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Granite
and Natural Stone Care Instructions
Following these simple instructions
will help maintain your stone counters and keep them looking new.
SEALING:
Make sure your granite is clean and
completely dry before sealing. Plan to seal your granite
immediately after installation using a good-quality impregnator
sealer. Apply using directions on manufacturer’s label. For best
performance, after the first coat, wait 24 hours before applying
subsequent coats. Following the first coat, do the water test
(below) to see if additional coats are needed. DO NOT OVER-SEAL!
Reseal your counter as preventative maintenance as often as
necessary. Resealing your countertop will greatly improve your
stone’s ability to resist discoloration from stains.
WATER TEST:
Put a few drops of water on the surface, let stand for 5 minutes and
wipe dry. If you notice darkening where the water was (it will
disappear after the water evaporates) it means that some of the
water was absorbed and your stone requires an application of
impregnator sealer.
If sealed well, most counters can go
for more than a year before resealing is necessary but test the
surface of your stone frequently to determine when applying
additional sealer is necessary.
THE DO’S and DON’TS OF NATURAL STONE
CARE:
·
Do
dust surfaces frequently
·
Do
wipe up any spills as soon as possible. Avoid exposing your stone to
oils, citric acids, oven cleaners, etc for long periods of time. If
contact does occur, rinse off immediately with water
·
Do clean stone
surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap or mild
liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water using a clean rag
·
Do
rinse and dry your stone surface thoroughly after washing with soap
solution to avoid streaks
·
Don’t
use too much cleaner or soap as it may leave a film and cause
streaks
·
Don’t
use vinegar, lemon juice, dry or soft cleansers or any cleaners
containing acids (such as bathroom, tub & tile or abrasive cleaners)
·
Don’t
drop or pound heavy or sharp objects on granite
·
Don’t
cut directly on granite with knives or other sharp tools
·
Don’t
put extremely hot items on your counter as granite quickly absorbs
heat and may burn away your sealer
Enjoy your
beautiful stone counter!
Rev. 2/1/07
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