Polished Granite and Marble Countertop Maintenance

For Daily Cleaning:

Use mild dish soap and hot water (also, orange and/or green Windex made for use on granite countertops - read label); dry thoroughly to avoid water marks.

Do's and Don'ts:

Do:

• Seal your countertops every six months to a year with a stone sealer (for polished granite).

• Set hot pots and pans directly on your granite countertops.

• Cut directly on the granite countertops, however, it may dull your knives.  (Also, be sure to clean the area afterwards).

Don't:

• Use any cleaning product with ammonia in it.

• Allow any oil (i.e. pizza boxes) or red wine spills to set on stone counterstops.

• Cut acidic materials/foods on countertops (ex: oranges, lemons, tomatoes).

Removing Stains from Stone

There are several options available to you for removing stains from granite or marble.

Any spill should be cleaned as soon as possible.  Blot spills with a paper towel or clean rag.  Wiping a spill may spread it over a larger area, making a larger mess.  Use only cold water and neutral cleaner.  Rinse the area several times.  If  a stain is still present, a chemical poultice may have to be applied.

Avoid using any chemicals of any kind until you know which chemical cleaner to use.  Certain chemicals will react differently with spilled material and could make the stain permanent.

Granite and marble are porous materials.  If not thoroughly sealed they may stain.  (Cleveland Granite seals all tops upon installation, however, you should reseal your tops once or twice per year)  The only way a stain can me removed is to literally pull it out of the stone with both a chemical and material that will absorb the stain.  This chemical absorbent material combination is what we call a poultice.  Poultices are commonly powder or cloth materials that can be mixed with a chemical and placed on top of the stain.

Poultice Materials:

Paper Towels, Cotton Balls, Gauze Pads, and Clays such as Attapulgite, Kaolin, Fuller's Earth Talc Chalk(whiting).

Before you attempt to remove the stain, it is extremely important to know what has caused it.  If you don't know its best to refer to a stone specialist.

To Apply a Poultice, Take the Following Steps:

1. Clean the stained area with water and stone soap.  Remember to blot rather than wipe.

2. Pre-wet the stained area with a little water.  Distilled water is recommended.

3. Refer to the chart and determine which chemical to use for the stain.

4. Mix the poultice material with the selected chemical.  Mix until a thick paste consistency  is obtained.

5. Apply the paste to the stained area, overlapping the stain by at least 1/4.  Do not make the application too thick, or it will take a long time to dry.

6. Cover the paste with a plastic sandwich bag or food wrap.  Tape the plastic using a low-contact tap.

7. Allow the paste to sit for 12-24 hours.

8. Remove the plastic cover and check to see if the paste has dried.  If it has not, allow it to sit uncovered until thoroughly dry.

9. Once it is dry, remove the paste by scraping and rinse the area.

10. Examine the stain.  If it still remains, but is somewhat lighter, re-poultice until it is gone.  If the stain refuses to disappear completely, contact a stone specialist.