Marble & Stone Restoration
---Your Complete Stone, Tile & Grout Care Professionals---
Marble, Limestone, Travertine, and Other Natural Stone Care Guide.
General Care and Precautions
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 placemats under china, ceramics, silver or other objects that can scratch the surface.
Cleaning Procedures and Recommendations
Floor Surfaces:
Dust mop interior floors frequently using a clean non-treated dry dust mop. Sand, dirt and grit do the most damage to natural stone surfaces due to their abrasiveness. Mats or area rugs inside and outside an entrance will help to minimize the sand, dirt and grit that will scratch the stone floor. Be sure that the underside of the mat or rug is a non-slip surface. Normally, it will take a person about eight steps on a floor surface to remove sand or dirt from the bottom of their shoes. Do not use vacuum cleaners that are worn. The metal or plastic attachments or the wheels may scratch the surface.
Other Surfaces:
Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap (available at hardware stores or from your stone dealer) or warm water. Use a clean rag mop on floors and a soft cloth for other surfaces 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 limestone. Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the 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 surface.
Dos and Don'ts
- DO Dust mop floors frequently.
- DO Clean surfaces with a neutral PH cleaner.
- DO Blot up spills immediately.
- DO Protect floor surfaces with non-slip mats or area rugs and countertop surfaces with coasters, trivets or place mats.
- DON'T Use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine or onyx surfaces.
- DON'T Use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub & tile cleaners.
- DON'T Use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
To help extend the life of your stone and reduce the time frame between Stone Polishing and Maintenance, follow these simple tips. Following these steps will help against staining of your Marble, Travertine, Limestone and Natural Stone. It will also help from dulling polished stone surfaces. These steps can be applied to Marble, Travertine, Limestone, Granite and All Other Natural Stone Surfaces.
If you or your clients have any enquires regarding our services, please feel free to contact the Marble & Stone Restoration staff today for your free stone, tile and grout care evaluation.
