The natural stone you have purchased is an investment that will give you many years of beautiful service. Simple care and maintenance will help preserve your stone’s beauty for generations to come.
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 surface of many stones. Do not place hot items directly on the stone surface. Use trivets or mats under hot dishes and place mats under china, ceramics, silver or other objects that can scratch the surface.
Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap or a mild liquid dish washing detergent and warm water. Use a clean rag, a soft cloth or a microfiber cloth for best results. 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 other calcareous stones. Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with soap solution and dry with a soft cloth. Change the rinse water frequently. Do not use scouring powders or creams; these products contain abrasives that may scratch the stone.
Blot the spill with a paper towel immediately. Don’t wipe the area, it will spread the spill. Flush the area with clean water and mild soap and rinse several times. Dry the area thoroughly with soft cloth. Repeat as necessary. If the stain remains, refer to the section of this page on Stain Remover.
Identifying the type of stain on the stone surface is the key to removing it. If you don’t know what caused the stain, play detective. Where is the stain located? Is it near a plant, a food service area, an area where cosmetics are used? What colors is it? What is the shape or pattern? What goes on in the area around the stain?
Surface stains can often be removed by cleaning with an appropriate cleaning product or household chemical. Deep – seated or stubborn stains may require using a poultice or calling a professional. The following selections describe the types of stains that you may have to deal with and appropriate household chemicals to use and how to prepare and apply a poultice to remove the stain.
Oil – based (grease, tar, cooking oil, milk, cosmetics) An oil – based stain will darken the stone and normally must be chemically dissolved so the source of the stain can be flushed or rinsed away. Clean gently with a soft, liquid cleanser with bleach OR mineral spirits OR acetone.
Organic (coffee, tea, fruit, tobacco, paper, food, urine, leaves, bark, and bird droppings) may cause a pinkish – brown stain and may disappear after the source of the stain has been removed, normally the sun and rain action will generally bleach out the stains. Indoors, clean with 12% hydrogen peroxide (hair bleaching strength) and a few drops of ammonia.
Metal (iron, rust, copper, bronze). Iron or rust stains are orange to brown in color and follow the shape of the staining object such as nails, bolts, screws, cans, flower pots, metal furniture. Copper and bronze stains appear as green or muddy – brown and result from the action of moisture on nearby or embedded bronze, copper, or brass items. Metal stains must be removed with a poultice. (See section on Marking & Using a Poultice) Deep seated, rusty stains are extremely difficult to remove and the stone may be permanently stained.
Biological (algae, mildew, lichens, moss, fungi) clean with dilute (1/2 cup in a gallon of water) ammonia OR hydrogen peroxide. DO NOT MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA! THIS COMBINATION CREATES A TOXIC AND LETHAL GAS!
Ink (magic marker, pen, and ink) clean with bleach or hydrogen peroxide (light colored stone only!) or lacquer thinner or acetone (dark stones only!)
Small paint amounts can be removed with lacquer thinner or scraped off carefully with a razor blade. Heavy paint coverage should be removed only with a commercial “heavy liquid” paint stripper available from hardware stores and paint centers. These stripers normally contain caustic soda or lye. Do not use acids or flame tools to strip paint from stone. Paint stripers can etch the surface of the stone: repolishing may be necessary. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for use of these products, taking care to flush the area thoroughly with clean water. Protect yourself with rubber gloves and eye protection, and work in a well ventilated area. Use only wood or plastic scrapers for removing the sludge and curdled paint. Normally, latex and acrylic paints will not cause staining. Oil – based paints, linseed oil, putty, caulks, and sealants may cause oily stains. Refer to the selection on oil – based stains.
Water Spots and Rings (surface accumulation of hard water) buff with very dry 0000 steal wool.
Fire and Smoke Damage – Older stones and smoke or fire stained fireplaces may require a through cleaning to restore their original appearance. Commercially available “smoke removers” may save time and effort.
Etch Marks are caused by acids left on the surface of the stone. Some material will etch the finish but not leave a stain. Others will both etch and stain. Once the stain has been removed, wet the surface with clean water and sprinkle on marble polishing powder, available from a hardware store, lapidary store, or your local stone dealer. Rub the powder into the stone with a damp cloth or by using a buffing pad with a low – speed power drill. Continue buffing until the etch mark disappears and the marble surface shines. Contact Universal Stone for refinishing or repolishing etch areas that you cannot remove.
Efflorescence is a white powder that may appear on the surface of the stone. It is caused by water carrying mineral salts from below the surface of the stone rising through the stone and evaporating. When the water evaporates, it leaves the powdery substance. If the installation is new, dust mop or vacuum the powder. You may have to do this several times as the stone dries out. Do not use water to remove the powder; it will only temporarily disappear. If the problem persists, contact Universal Stone to help identify and remove the cause of moisture.
Scratches and Nicks – Slight surface scratches may be buffed with dry 0000 steel wool. Deeper scratches and nicks in the surface of the stone should be repaired and repolished by a professional.
CALL DEBEER GRANITE & MARBLE INC. FOR PROBLEMS THAT APPEAR TOO DIFFICULT TO TREAT.
