Stone Care
Stone is a natural product and simple care and maintenance will keep it looking beautiful for many years to come. 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. The use of sealers does NOT prevent acid from attacking the stone, especially marble and limestone.
• Do not use detergents that are not PH neutral, acids and alkali can etch the surface of the stone, the use of sealers does NOT prevent acid from attacking the stone, especially marble and limestone.
• Do not place hot items directly on the stone surface, but use trivets or mats under hot dishes and placemats under china, ceramics, silver or other objects that can scratch the surface.
• Do not stand on benchtops or place excessive weight or force on the benchtop, particularly in the areas where there is not much stone (eg. in front of the sinks or hotplates) as the stone may crack.
Cleaning Procedures & Recommendations
- Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of pH-neutral cleaner, stone cleaners or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water. 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 as these products contain abrasives that may scratch the surface.
Cleaners and Sealers
The following products may be used to care for your marble or granite products.
• Bellinzioni Lem-3 is a highly concentrated neutral detergent for cleaning marble or granite. Method of use for general maintenance: 1 spoon in 1 litre of water; for grimy conditions use pure. After the application rinse very well and allow to fully dry.
• Bellinzoni Liquid Wax and Tenax Cera Liquid are examples of waxes available in liquid and solid form that are used to bring up a shine in the stone. Both products are in a liquid form and a small amount is applied to a soft white cloth. This is then applied to the stone surface and, after drying, buffed off with a dry white soft cloth. Such a finish
requires to be maintained at least once a week.
• Tenax Hydrex or Delta Research Quasar Sealing are stone sealers that should be used. In general, sealing of stone products acts to prevent the top from being stained by such products as oil, red wine and coffee. As mentioned, sealing prevents but does NOT stop staining from occurring. Thus, products which may stain the stone should be cleaned from the surface as soon as possible. Alcoholic or solvent-based products such as thinners will remove the sealer. When this occurs the sealer should be reapplied. Sealing of the stone product should otherwise occur every six months. These products are available in a liquid form and should be applied with a soft white cloth. Such products are solvent based and we recommend that the room be well ventilated when applying. We recommend that only one coat of sealer be applied and left to dry for at least one hour before reapplying the sealer again. Should you reapply the sealer without allowing the first coat to dry properly, you run the risk of the sealer flashing off. Flashing off is a patchy residue that forms on the surface of the stone by reapplying the sealer too soon after applying the first coat.
Should you care to use other products available in the marketplace other than the ones
mentioned above, it is suggested that you apply any products to a small inconspicuous area first to see if there is any undesirable reaction to the product used. In general, it is suggested that products consisting of acids or alkalis and solvent-based products should not be used on stone benchtops. Some products such as Pino-Clean which contain oil should not be used on stone tops. Build-up of residue, such as fats or salts, on the surface of the stone can be removed with a very fine grain steel wool, grade 000.
We hope that you have many years of enjoyment in the use of your natural stone products.