10802 Sapp Brothers Dr.
Omaha, NE 68138
Phone: (402) 597-1188
STONE CARE
The main question everyone wants to know is... How do I clean my countertops?
With many countertop care products on market and a vast opinion on the topic of how much and how often it can be overwhelming.
We will break it down for you and let you know what works best for your stone and situation.
Granite Care
How often should I clean my Granite countertops?
Daily or weekly cleaning is always best depending how often you use your countertops.
Are there preferred cleaners or cleaning methods?
You can use soap and water or a number of accepted cleaners from the list below.
ACCEPTED CLEANERS:
- Hot soap and water and sponge or microfiber cloth.
- "409" for Stone & Steel (Not regular 409)
- "Windex" Antibacterial Multi-surface for stone (Not regular Windex)
- "Simple Green" for stone. (Not regular Simple Green)
- "Better Life" Granite cleaner
How often do I have to re-seal my granite?
The sealer on your granite should last 10 to 15 years without needing to be re-sealed.
If you feel like it needs to be done sooner, call us first, we can come out and take a look, assess and re-seal if needed.
Is there different sealers or a difference in sealers?
There are resin sealers and water-based sealers. Resin sealers are better and last longer.
Can I use products that say they help maintain, seal & polish my granite? Will that make them last longer?
There are various types of products out there for granite that help clean, polish and re-vitalize or re-seal your stone.
You can use these products for standard annual care, but beware of how much you use and how often you use it.
These products, if not used properly or used too much, too often can lead to a residue build up that will have to be fixed by a professional.
Can I cut directly on my granite countertop with a knife? Will is damage it?
Its always best practice to use a cutting board and never cut directly on your countertop.
However... if you choose to cut directly on your countertops your knives will dull quickly and there is always potential for blade marks in the stone or resin that will need to be professionally buffed out.
Can I put hot pots and pans directly on my granite countertop? Will it damage it?
Its always best practice to put down an oven towel, trivet or pot holder.
However... granite is a natural stone that was volcanic rock formed by heat over time within the earth so yes it can take the heat and should be fine.
Can Granite stain?
Granite is a natural stone and certain versions or families of granite have different porosity levels.
However... all granite is sealed with a resin-based sealer that should protect your stone from staining (to a point)
Like most things in your home nothing is stain proof but it is stain resistant.
As long as you clean up any major spill in an ample amount of time you should be fine.
However... If anything were to stain it should be trapped within that resin and should be able to be cleaned and repaired.
I have a stain and I have tried cleaning products and it will not come out, is there anything else I can try?
If you want to attempt it yourself, you can try using a stain removing poultice.
You can buy these at most hardware stores like Home Depot, Lowes or Menards.
Follow the instructions on the label for the correct use and how to apply.
You can also google how to make your own poultice using household items.
If you do not want to attempt this yourself, feel free to call us to set up an appointment.
One or our techs can come out to assess the issues and repair this for you.
Can granite chip or break?
Granite is a natural stone, it's tough and can take a beating.
However... if you drop something heavy enough or with enough impact or force then yes it can chip or break.
Can Granite be repaired?
Yes, Granite can be repaired (to certain point)
Quartz Care
How often should I clean my Quartz countertops?
Daily or weekly cleaning is always best depending how often you use your countertops.
Are there preferred cleaners or cleaning methods?
You can use soap and water or a number of accepted cleaners from the list below.
ACCEPTED CLEANERS:
- Hot soap and water and sponge or microfiber cloth.
- "409" for Stone (Not regular 409)
- "Windex" Antibacterial Multi-surface for stone (Not regular Windex)
- "Simple Green" for stone. (Not regular Simple Green)
How often do I have to re-seal my Quartz?
Quartz is a man-made product made to last without ever having to be re-sealed
However.... most of the fine print on most of the brands do say your quartz should last 10-15 years as long as proper
and standard care is maintained.
What does "revive" mean if quartz doesn't need to be "re-sealed" like granite?
There are certain products on the market geared toward cleaning, deep-cleaning or "reviving" quartz.
