Care & Maintenance

Quartz

Quartz is virtually maintenance free and can be cleaned with extreme ease. Common household spills - such as, tea, coffee, lemon juice, soda, fruit, vegetable juice, olive oil or grease spills - are easily removed and the surface can be restored to its original appearance. Quartz is one of the hardest materials in nature, which is an assurance that your quartz surface will not easily scratch or chip. The use of a cutting board is nevertheless recommended. To maintain the natural beauty of quartz, do not place hot skillets or roasting pans directly onto the surface but use a trivet instead.

ROUTINE CLEANING

For routine cleaning use a damp cloth or paper towel and, if necessary, a small amount of mild soap. Once clean, rinse and dry the surface thoroughly. For stubborn or dried spills, use a nonabrasive cleaning pad such as a white 3M Scotch-Brite® scrub pad combined with a small amount of mild soap or specialized stone cleaner.

Quartz floors in high traffic areas should be cleaned daily with a clean, dry dust mop or soft bristle broom. Quartz floors in low traffic areas can be cleaned less frequently using the same method. Spills should be spot treated with the use of a damp mop or cloth towel and, if necessary, a small amount of mild soap or specialized stone cleaner.

A floor machine such as a slow speed buffer or walk behind scrubber can be used for larger commercial environments. Be sure to rinse thoroughly to remove any haze residue that may diminish the shine and beauty of the floor.

Avoid exposing quartz to chemicals and solvents, especially paint removers or furniture strippers containing trichlorethane or methylene chloride. Keep away nail polish remover, bleach or cleansers that contain bleach, bluing, permanent markers or inks. While casual exposure to alkaline materials will not damage quartz, but highly alkaline (high-pH) cleansers are not recommended when cleaning quartz. If any of the substances listed above come into contact with quartz, rinse the exposed surface immediately and thoroughly with plenty of clean water.

Granite

Granite worktops are durable, resistant to scratches, stains and heat resistant when regularly and properly maintained. Granite does require minimal care, including removing stains, sealing and daily cleans:

Common Ways to Scratch Your Granite worktops:

Constant cutting without cutting board or dragging heavy appliances can heavily damage the granite worktop.

Place trivets for kitchenware taken straight from oven or cooktop. Using hot pots and pans directly on worktop can damage it.

SEALING GRANITE

Sealer for granite would need to be applied approximately twice a year or sooner if worktop is heavy used. Sealing close the pores inside of granite to make it resistant to the absorption of chemicals, acids, and other stains.

You can check if your granite worktop need sealing by applying a drop of water on the surface, if it starts to disappear it is not protected and will require sealing. if the water remains on the surface like a water ball its still protected

DAILY CARE

Use a microfiber cloth and water to wipe clean your surface. Abrasive products or generic chemicals to clean your worktops are not recommended. You should prefer cleaning products specially designed for natural stone and avoid using highly acidic or cleaning products containing bleach. Always wipe spills immediately. Clean regularly by wiping them clean after each use. The best products are mixture of soap and water or alternatively special cleaning granite products.Apply the product on granite worktops with a soft sponge and gently blot. Rinse the sponge with water to remove excess soap. Rinse with hot water

Marble

Marble may be a timeless stone in terms of interior decoration and aesthetics, but this does not make it an eternal construction material. If this was the case, quite a few ruins from ancient Greece and Rome would still be around and in better shape. Even though marble is durable, the metamorphic nature of this stone makes it susceptible to external factors that can tarnish its appearance or damage its molecular structure over time. Proper care of marble surfaces will make them last longer and retain their attractive finish. Here are some recommendations you can follow to care for your marble countertops.

Keep the Seal Fresh

Archaeologists lament the fact that sealant technology for natural stone was not discovered until the 18th century. During the Renaissance, stone masons and sculptors experimented with resins to seal marble surfaces, but they did more harm than good with these attempts. These days, marble countertops are finished and sealed upon fabrication and after installation. Moreover, homeowners can now take advantage of granite sealers that are also safe to use on marble and other types of natural stone. Homeowners can apply this sealant on their own and without having to call experts or contractors. The effectiveness of the recommendations listed below are contingent upon keeping marble counters properly sealed.

Protect Against Spills

Even when your marble kitchen and bathroom counters are freshly sealed, they are still vulnerable to certain substances. Since this natural stone is very porous, even water can cause stains under certain circumstances. The best practice is to always wipe anything that comes into contact with marble immediately. Paper towels or a lint-free cloth work best in this regard. After absorbing spills, follow up with an application of a natural-stone granite cleaner. Instead of placing glasses or bottles directly on marble counters, try using coasters in the kitchen and vanity trays in the bathroom. If you have a marble breakfast counter, use dining mats for protection.

Dust and Clean Regularly

Some homeowners are wary about installing Carrara marble as their kitchen countertops due to its very light color and delicate appearance. As long as this stone surface is sealed and maintained regularly, it will withstand daily food preparation even if it has a polished finish. If you do not cook at home, you should still dust and clean your marble counters a couple of times a week.

Get Rid of Stains

Stained marble suggests it may be time to reapply sealant. Before doing so, there are a couple of ways to remove stubborn stains that do not come off with natural-stone cleaner and a granite cleaning pad. Oily and greasy stains can be removed by combining acetone and baking soda to make a thick paste and letting it sit on top of the stain for 24 hours. Coffee, tea, fruit juice, and other organic stains will usually come off after placing a paper towel soaked in bleach over the spot and leaving it for 24 hours. Once the stains disappear, you should clean the counter and reapply sealant.