Cleaning Procedures:
Don’t use anything on the countertops that you would not use on your hands. Everyday cleaning of natural stone surface should be done with simple dishwashing soaps, rinse thoroughly with clean warm water and dry the countertop completely using a clean dry cloth.
Stonetek recommends a penetrating sealer that is either water or oil based and designed to be used on your specific natural stone. These products do not actually “seal” the stone and are more correctly referred to as a repellant rather than a sealer. There is a preference for the oil based due to its ability to penetrate deeper into the stone than the water based. There is no need to remove the old sealant when applying a new coat. Make certain that the sealer you select is water and oil repellant and not just “resistant.”
Spills/Removing
Oil based stains (cooking oil, cosmetics, grease, tar)
An oil based stain will darken the stone and normally must be chemically dissolved so the source of the stain can be flushed and rinsed away. Clean gently with a soft liquid
cleanser, household detergent, ammonia, mineral spirits or acetone.
Organic Stains (coffee, tea, fruit, tobacco, food)
May cause a pinkish-brown stain and may disappear after the source of the stain has been removed. Clean with 12% hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia.
Ink Stains (magic marker, pen, ink)
Clean light-colored stones with bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Clean darker stones with acetone or lacquer thinner.
Paint Stains
Small amounts can be removed with lacquer thinner or scraped off carefully with a razor blade. Heavy paint coverage should be removed with a commercial liquid paint stripper. DO NOT USE ACIDS OR FLAME TOOLS TO STRIP PAINT FROM STONE.