax. We stock some in our showroom in Herndon, VA.
Care and Maintenance of Quartz (Engineered Stone)
Whether you have Silestone, Cambria, Caesarstne. or Zodiaq Countertop, maintenance are pretty much the same. Quartz Countertops are virtually maintenance-free. Quartz Countertops do not require sealing and should never be sealed. For Polished Quartz Countertops, we recommend you use a mild household cleaners. In case of stubborn spills or stains, soak the area for up to 10 minutes with one of the same cleaners and vigorously wipe away with a non scratch Scotch Brite® pad. Do avoid excessive force or pressure that could mar or chip or the surface. Do use trivets when placing hot items on your countertops, to avoid thermal shock and burning of the resin in all Quartz Countertops. DO NOT use or expose Quartz Products to such products including, but not limited to bleach, oven cleaners, Comet®, Soft Scrub®, SOS®, products with pumice, batteries, paint removers, furniture strippers, tarnish or silver cleaners, or the like. DO NOT apply any sealers, penetrants or topical treatments to Quartz Countertops under any circumstances. Such products will wear off and cause the gloss to appear dull or inconsistent. Above cleaning instructions are general instruction on how to clean your quartz countertops. For warranty purpose, we recommend that you follow each manufacturer's care instruction in the links below: