Everyday Tips for the Care of Your Marble, Granite,
Limestone, Slate and Other Stone Surfaces

Thank you for letting Marble & Granite Care Professionals Inc. take care of your natural stone surfaces. Many of you have indicated an interest in being provided with timely information that will make that care as simple as possible. Here is yet another serving of information addressing some of the more common issues in stone care.  Please call with any questions.
Rick Arons

Keeping Mildew Out of Your Marble and Stone Showers
Porous natural stones tend to absorb moisture in the shower at an unusually rapid rate -- for obvious reasons. If your shower is a steam shower, you can double the likelihood of moisture-related problems including mildew, discolored grout, streaked marble walls and fading or stained floor tiles.
Mildew grows where moisture is trapped. Many showers lose their grouted joints through the effects of age and moisture and those gaps are often breeding grounds for mildew. Caulk may be used to fill and cover the grout lines.  And while the caulk may keep moisture from getting into the walls, it also keeps the moisture behind the walls from getting out, providing an excellent environment for mildew growth.  Remember, shower walls will absorb moisture and this moisture combined with the chemicals (from shampoos and soaps) that it carries will gradually make its way to the lowest tiles of the wall and to those grout lines joining the vertical and horizontal surfaces. Sealing the walls will retard this process but will not eliminate it. Ultimately, the grout will be affected and mildew may be a result.
If you have an older shower, you must first scrape away the affected grout and refill any gaps.  An epoxy-based grout is best for this application as it is nearly non-porous if applied correctly. If the grout lines are intact and can be cleaned, then an epoxy-based grout colorant can be used to both refresh the color of the grout and seal the grout lines.
As an aside, when cleaning mildew and mold from your grout and stone, there are a number of products that can be specified, but hydrogen peroxide works just as well. Try a stronger than normal solution from a local beauty supply shop. Just remember to wear gloves when applying it to the stone.

Recolor Rather than Replace Dirty/Stained Grout
For years the solution to dirty, “uncleanable” grout has been to dig it out and replace it with new grout.  Well, that sounds like a lot of work, and if the grout is still structurally sound, why abandon it? 
Enter Grout Colorant.  Grout Colorant is an epoxy-based sealer that looks and acts much like a paint.  It is applied over the pre-existing grout and is opaque.  Grout colorants come in dozens of shades and colors – often matched to the color charts of particular brands of grout.  By using these colorants your grout can look like new.  However, the process is quite tedious.  You will need to clean or rough the original grout lines first and then apply the colorant on an inch-by-inch basis.  As this is done with one hand, the excess colorant (outside the grout lines) needs to be wiped away with a wet cloth to prevent it from adhering to the adjacent tiles.  This is often a problem with honed, natural stone tiles that quickly absorb the colorant.  If done carefully, the grout lines will look like new and stay that way for years.

Want to Refresh the Look of your Dark Granite and Marble?
While granites and marbles are generally sealed with solvent based impregnating sealers, these sealers are clear liquids that do little to refresh the look of older, worn stones. Frequently a topical polish will spruce up the shine on an already polished top, but its longevity is limited.
Color enhancing sealers may dramatically improve the look of these older stones by highlighting the darkest crystals in the granite and the darker veins of marble. They usually have a dramatic effect on lighter absolute blacks, black marbles, serpentines and slates. They will also help granites with dark green highlights. In some cases the result of the application of a strong enhancer is a much improved surface that can then be polished. No additional seal is necessary since the enhancer is itself a strong sealer.

Cleaning Limestone & Tumbled Marble Floors
Limestone and tumbled marble are calcium-based stones, and like our teeth, react poorly to acids.  While entering and leaving our homes we track acids of all kinds over those floors, while grinding dirt into the pores and recesses of the stone.
Kitchens and hallways will become appreciably dirtier than the less trafficked entryways and dining areas. Scrubbing by hand doesn’t seem to make much difference at all. Is there any way to get these floors clean?
If your floors are polished, then the approach will be to remove the etchings and dirt with light honing and follow that with a diamond pad or powder polish applied by a 100 lb. machine. If your floors are honed, then a scrubbing attachment to the machine may be sufficient, and if not, honing powders can be effectively used.  In the end the floor is noticeably cleaner and more consistent looking throughout.  The application of a water based seal completes the process.

Don’t Forget Your Regular Stone Maintenance!
Have you had your stone resealed in the last 12 months?  If not, what are you waiting for? Extend the life and look of your stone. It’s a major investment that needs periodic attention.

Having a special problem ?  Call Rick today (847-845-8737) and get answers.

Contractors, Designers and Stone Merchants: Are your customers asking for a referral to deal with their stone issues arrange scheduled maintenance, or to become better educated about the stone that they own?  Ask them to call Rick for answers, suggestions or a free estimate.

Cleaning Your Stone Correctly? If Not You May be Causing Your Own Problems!
All natural stone should be routinely cleaned with a pH neutral, non-acidic cleaner. Marbles and limestones are calcium-based stones that are etched by most household cleaners.  Avoid glass cleaners, vinegar, lime-removers and the like.  Surprisingly, coffee and colas are the most acidic foods we run across while most cosmetics and bathroom products, especially those with certain colorings and fragrances can do damage to these stones.  Granites and slates can absorb oils and become stained.  Regular and proper cleaning (spray and wipe with a clean cloth) will remove harmful substances while extending the life of the seal and fabricator’s polish on a stone surface.  Marble & Granite Care Professionals, Inc. provides an appropriate cleaner to all of its customers.  Refills are available. Call or email your request.

Marble & Granite Care Professionals Inc.
          Skokie, IL 60076-2304
  www.MarbleandGraniteCare.com
                  847-845-8737

Marble/Granite/Slate/Limestone