Tips & Tricks: The Enemies of Stone

In order to keep the stone in good shape it is important that you know what may cause damage to it. Every stone surface (countertops, vanity tops, etc.) has three basic enemies:

Acid Substances
Low PH value, many common liquids such as detergent, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, fruit juices and vinegar.

Alkaline substances
High PH value: these fluids are the opposite of acids. Most bleachers for home use are alkaline and may be very strong to be used in stone.

Stains
Caused by a great variety of foods, spilled drinks, water, animals and other factors. Eliminating these potential problems and taking care of stone's fragilities will help you keep the stone in good shape for a longer period of time.

Tips for good care

Initial protection
Every rock should be treated with a penetrating shield concept sealant that lets no residue to penetrate on the stone surface. With the application of this waterproof treatment, while the stone will reject fluids which may penetrate and cause stains, you will have more time to clean the substance spilled on your stone's surface. Penetrating shields are essential in areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. Silicone sealants to prevent penetration of water and oil are recommended despite their higher cost when compared to regular protectors. Always do a test with the product in a small area of the stone before using it in the desired area to make sure the results are acceptable. Some types of sealants do change the rock color a bit. Never assume as a principle that the stone has already been seal-treated by the constructor, the installer or the fabricator.

Cleaning
Many bleachers for home use are not formulated for cleaning stone. Many of them may cause more damages to the rock than would happen if the stone was not cleaned at all. Even the use of water can by itself cause damaging effects to some stones after a period of time. The use of neutral bleachers containing conditioner agents or a specific soap for stones is recommended.

Do never use

• Ammonia
• Cleaning alkaline powder products
• Cleaning paste products
• Vinegar
• Alcohol
• Glass-cleaning products
• Steel straw
• Abrasive cleaning cloths

You should use

• Soap for stone
• neutral bleachers
• cleaning products
• conditioners
• penetrating shields for stone.

The constant use of adequate product will make your stone always look new and enhance its natural gloss. Due to low hardness of most rocks, it is important to keep their surfaces free of sand grains and other impurities. Normally these grains are harder than most rocks used in residential constructions and are the main cause for scratches, especially on floors.

Other recommendations
Vanity tops, tabletops can be cleaned with the use of a spray containing the cleaning product. Spray the product on the surface then pass a cloth made of natural fibers. These surfaces may be polished with a wax paste for use in stones. The application of these pastes will ensure good gloss and protection to the rock. It is recommended that you seal and wax your bath closet.

The appearance of fungus on stones is difficult to be removed. Chemicals used to remove fungus may ruin the marble and require costly procedures for restoration. Many granite stones are resistant to acid; consequently they are easier to be cleaned. Proper chemical products and maintenance waxes are much cheaper than the cost for a professional to restore the stone of your bathroom.