Cleaning and Maintaining Stone Countertops and Flooring
Stone countertops and flooring are luxurious and beautiful, but they require special maintenance. From granite, slate, sandstone, quartzite, brownstone, bluestone, marble, limestone, travertine and onyx, here’s what you need to know to keep your surfaces looking as new as the day they were installed.
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“A lot of the common cleaners you find in grocery stores clean well, but they act like liquid sandpaper on your stone surfaces,” says Rod Sigman, technical services manager for Aqua Mix, a stone care product manufacturer in Corona, Calif. Vinegar-based solutions like window cleaners and abrasive cleaners are
Use a soft cloth and a neutral cleanser to maintain granite countertops. Photo courtesy of Granite Gold.
no-nos because they can dull your stone finish. “The solvents in Windex can have a hazing effect over time and can break down the sealers on your stone,” Sigman adds.
The safest way to clean any stone countertop is with a pH-balanced cleaner and a soft cloth. Many companies, like Simple Green and Granite Gold, provide stone-safe cleaners that are biodegradable, food-safe and streak-free. Some products are also available in convenient wipes. A fluid stone polish can also help increase the shine on countertops if used occasionally.
Stone floors demand a slightly more labor-intensive approach to cleaning. They require frequent sweeping or dust mopping with a non-treated, dry dust mop. “Abrasive sand and dirt do the most damage to natural stone floors, so you want to do what you can to keep the floor clean,” Sciarrino says. You can cut down on the dirt being tracked into the house by putting mats inside and outside your entrances and encouraging family members to take off their shoes before walking across stone floors. Vacuuming can help pick up dust, but be sure that the metal or plastic attachments won’t scratch your stone surface.
For polished stone, you can damp mop by using a diluted solution of a pH-neutral cleaner designed for stone. Mild dishwashing liquid and warm water can work in a pinch, but using too much soap can leave a film or cause streaks. Textured stone floors clean best by using a soft-bristle brush attached to a long-handled pole that will help pick dirt out of crevices and grout joints. In addition, appliances such as the Hoover Floor Mate can also make cleaning a snap because dirty water gets sucked up automatically, Sigman notes.
It’s important to blot up the liquid spills immediately. If you have trouble removing an oil-based stain (salad dressing, oil and butter are common culprits) from your countertop or flooring, you may be able to remove the stain by using a poultice, which is a homemade paste that helps extract the stain from the stone. (See sidebar for poultice how-to). If all else fails, call a professional for advice.
Stone in the Bath Water, soaps and cosmetics can harm stone surfaces over time, but there are a few easy tricks that will keep your bathroom counters and floors sparkling like new. Upon installation, apply a penetrating sealer to stone vanity top surfaces, backsplashes, floors and shower surrounds to protect it from soaps, colorful makeup products and oily lotions that can spot or discolor stone. Some sealers need to be reapplied every couple of years to maintain their effectiveness, so check the label or discuss with your stone installer. Marble vanity tops should be treated with a non-yellowing marble wax to help reduce water spotting.
Spot-treating Stains in Stone
Lenny Pellegrino, stone restorer and owner of San Diego-based Pellegrino Marble Company, offers the following tips for tough stains in stone.
Oil-based stains: Stains from vegetable oils, olive oils and butters can often be removed by creating a simple poultice or paste. Mix baking soda with acetone into a paste and place it on the stained area. Allow the paste to sit for 24 hours before removing and rinsing with water. Repeat as necessary. Re-seal stone after the stain is removed. Pellegrino recommends testing the poultice in an inconspicuous area before applying throughout to make sure it won’t harm the stone.
Organic stains: Clean up stains from food, pets or mold and mildew with this tip: Take a paper towel or terry cloth towel soaked in liquid bleach and place it on the stained area. Allow to sit for 24 hours and rinse with water. Repeat if necessary. You may also spray bleach on stained areas and scrub the area with a soft nylon brush then rinse with water. Bleach does not harm natural stone as long as it is rinsed each time and sealed properly.
Rust Stains: Pour a bit of 3 or 4 percent hydrogen peroxide on the rusted area and agitated with a sponge or cloth. Allow the area to stand for 24 hours before rinsing with water. Many rust stains may have to be removed by a professional.
To clean, use a damp rag to wipe up spills as soon as they happen in an effort to keep any bath products from setting into the stone. There are plenty of pH-neutral sprays, wipes and eco-friendly cleaners on the market that are specially formulated for granite, travertine, slate and marble surfaces, according to Jennifer Manocchio, spokesperson for Weiman Products, a maker of specialty stone cleaners in Gurnee, Ill. In the shower, you can remove soap scum from stone walls and floors by using a non-acidic soap scum remover, such as one by Weiman Products, or a homemade solution of ammonia and water (1/2 cup ammonia to one gallon of water) washed on with a soft cloth or sponge. The repeated use of ammonia, however, may dull the surface of the stone over time and could prompt a bit of polishing to rejuvenate the surface.
Cleaning Exterior Stone Outside, stone is exposed to natural elements and traffic. Stone pavers can be a worry-free surface if you spend a bit of time to seal them with a heavy-duty outdoor stone sealer. Regular sweeping will keep them clean, but if a deeper scouring is needed, just scrub with a mild detergent and a bristle brush. Sometimes mold, moss or mildew builds up on exterior walls clad in stone, on stone pavers or near water features accented with stone. To wash away these organic materials, simply scrub them with a mild bleach solution and a bristle brush. Follow up with some fresh water.
Although stone can demand a bit more maintenance than other household surfaces, keeping stone clean and sealed can ensure years of beauty and durability.
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