|
Quite often,
proud owners of granite countertops report to me that their
fabricator applied a stone sealer to
their countertop and then suggested to
use some glass-cleaner or a solution of water and dish soap, or
other generic products, for the daily care of their stone.
As far as the application of a stone
impregnator/sealer is concerned, it has become some sort of
“religious cult!” Everything in sight that doesn’t move
must be sealed, or else!
Is it true? Of course not! Many a
commercial granite do not need to be sealed, and some
shouldn't be at the risk of developing
“mysterious problems” if sealed nonetheless. (See our other
helpful hint: “ABOUT
SEALING AT ANY COST”, and keep in
mind that this writer manufactures what is
arguably one of the best impregnator/sealers on the market
today. “Education before any sale!” remember?)
Stone is a complicated subject and
no general rule (i.e.: seal each and
every one of them) can be considered as a substitute for
knowledge and professionalism.
The proof that the members of the
“sealing cult” all too often have no clue about proper
maintenance of the stones they sell and install (and seal!), no
matter how good craftsmen they might be,
is further substantiated by the encouragement they give to their
customers to use generic cleaners or home-brewed concoctions to
care for their stone on a daily basis.
Let’s start with the glass-cleaner
issue. First off, how many brands of glass-cleaners are
available out there? Hundreds! And if you think that they are
all formulated the same way, think again! Even what’s probably
the most popular one, Windex™, comes in several formulations.
Who did the testing of those chemicals
to find out if they are safe on any possible stone
surface? … You fill the blanks!
Now, what’s even
more important, how many different types of “granite” are
available? Again, over two thousand and counting! Do you
think they are all the same – besides the way they look? Once
more, think again! The difference in chemical makeup between the
vast array of stones sold as “granite”
can be – and is – huge!
Now, assuming
that one particular type of glass-cleaner is OK for, say, true
geological granite, will it be safe also, on gneiss, or gabbro,
or dolerite, or porphyry, and so on?
How do you know what type of “granite” you actually have, beside
the name given to you by your fabricator? Do you think they know
for sure? I’ve got news for you: a good 95% of them do
NOT. Their stone “education” comes from the invoice of the
distributor, or from various “salesmen” who call on them.
They actually believe it is ALL granite!
So, how do you feel about taking a
chance with a glass cleaner for your daily
maintenance chores?
As a restoration
contractor I did witness my good share of permanent damages
(mostly pitting or dulling) to “granite” allegedly due to the
use of glass cleaners! They don’t happen right away, but they
eventually will, if the combination is “right”!
What’s more, if
your particular “granite” is a stone that does need to be
sealed, the impregnator/sealer itself has a
very good chance of interacting with
cleaner and get damaged by it!
And,
I don’t want even begin to mention marble, travertine, onyx and
all other calcite-based stones!
How about a
little dish soap and water? Could that damage “granite”?
No, it wouldn’t,
but … think about this:
Try to wash your
hands with water and dish soap, then put them under running
water and see how long it’ll take for them to rinse properly. To
have such a thorough rinsing (which is the only one acceptable)
on your countertop, you should be using a garden
hose! So, what happens if you decide not to use a garden
hose to rinse your countertop? It’s very simple: a very thin
soap film will remain on the stone surface, even if you dry it
with a towel. At the beginning you won’t be able to notice it,
but as you keep “cleaning” your countertop in that way, it will
build-up and, within a few months, your beautiful stone won’t be
as shiny as it used to be anymore! Assuming that you can figure
out what caused it (don’t expect any
intelligence from the “expert” who suggested
that you use such a home-brewed concoction!), you will
have to remove all the soap scum,
that is now caked on your
countertop,
by using a specialized strong chemical.
Then... it starts
all over again!
Is
this what you want?
There are
companies out there that invest considerable amount of money to
formulate specialty cleaning agents that are safe on all natural
stone, and offer them to the market. Why do
they do that if any glass-cleaner or dish soap could do the job?
You think about
it.
The idea of
having to buy specialty – and somehow expensive – cleaning
products for your valuable natural stone installations may be
annoying to a certain extent, but is your best bet if you care
about your investment. After all, we’re talking about a few
pennies a day and potentially huge savings
down the road if it saves you just one restoration contract.
It took Mother
Nature hundreds of thousands of years to make the things of
beauty you proudly have in your home now. There is not one
single piece of stone out there that can exactly match any of
the stones you have. You have to respect and appreciate that,
and not consider your stone like just another commodity. The way
I see it, you didn’t actually buy your stone. You adopted it.
You have to
consider it as your duty to give it the best care possible.
Ciao and good
Luck | 
