Care and Maintenance of
Natural Stone & Terrazzo
Daily Care
Granite, Marble, Quartzite and Terrazzo are porous and can stain and are not impervious to damage. However, they can last a life time if properly cared for. Care must be taken to ensure any spilt substances are mopped up immediately such as cigarette ash, hot oil, lemon juice, beetroot juice, wine, detergents, alcohol, bleach, inks, dyes and acidic or alkaline substances.
Daily cleaning should only be done using pH neutral substances or stone safe cleaners. As natural stone is porous, it is not recommended to use abrasive products or generic chemicals to clean your benchtops. For a general wipe down we recommend Glitz Stone & Benchtop Cleaner that can be purchased from Bunnings or The Stone Doctor Stone Cleaner from Woolworths. For a deeper clean, wet the surface with a microfiber cloth and clean, warm water. Then, using a mild cleaner solution, for example Caesarstone cream cleaner, wash evenly in small overlapping sweeps. Rinse thoroughly with clean, warm water to remove all traces of cleaner solution and dry with a microfiber cloth. Do not use Jiff or similar products with grit in the solution.
Coasters should be placed under all glasses, particularly those containing liquors or citrus juices. Vinegar, citrus, and tomato will etch marble, therefore do not let them sit on the stone. If you have marble in your bathroom, we recommend a felt bottomed tray for your cosmetics and soaps etc.
Heat Resistance
Placemats should be used when placing hot cookware on the stone surface. Stone is heat resistant and can withstand gradual exposure to hot or cold temperatures, but sudden and extreme temperature changes can cause permanent damage to benchtops.
Sealing
Sealing significantly repels staining agents though doesn't make stone completely stain proof. All Tru Stone natural stone and terrazzo benchtops are sealed with a high quality sealer such as Lithofin. The level of stain resistance achieved using such sealers varies according to the porosity and structure of the stone to which it is applied. Although the stone is sealed, Tru Stone cannot guarantee that these tops will not stain. Remember; sealer helps a stone to be stain resistant only, not stain proof. All care must be taken to protect the stone from potentially damaging substances. For a long lasting finish, natural stone and terrazzo should be treated or sealed with appropriate sealants at regular intervals, recommended every 6 – 12 months. Sealing can be done easily yourself at home by following the respective bands directions, sealant products can be purchase at most Granite/Marble wholesalers (such as CDK Stone Australia) or stone care product distributors.