There’s something about natural stone that takes the ordinary and turns it into the extraordinary. If you’ve recently invested in high-quality natural stone slabs or are considering it, you might wonder how to care for natural stone. After all, natural stones add a touch of elegance to any room, but they do require proper care.
Why Choose Natural Stone?
With so many manufactured stone options, why should you consider natural stone for your next design project? The biggest reason is that it’s unique. We all want something that cannot be exactly copied, and natural stone offers you this opportunity. Because natural stones come from nature, each stone is special, but their timeless beauty means you can stay on trend by incorporating them in your interior design. These qualities make natural stone ideal for flooring, countertops and walls. According to the New York Institute of Art and Design (NYIAD), using natural stone in bathrooms has been a popular trend recently.
Here are some more reasons why you should consider natural stone:
- Natural stone is versatile: There are many different patterns, styles and colors of natural stone, so you’re bound to find something that fits your aesthetic. If you’re feeling inspired, you can mix and match different options.
- Natural stone is durable: Good-quality natural stones last long and are incredibly durable. Granite, for example, is one of the hardest substances in the world and is resistant to heat, cold and nearly anything else that could cause damage.
- Natural stone is low maintenance: With the simple tips in this post, you can enjoy your natural stone slab for years.
Natural Stone Daily Maintenance
While natural stone is low maintenance, that doesn’t mean you can neglect it. Implementing a daily care routine is the easiest way to keep your stone slab looking as good as the day you got it. Deep cleaning your stone requires more labor, but fortunately, that’s not something you need to do very often.
Try to get into the habit of cleaning your stone countertops at least once daily. Daily maintenance can be as simple as quickly wiping surfaces to keep the area clean. For example, you can give your kitchen counters a quick wipe-down at the end of each day when tidying up after dinner.
Extra Tips on How to Care for Natural Stone
A quick daily clean should suffice if you want to keep your slabs in good condition, but there are a few other practices you can follow as well:
- Use coasters: Natural stone might resist cold, but it’s not water-resistant. Prolonged exposure to water can severely damage your natural stone, so it’s best to use coasters to avoid this issue.
- Use a trivet for hot items: Just as with the cold, your natural stone is heat-resistant. However, leaving hot items on it isn’t a good idea. Instead, play it safe and use trivets to protect your counter from hot pots and pans.
- Vacuum and sweep your floors regularly: It may not be necessary to mop your granite or other stone floors daily, but you should regularly vacuum and sweep them. If you don’t do this, you could drag debris across the floor when you mop or walk across it, leading to minuscule nicks and scratches in the stone.
- Clean spills immediately: Accidents happen. Whether you’ve knocked over a glass of soda on your countertop or your dog has had an accident, you should immediately tend to spills before they can damage the stone.
Cleaning Natural Stone Slabs
According to Forbes, natural stone is virtually maintenance-free. However, to keep your stone looking as good as the day you first got it, you need to get into the habit of cleaning it. A quick daily clean is an excellent place to start, but you may want to do a more thorough cleaning a few times a week. You must use the right cleaner to do so. Fortunately, you can get cleaners designed specifically for natural stone. These neutral cleaners won’t damage your stone’s surface or remove its coating.
Steer clear of any cleaners or soaps that contain bleach or acid, as these can damage your stone slab. You’ll want to avoid scouring powders for the same reason. If you can’t find stone soap, use mild dishwashing soap.
To clean your stone, follow these steps:
1. Gather your cleaning supplies — a cleaner or soap of your choice, a bucket of water, and a clean mop or cloth, depending on whether you’re cleaning your floors or counters.
2. Clear any debris off the surface before cleaning.
3. Using a small amount of cleaner, gently wipe or mop the area.
4. If there is still soap residue remaining, use an acid-free scum remover.
5. Using too much cleaner can leave streaks or a film layer. If this is the case, go over the area again with water.
6. Rinse the area thoroughly with water to remove any remaining soap residue.
7. Dry the area with a soft cloth.
You should also deep clean your stone every few months. To do this, apply heavy-duty stone cleaner and degreaser, let it seep into the stone for the specified time, and gently rub it with a sponge.
Natural Stone Slab Stain Removal
Even if you invest in the highest-quality stone and take excellent care of it, something might still stain your stone. Your stain removal method will depend on what type of stain it is. Possible solutions include:
- Gently buffing the stain: If it isn’t very severe, you can try to buff it out with water and a soft cloth.
- Using a poultice: A poultice is a clay cleaning powder that can help remove stains. However, it may dull your stone’s shine. If that’s the case, you can use a stone polish afterward.
- Creating a cleaning paste: You can also create your own cleaning paste using baking soda and water. Spread the paste on the stain and leave it to dry for one to two days before rinsing it off. This method could eliminate the stain.
How to Prevent Stains
In most cases, you can use a stained countertop, but if your primary purpose behind getting natural stone is aesthetic reasons, your best bet is to try to prevent stains altogether. Many people use natural stones to create a biophilic design, which is a design type that creates harmony with nature. A countertop or floor with a big stain certainly doesn’t promote harmony with nature.
So, while you may have many stain removal options, try to prevent stains where you can. You can prevent stains by using protective surfaces, like coasters, trivets and rugs, so if something spills, it is less likely to damage the stone. Another option is natural stone sealing. Sealing your stone protects it from stains and other damage, like nicks or cuts.
Since the quality of the sealant will determine your stone’s level of protection, it’s worth selecting a high-quality product. For best results, seal your slab upon installation and once a year. While you can learn how to seal natural stone yourself, it’s best to have professionals do it.
Natural Stone Damage Repair
Like stains, damage to your stone can occur. The good news is that a professional can often repair this damage so that your stone is as good as new, although this depends on the type of damage.
Common types of damage to natural stone include scratches, temperature damage and cracks.
If you notice any damage to your stone, it’s best to get a professional to repair it. Trying to solve the issue yourself could lead to more damage, and even if it seems like a minor issue, it can worsen over time, so it’s best to catch it early.
Explore Our Natural Stone Products
At Modul Marble, we have various natural stone products to suit every need and style. We have more than 30 years of experience, so you can trust us to provide you with the ideal statement piece for your design. Shop our live inventory today to find the perfect match.
