Common Stone Care Questions.

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Dust mop or vacuum with soft brush attachment.

Damp mop with string mop or Swiffer microfiber using a mild soap, such as a natural stone cleaner, and water .

Residential- dust mop 3 times a week and damp mop with cleaner once a week.

Commercial- dust mop daily and damp mop 3 times a week or as needed.

 There is no set time.  It's time for a professional polishing when the finish starts to dull or spot.

Anything acidic, such as vinegar, lemon juice, wine, soda, etc.

The only way to remove an etch is to hone it out with an abrasive, such as sand paper or diamond pads, and polish to a shine with a marble polishing compound.

Sealers can prevent the stone from discoloring when wine, soda, coffee or anything with color spills on the surface.  It will however still leave an etch (dull spot that doesn't wipe away).

At the end of the day Coronavirus has left us with many more questions than answers. We want to offer a solution to keeping your countertops vanities and stone surfaces clean and sanitized, without worrying that you are destroying the finish.

First, you want to wipe them down with warm water and dish soap to remove any gunk and grime. Next, clean them with an antibacterial cleaner that experts know to be effective in killing off the coronavirus. The good news is that you have a few options that are safe for stone, very effective at killing coronavirus, easy to find, and cost-effective.

Isopropyl Alcohol, with at least 70% alcohol has proven to be very efficient at killing coronavirus on hard surfaces. Apply alcohol undiluted with a spray bottle, let sit for at least 30 seconds to disinfect, then wipe up with a clean dry rag.

Hydrogen Peroxide is another underutilized hidden gem in our cabinets. Hydrogen Peroxide household 3% is effective in deactivating the rhinovirus, responsible for the common cold, within 6-8 minutes of exposure. Rhinovirus is believed to be more difficult than coronavirus, so this should be effective in disinfecting this current strain of corona.

As with the alcohol, wipe the surface to clean up any residue with warm soapy water and a clean rag. Pour undiluted Hydrogen Peroxide into a spray bottle and spray on the clean surface to disinfect and let it sit for at least a minute.

Hydrogen Peroxide is non-corrosive so it’s okay to encounter metal surfaces, but be careful with fabric as it can discolor it. Hydrogen peroxide is a great solution for hard-to-reach places, like behind the faucet, because you can spray it on and leave it. Hydrogen Peroxide essentially breaks down into oxygen and water.

All of us have a gallon of bleach somewhere in our homes. This will also work safely on stone surfaces. Always clean the surface with a clean rag and warm soapy water first because many materials can react with bleach and deactivate it. You will want to dilute the bleach with equal parts water. Wipe down the surface and then go back over with a clean damp rag to remove any bleach.

The main concern with cleaning stone surfaces is avoiding anything acidic. Many people believe white vinegar to be a safe non-toxic household cleaner. While it’s great on windows and ceramic tile, its’ acidic property will etch the finish on your natural stone.

We hope this will clear up any concerns you may have about safely disinfecting your natural stone. Feel free to contact us with any other questions.

*Perry Santanachote  'These Common Household Products Can Destroy the Novel Coronavirus' , Consumer Reports 28 ,March, 2020.