Stone Care Common Questions

What are the guidelines for maintaining and caring for my project?

Use only products approved for use on stone. For daily cleaning, mild dish soap and warm water works well.

Portland Marble Works also recommends GranQuartz ‘3-In-1’ Spray Cleaner, a ready-to-use spray cleaner for all natural stone surfaces, which cleans the stone and reinforces the sealant protection. When ‘3-In-1’ is used, the intervening time between resealing will be extended.

Never use acids, furniture polish, vinegar, oil-based products or bleach/chlorine to clean your stone. Household cleaners should be ‘pH neutral’ (pH 7) products that contain no abrasives or harsh cleansers with ammonia, bleach, or products designed to remove lime or calcium as they may damage the stone. Avoid allowing acidic or colored liquids (such as red wine, after-shave, orange juice, cooking oil, etc.) to stand for long periods of time. Also, avoid using oil-based plumber’s putty around faucets, as well as candles or wax paper, as these may stain the stone.

During fabrication, Stonetech BulletProof (water-based stain resistant sealer) is applied twice by Portland Marble Works to natural stone. This sealer is a clear liquid penetrating stain inhibitor that forms a protective barrier which is resistant to moisture and staining. Since stone varies in density and porosity, additional applications may be required, especially on lighter colored stones, as they have a higher level of porosity. Reapplication over time is necessary, and frequency depends on use of the countertop.

Is there different care for different types of stone?

GRANITE is durable and highly resistant to damage. Food substances, personal hygiene products, knives, and water used in normal kitchen and bath activities are not a risk to granite. Granite finishes only need to be cleaned with warm soapy water. If a non-glossy finish is selected, it is equally durable, but may have a tendency to show fingerprints if not properly sealed. The pores may absorb food that could stain. We recommend being diligent about cleaning up spills immediately, especially when oily substances have been spilled on the non-glossy finish. It is wise to use preventive habits in your daily routine. Should stains appear, they generally can be removed with stone care products. Reapplication of sealer will be necessary in time and is an easy process. Frequency depends on use of the countertop.

ENGINEERED QUARTZ & PORCELAIN are durable and highly resistant to damage. Quartz products do not require any care other than warm soapy water. Use of a no-scratch scrub pad will generally remove any areas that appear to be stained. (Please refer to the warranty and additional care information on-line, as each project needs to be registered to activate warranty.)

Recommended care for Honed Quartz: Use Soft Scrub Gel (no abrasive) with a white Scotchbrite (softest) pad.

MARBLE, LIMESTONE, TRAVERTINE, ONYX, SLATE & SOAPSTONE are softer and more porous than granite or quartz. These stones require cleaning, maintenance and periodic applications of the GranQuartz ‘3-In-1’ Spray Cleaner. It is important to wipe up all spills immediately. Never use oil-based products, candles, acids, vinegar, or chlorine bleach. Be careful with acidic foods, (lemon, tomatoes etc.) and non-alkaline cleansers, as they will etch and discolor the stone over time. Extra care should also be taken to prevent scratching from sliding sharp objects or abrasive cleaners across the surfaces. Many people choose to treat Soapstone with mineral oil, whereas a sealer should not be used on Soapstone since it will inhibit the stone from absorbing the oil.

Which material best prevents bacteria absorption?

Granite is listed in the best surfaces list (after cleaning and sanitizing) in the reduction of E Coli bacteria. The Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management produced this report and is available upon request.

The Engineered Quartz Products, Caesarstone, Hanstone, VG-Viatera, Silestone, Staron, Pental, and Porcelain have all received the Public Health and Safety Certification from the National Sanitation Foundation.