Your granite, marble or limestone floors, counters, vanities and baths are a major investment. Thank you for trusting their care to me and Marble & Granite Care Professionals. I want you to feel confident that your stone is being well maintained and that technological advances are being brought to bear for you as they become available. Then too, I want you to be a well-informed owner of natural stone. As such you will be better able to care for your stone, resist misinformation, and become a better-informed buyer of new stone as the need arises in the future. You probably know by now that unfinished or honed stone surfaces often need more care than do polished surfaces. More frequent sealing is required to avoid common stains and etchings, and certain chemicals may yield a better result than others. For those of you that have, or may be interested in acquiring “absolute black” granite (polished or honed), you should know that this stone comes from many countries, but increasingly from India and China. Unfortunately, when sourced from these countries, the granite is often prepared with dyes and penetrating epoxies to darken the stone and strengthen the slabs from which your stone is cut. Since black granite “shows” most dirt and oils, you need to be especially careful to have the stone sealed with water-based sealers and frequently. Solvent-based sealers can actually hurt the appearance of the stone in some cases as can aerosol sprays and many ordinary household cleaners. The stone may get an irregularly “bleached out” look, lighten or show cup rings or other shapes. When these problems arise, there are chemical treatments that can darken the stone or bring out the underlying highlights, but, of course, the best treatment is to care for the stone correctly from the start. If you own light marbles of the cream variety (counters, floors, baths), you will be pleased to know that light etchings (caused by hairspray, toothpaste, colored and fragranced soaps and shampoos) are easier than ever to remove. Where expensive and messy machining was routinely once used, chemical processes are now equally effective. Call with any questions or see our web site for more information. Rick Arons
|
