To help your investment stay elegant for many years to come, here are some easy maintenance tips for you to follow. At our shop a commercial-grade sealer is applied to all stone before installation. This process can also be provided for customers with existing stone needing a seal.

We recommend re-sealing your granite every 6-24 months depending on usage and testing it every 6 months. A simple way to test your granite to see if it needs to be resealed is by placing a wet cloth on your stone for 20 minutes. Remove the cloth and wipe the surface. If there is a spot visible where the cloth was sitting it is time to reseal your stone. We also recommend using a natural stone cleaner on a routine basis for granite, our preferred product is Marbamist Stone Countertop Cleaner that is available in our showroom. For everyday use, clean surfaces with mild soap and water or a ph neutral cleaning product.

• Clean surfaces with mild soap and water or a specially formulated granite cleaner
• Thoroughly rinse and dry the surface after washing
• Blot up spills immediately
• Use pot holders, trivets, coasters and cutting boards

• Don't use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids
• Don't use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub & tile cleaners
• Don't use Windex or other cleaners that contain ammonia as this will break down the sealer
• Don't use abrasive cleaners such as dry or soft cleansers
• Don't cut directly on your stone

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, household detergent, ammonia, mineral spirits or acetone.

Organic (coffee, tea, fruit, tobacco, paper, food, wine). May cause a pinkish-brown stain and may disappear after the source of the stain has been removed. Outdoors, with the sources removed, normal sun and rain action will generally bleach out the stains. Indoors, clean with12% hydrogen peroxide 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,etc. 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.

Ink (magic marker, pen, ink) For light colored stone, clean with bleach or hydrogen peroxide. For dark colored stones clean with lacquer thinner or acetone.

Paint: Small amounts can be removed with lacquer thinner or scraped off carefully with a razorblade. Heavy paint coverage should be removed only with a commercial "heavy liquid" paint stripper available from hardware stores and paint centers. These strippers normally contain caustic soda or lye. Do not use acids or flame tools to strip paint from stone. Paint strippers can etch the surface of the stone; re-polishing 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.

For additional information on removing stains, please contact our Service Department at (603) 886-6656. Another great resource is the Natural Stone Institute's website, www.naturalstoneinstitute.com. Select Consumer Resources tab then click on Natural Stone Care and Cleaning; or Natural Stone Stain Removal.

For additional stone care information, please visit the following sites:

www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/consumers/care/
www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/consumers/stains/