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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.
- 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. Do not use products
that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids on
marble or limestone. 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.
- Vanity
Top Surfaces
- Vanity
tops may need to have a penetrating sealer applied.
Check with your installer for recommendations.
A good quality marble wax or non-yellowing automobile
paste wax can be applied to minimize water spotting.
- Food
Preparation Areas
- In
food preparation areas, the stone may need to
have penetrating sealer applied. Check with
your installer for recommendations. If a sealer
is applied, be sure that it is non-toxic and
safe for use on food preparation surfaces. If
there is a questions, check with the sealer
manufacturer.
- 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 areas rugs and countertop surfaces with
coasters, trivets or placemats
- Don't
use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners
containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine
or onyx surfaces
- Don't
use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom
cleaners, grout cleaners of 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
The
Marble Institute of America offers a brochure
that includes information on treating spills and
stains on natural stone surfaces. One free copy
is available by sending a self addressed, stamped
business size envelope (32 cents) to the Marble
Institute of America, 30 Eden Alley, Suite 201,
Columbus, Ohio 43215 USA.
Source
: www.marble-institute.com
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