Maintenance and Care

Granite

  • Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap, or mild dishwashing liquid and warm water.
  • Use a soft, clean cloth to clean the granite. Rinse after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft, clean cloth.
  • Remove a stain on granite, basing the method on the type of stain. Mix a cup of flour, 1-2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with water to make a thick paste. Put it on the stain, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit overnight.
  • Scrape away the mixture with a wooden utensil and rinse. If the stain is oil-based (e.g. grease, oil, milk), use hydrogen peroxide in the paste instead of dishwashing liquid - or try ammonia on it.
  • Try a mixture of 12 percent hydrogen peroxide mixed with a couple drops of ammonia for an organic stain (e.g. coffee, tea, fruit).
  • Use a lacquer thinner or acetone to remove ink or marker stains from darker stone. On light-colored granite, use hydrogen peroxide to these stains. This also works for wine stains.
  • Mix molding plaster and pure bleach into a paste and spread over a wine, ink or other non-oil stain. Leave on for 30 minutes, then remove and rinse.
  • Paste a mix of molding plaster and water over an oil-based or fat-based stain. Mold it into a bird's-nest shape and allow to stand for 3 hours. Remove and rinse.
  • Reseal the countertop every year or two years. Check with the installer for recommendations. Use a non-toxic sealer on food preparation areas
  • Call your professional stone supplier, installer, or restoration specialist for problems that appear too difficult to treat.

Marble

  • Mix warm or hot (yet touchable) water with mild soap together.
  • Clean the marble section by section, because when it's all wet you don't know where the spots rings or smudges of filth are.
  • Remove soap with one of the towels (Do not rinse or let the water dry), with the second towel dry until all the water is gone, again do not air dry! If you have cotton cloth or chamois, buff dry
  • If some rings or smudges are still there and feel bumpy repeat in that area. If some rings or smudges are still there and don't feel bumpy, it has sunk in (stained the surface) and has to be professionally cleaned.
  • When you have successfully cleaned your counter top or table, you are now ready to wax!
    Put some wax on the first cloth and apply to the dry clean marble in a circular motion one section at a time.
  • A light coat of wax can also be applied to further protect against water and liquid penetration, but it’s not essential. Don’t wax white marble as it may turn yellow.
  • When you have finished one section use your second cloth in a circular motion to wipe of the access wax, repeat until you have finished.
  • Clean surfaces using a sponge or soft cloth. The only cleaning agents you should use on a regular basis are hot water and a sponge. Use soap and water 3 to 4 times a year

Quartz Surface

  • Clean the surface after each use with mild soap and water. Wipe the surface with a dry cloth.
  • After prolonged or heavy use of oils, acidic or deeply coloured fruits, or vegetables that have been prepared but not cleaned off promptly, it may be necessary to clean the surface with warm water and a small amount of standard household cleaner, such as Mr. Muscle multi-surface or Handy Andy.
  • On occasion stubborn substances such as hard water spots, food colourings or dried food particles may accumulate on the surface and appear as stains and be resistant to removal, but don’t worry; these are surface blemishes and can be removed gently with a soft abrasive cleaner and a white Scotch Brite pad. Green Scotch Brite pads should not be used. Rinse the surface after the use of these cleaners and wipe dry.
  • For the toughest blemishes such as nail polish and permanent marker use a white scotch brite pad and acetone to remove the blemish and then rinse the area with soap and water.
  • Remember Technistone is 99.9% solid so whatever appears on the surface is not in the product and can be cleaned off with care and patience.

Things to Avoid

  • You can set a hot pot directly off the stove on these surfaces for a few moments without damage but it is not heatproof. Prolonged exposure to excessive heat from pots, or poorly insulated crockery pots may damage the surface. When setting a heated object on a surface place them on pot stands, a cloth or a board.
  • When cutting up fruits, vegetables and meats a cutting board should be used. While the natural surfaces will resist scratches from knives and utensils, a cutting board will make the surface easier to clean and prolong the appearance of the surface.
  • Most household chemicals do not affect quartz surfaces but there are some household agents that should be avoided. Products such as drain cleaners, oven cleaners, paint removers, or strippers that contain methylene chloride or other chemicals with a high alkaline/PH level should be removed immediately with warm water and detergent cleaner. Even a brief contact with these items may damage your quartz surface.