Care and Maintenance
General Care and Maintenance of Stone Surfaces
All our countertop and stone projects are created to last you a lifetime, with the proper care and maintenance of course. Follow the tips and advice below and your new countertop will always be as beautiful as the day we installed it.
Marble
Polished marble only requires occasional washing with a mild alkaline cleanser and clean water. It is recommended that a soap-free cleanser be used, thus minimizing filming and streaking. A top dressing may be used after the marble has been cleaned and dried. Beeswax is an excellent non-oil based dressing. Colored or oil based dressings should not be used. A polished surface will resist dirt and staining more than a honed finish surface.
Honed interior marble surfaces can be maintained the same as polished surfaces. Honed surfaces, however, may need sealing to bring out the natural color and minimize maintenance. Make sure the marble is clean before applying a sealer. For high traffic area maintenance, do not allow liquids or other materials to accumulate, causing safety hazards or staining.
Honed exterior marble building surfaces, prone to environmental pollutants, should be cleaned with high pressure pumps. As with granite surfaces, stains and discolorations on marble can be treated with specific cleaning agents.
Quartz
Unlike granite or marble, quartz is not pure natural stone, it is man-made. Quartz slabs are a special blend of 75 to 90 percent ground up quartz , which is mixed with a binder of resin or polymers. Pigment is added for color and pattern. Once blended, everything is then poured into a mold to form pressed slabs of engineered stone, which are cured before heading off to get cut according to your countertop specifications. Because this is a man-made product, it is also very predictable. Appearance is uniform throughout each slab, and manufacturers can guarantee quality and predictable performance.
Quartz is best cleaned with a soft cloth, mild soap, and water, as Quartz does not need to be sealed. Quartz is not heat, chemical, or fracture-proof. Never use abrasive cleaners or cleaning supplies on Quartz.
Granite Care & Maintenance
- Your granite is already sealed when it is installed. We use a 15-year silicone impregnator. You only reseal when it is needed. If water beads on your granite, the sealer is fine. If it does not bead, you should reseal. A granite sealer from any home improvement center will work. Follow the directions on the sealer.
- White or light colored granites will show water spots more than darker colors. These water spots do not mean your granite is not sealed. The sealer on your granite has to allow for the natural stone to breathe. The sealer’s job is to make the stone resistant to liquids for a short amount of time in order to give you time to clean up spills or water splashed around the sink. If you get a spot due to water, it will evaporate and return to its original color. If you get a stain because of other liquids (i.e. oil, wine) that requires a stain remover to be applied. Either Amanzi Marble & Granite can remove the stain for you at a charge or you can make a poultice and remove the stain yourself. Please see attached directions for poultice.
- You can use your granite as a *cutting board, but because of the hardness of the granite it will dull your knives. *In addition, a great idea is to keep a granite cutting board in your freezer, as it will keep meats, cheeses, or whatever you’d like to display on it, chilled, for your next gathering.
- Granite can withstand 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Putting hot pots or pans on your granite will not harm the granite in any way.
- To clean your granite, we recommend warm, soapy water, and an ammonia-free glass cleaner. Do not use anything containing bleach or ammonia. These two chemicals will break your sealer down faster. They will not harm the granite, but once your sealer is broken down it becomes more susceptible to staining.
Quartz Care & Maintenance
- Maintaining Quartz is easy. Simply wash with a soft cloth and warm water, use a mild soap if desired.
- Do not expose your quartz to abrasives, strong alkaline, acid, oxidizer cleaners. Various chemicals are corrosive. Such chemicals can erode your quartz and damage the surface and the material.
- Quartz is not heat, chemical, or fracture-proof in any form.
- Do not expose your quartz to the following cleaners: bleach, oven cleaners, Comet, scrubbing pads, batteries, paint remover, furniture strippers, tarnish, or silver cleaners. Do not use anything containing abrasives on the quartz.
- Quartz does not need to be sealed. Do not put sealers, penetrants, or topical treatments on your quartz for any reason. Such products will wear off and cause the gloss to appear dull or inconsistent.
Our Amanzi Custom Countertop 3-in-1 Cleaner – Polisher – Protector is only available at Amanzi Marble and Granite in Kernersville.
Please contact our front desk to order 336.993.9998 or stop by during regular Showroom Hours (Monday through Friday 8am-5pm) to purchase.
- For all stone use, on any non-walking surface
- No buildup, wipes clean
- Resists water spots and stains
- Can also be used on brass, stainless steel, and chrome
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