Depending on the product its more or less a partial sealer or special cleaning agent or a mix.
Its important not to over-use these products or if could create a film or slime-like build up that wont go away.
Can I use products that say they are to help maintain, seal & polish my quartz? Will that make them last longer?
There are various types of products out there for quartz that help clean, polish and re-vitalize or re-seal your stone.
You can use these products for standard annual care if you want to, but beware of how much you use and how often you use it. These products, if not used properly or used too much can lead to a film residue build up that will have to be fixed by a professional.
Can I cut directly on my quartz countertop with a knife? Will is damage it?
It is never recommended that you cut directly on your quartz countertop.
Always use a cutting board. Knives can leave metal marks that are difficult to remove in quartz.
Can I put hot pots and pans directly on my granite countertop? Will it damage it?
Its always best practice to put down an oven towel, trivet or pot holder.
Yes quartz countertops can take the heat but unlike granite its a man-made product, so most quartz can only withstand
certain temperatures for an prolonged period of time. certain exposure to extreme high heat may cause thermal shock or a discoloration heat burn in the face of your stone.
Can Quartz stain?
The largest pro and con of quartz countertops is its clean white marble-looking and bright white contemporary styles.
The main draw to quartz tops is the look of marble without the up-keep. Which is a true statement.
A man made quartz that looks like marble is more stain resistant and less upkeep than a natural marble.
However all quartz brands can still potentially stain if a something is spilled and not left to soak in.
Like most things in your home nothing is stain proof but it is stain resistant (to a certain point)
As long as you clean up any major spill in an ample amount of time you should be fine.
However... If anything were to stain unlike granite the stain might not come out.
As where granite has a layer of resin that a stain can get trapped in, quartz has a resin that is baked in and not on top of.
Meaning if a stain is left to set in, there might not be a way to repair it.
What to do about stains or spills? (Worst case scenario)
While engineered quartz is stain-resistant, that does not mean that it is stain proof. If you were to let a product such as coffee, spaghetti sauce or red wine spill, sit and soak in then it could potentially penetrate and create a stain.
Some stains might be more difficult to remove than others.
For the removal of any stain, always start with soap and water before moving to the next cleaning or stain removal product.
After soap and water, try a mild non-abrasive cleaner.
If that does not work you can always try liquid barkeepers friend.
If the stain still remains, call us and we can come out to inspect the area.
Marble Care
How often should I clean my Marble countertops?
Daily or weekly cleaning is always best depending how often you use your countertops.
Are there preferred cleaners or cleaning methods?
You can use soap and water or a number of accepted cleaners from the list below.
ACCEPTED CLEANERS:
- Hot soap and water and sponge or microfiber cloth.
- "409" for Stone & Steel (Not regular 409)
- "Windex" Antibacterial Multi-surface for stone (Not regular Windex)
- "Simple Green" for stone. (Not regular Simple Green)
- "Better Life" Granite cleaner
How often do I have to re-seal my Marble?
The sealer on your marble should last 5 to10 years on average without needing to be re-sealed.
However, marble is a softer more porous stone and may need re-sealing before that.
If you feel like it needs to be done sooner, call us first. We can come out and take a look, assess and re-seal if needed.
Is there different sealers or a difference in sealers?
There are resin sealers and water-based sealers. Resin sealers are better and last longer.
Can I use products that say they help maintain, seal & polish my Marble? Will that make them last longer?
There are various types of products out there for marble that help clean, polish and re-seal your stone.
You can use these products for standard annual care, but beware of how much you use and how often you use it.
These products, if not used properly or used too much, too often can lead to a residue build up that will have to be fixed by a professional.
Can I cut directly on my Marble countertop with a knife? Will is damage it?
Its always best practice to use a cutting board and never cut directly on your marble countertop.
Marble is a much softer stone when compared to granite so there is higher risk for blade marks in the stone that will need to be professionally repaired.
Can I put hot pots and pans directly on my marble countertop? Will it damage it?
Its always best practice to put down an oven towel, trivet or pot holder.
