Granite Care

General Cleaning and Care

• Blot up spills immediately, before they penetrate the granite surface.
• Clean stone surface with a few drops or neutral cleaner, stone soap (available in hardware stores or from stone dealer), or mild dish washing liquid and warm water.
• Use soft clean cloth to clean the marble. Rinse after washing with soap solution and dry with clean soft cloth

Stain Removal - Remove a stain on granite basing the method on the type of stain.

• Non- oil Based Stains.
  • Mix a cup of flour, 1-2 tablespoons of dish washing liquid with water to make a thick paste. Put is on the stain and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit overnight.
  • Scrape away the mixture with a wooden utensil and rinse.
• Oil based Stains
  • If the stain is oil based (e.g. grease, oil, or milk), follow the steps above, but use hydrogen peroxide in the paste instead of dish washing liquid, or try ammonia on it.
• Organic Stains
  • Try a mixture of 12% hydrogen peroxide mixed with a couple drops of ammonia for an organic stain (e.g. Coffee, tea, or fruit).
• Ink and Marker Stains
  • Use a lacquer thinner or acetone to remove ink or marker stains from darker stone. On light colored granite, use hydrogen peroxide on the stains. This will also work for wine stains.
• Other methods
  • Mix molding plaster and bleach into a paste and spread over a wine, ink, or other non-oil stain. Leave mixture on for 30 minutes, then remove and rinse.
  • Place a mix of molding plaster and water over an oil-based or fat based stain. Mold it into a bird’s nest shape and allow to stand for 3 hours. Remove and rinse.

On Going Maintenance

• Reseal the countertop every 1 to 2 years. Check with the installer for recommendations. Use non-toxic sealer on food preparation areas.
• Consider using a new disinfectant cleaner made specifically for granite.
• Call your professional stone supplier, installer, or restoration specialist for problems that appear too difficult to treat.

Tips and Warnings

• Ask a professional to remove or repair a scratch in the granite
• 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 stone surface.
• 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 could scratch the surface
• Do not use products that contain lemon, vinegar, or other acids on marble or limestone. Strong Detergents or corrosive liquids can dull the polished marble/granite surface and should not be used.
• Do not use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleaners, scouring powders, of soft cleaners.
• Do not mix cleaning products such as ammonia and bleach together. The result is toxic.