How to Clean Soapstone and Other FAQs
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- How to Clean Soapstone and Other FAQs
How can the Stone Care Experts help you? Just Ask the Experts or visit us on Facebook and Twitter. Meanwhile, here’s a compilation of recently asked questions and answers:
Q: What’s the difference between Granite Gold Daily Cleaner® and Granite Gold Clean & Shine®?
A: The difference between the two is convenience. Granite Gold Clean & Shine® fuses the strength of Granite Gold Daily Cleaner® with luster of Granite Gold Polish® for those with on-the-go lifestyles and those who need to quickly clean and polish before guests arrive. Granite Gold Daily Cleaner® does, however, provide a deeper clean and it can be followed up with an application of Granite Gold Polish® for additional shine and luster.
Q: For the past six years since the installation of my travertine flooring I have been dealing with the tiles pitting, anywhere from a pencil eraser size to the size of a quarter. I also have long spider cracks in several tile. Over the course of those six years I have had a technician come out to “fill” the holes. I was told that this pitting was only temporary and should subside after a year. It is now almost seven years and it continues. Does this problem sound normal to you or are my suspicions that I may have a batch of bad tile a possibility?
A: We wish we had an easy solution for you. What you’re dealing with is, unfortunately, the nature of travertine. It comes naturally with holes/pits, which are typically filled in with grout.
Q: What do you recommend for daily or weekly cleaning of a marble shower?
A: For showers, if you’re sealing and polishing the stone often, you shouldn’t have to clean it daily. By building a protective barrier, you will be preventing build-up from attaching to your stone. Please make sure you’re not polishing the shower floor, or any stone floor surface. It will make the floor too slippery. Here are some tips on maintaining natural stone in showers and baths:
Q: What product do you recommend for my travertine floors?
A: For your travertine floors, we have Granite Gold Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner®, which is a long-lasting concentrate, and Granite Gold Squeeze & Mop Floor Cleaner®, which is a ready-to-use formula with convenience in mind. With both, neither will leave streaks and you don’t have to rinse. Always remember to reseal stone floors.
Q: What is best type of brush to clean natural stone – granite and travertine?
A: We recommend using a nylon brush, which comes with the Granite Gold Grout Cleaner®, or the Granite Gold Scrub Sponge®
Q: Does Granite Gold have any disinfectant properties at all? I would like that a lot.
A: Be wary of common household cleaners that contain disinfectants. They can damage granite and other natural stone, leading to costly repair and replacement. Granite Gold Disinfecting Wipes® are the only EPA-approved wipes for sealed stone surfaces. An important reminder about any disinfectant is to let it sit on the surface for at least five minutes for it to take effect. Don’t wipe away the residue right away; let the disinfectant do the job. After that, rinse with potable water or Granite Gold Daily Cleaner®.
Q: We have crema marfil marble flooring. I sprayed parts of the floor to kill ants with a bathroom cleaner and it stained the marble. I tried to clean it with baking soda paste, also with peroxide to no avail. What can I use to remove the stains? PLEASE HELP!
A: It’s very likely your stone is etched. A restoration specialist with the right tools and training can restore your stone.
Q: Is your Granite Gold Polish® good for polishing soapstone counter tops?
A: We recommend regular treatment with mineral oil to maintain the appearance most admirers of soapstone are accustomed to. Meanwhile, you can use Granite Gold Daily Cleaner® on soapstone for regular cleaning.
Q: Are any of your raw materials, ingredients or finished products tested on animals at any stage of development, manufacturing, production, or quality assurance and control?
A: Great question! No, we do not test on animals during any stage of production.
Q: We had granite installed yesterday. The surface color is rich and shiny. The edges are washed out and dull. The fabricator is telling us that this is not unusual and is due to the particular granite slab we chose. I have never seen this before and am upset by the look.
A: Most granites have a resin vacuum sealed into the stone to fill all the minute fissures. This gives the face of the stone a darker appearance. The edge detail is done in house by the fabricator and is actually the natural color of the stone. We recommend the fabricator apply a product by Tenax called Ager that will darken the edge to match the face of the stone as closely as possible.
Q: I left a 12″ glass frying pan lid on the (granite) counter overnight. The lid had condensed water under it, and in the morning there was a perfectly round 12″ dark (well darker than the original granite) stain on the counter top. Help!
A: That’s certainly a warning sign that your stone needs to be resealed. The good news is that if it’s only water from the lid, it should evaporate. If there’s any other residue, it could be an oil stain. Here’s what you can do to remove an oil-based stain:
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I have a porcelain brown sink that is dull looking. Can I use granite gold polish on it?
This may require a professional restoration specialist. Please send pictures of your challenge to StoneCareExperts@GraniteGold.com so we can try to assess the situation for you.