Marble is a softer stone that is more prone to heat blemishing and discoloring of the stone.
Can Marble stain?
Yes marble can stain. Marble is a softer more porous natural stone and is prone to staining.
Even with a sealer being on it, it is still possible for marble to stain.
I have a stain and I have tried cleaning products and it will not come out, is there anything else I can try?
If you want to attempt it yourself, you can try using a stain removing poultice.
You can buy these at most hardware stores like Home Depot, Lowes or Menards.
Follow the instructions on the label for the correct use and how to apply.
You can also google how to make your own poultice using household items.
If you do not want to attempt this yourself, feel free to call us to set up an appointment.
One or our techs can come out to assess the issue.
However... marble is a softer more porous stone and harder to repair when it comes to some stains.
Can marble chip or break?
Marble is a softer natural stone and has is more prone to chipping when compared to something harder like granite.
Can marble be repaired?
The repair will depend on the damage. Its harder to repair marble due to its softer properties.
We can always come out and look at the issue and let you know if its something that can be done.
Quartzite Care
How often should I clean my Quartzite countertops?
Daily or weekly cleaning is always best depending how often you use your countertops.
Are there preferred cleaners or cleaning methods?
You can use soap and water or a number of accepted cleaners from the list below.
ACCEPTED CLEANERS:
- Hot soap and water and sponge or microfiber cloth.
- "409" for Stone & Steel (Not regular 409)
- "Windex" Antibacterial Multi-surface for stone (Not regular Windex)
- "Simple Green" for stone. (Not regular Simple Green)
How often do I have to re-seal my Quartzite?
The sealer on your quartzite should last 10 to 15 years without needing to be re-sealed.
If you feel like it needs to be done sooner, call us first, we can come out and take a look, assess and re-seal if needed.
Is there different sealers or a difference in sealers?
There are resin sealers and water-based sealers. Resin sealers are better and last longer.
Can I use products that say they help maintain, seal & polish my stone? Will that make them last longer?
There are various types of products out there for granite that help clean, polish and re-vitalize or re-seal your stone.
You can use these products for standard annual care, but beware of how much you use and how often you use it.
These products, if not used properly or used too much, too often can lead to a residue build up that will have to be fixed by a professional.
Can I cut directly on my granite countertop with a knife? Will is damage it?
Its always best practice to use a cutting board and never cut directly on your countertop.
However... if you choose to cut directly on your countertops your knives will dull quickly and there is always potential for blade marks in the stone or resin that will need to be professionally buffed out.
Can I put hot pots and pans directly on my quartzite countertop? Will it damage it?
Its always best practice to put down an oven towel, trivet or pot holder.
However... quartzite is a natural stone that was volcanic rock formed by heat over time within the earth so yes it can take the heat and should be fine.
Can Quartzite stain?
Quartzite is a slightly harder-denser natural stone and just like granite is stain resistant to a certain point.
However... quartzite has different properties that even when sealed might might trap water in it making it look stained.
There is a difference and when these things occur it can take time for the water to evaporate out.
Like most things in your home nothing is stain proof but it is stain resistant.
As long as you clean up any major spill in an ample amount of time you should be fine.
However... If anything were to stain it should be able to be cleaned and repaired.
I have a stain and I have tried cleaning products and it will not come out, is there anything else I can try?
If you want to attempt it yourself, you can try using a stain removing poultice.
You can buy these at most hardware stores like Home Depot, Lowes or Menards.
Follow the instructions on the label for the correct use and how to apply.
You can also google how to make your own poultice using household items.
If you do not want to attempt this yourself, feel free to call us to set up an appointment.
One or our techs can come out to assess the issues and repair this for you.
Can Quartzite chip or break?
Quartzite is a very hard and dense natural stone, it's very tough and can take a beating.
However... if you drop or hit it with something heavy enough or with enough impact or force then yes it can chip or break.
Can Quartzite be repaired?
Quartzite is a denser stone and a little harder to repair when compared to granite.
We can always asses the damage and try to repair it to the best of our ability.