Stone is really sturdy, indelible material, right? You’d think so, given that marble, stone, and granite structures, such as the Pyramid of Menkaure (built in the 26th Century BC), are still standing after all these millennia, but in all reality, not so much. Yes, stone is extremely hard. On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, granite and quartz are listed as a 6 and 7 (respectively) for mineral hardness. A diamond, by the way, is listed as a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. Marble (calcite or dolomite) is softer, listed as a 3 or 4 on the scale. These mineral materials are dense, strong, and highly-resistant to cracking and chipping. But they are not resistant to damaging stain and discoloration.
So, what does this mean when you have marble, stone, or granite surfaces in the home? Hard as these minerals may be, it means that you should still be using a stone care system (stone surface cleaner, polish, and sealer) that has been formulated to be gentle on stone surfaces.
If you’ve ever owned a granite or quartz countertop, you may already know there are a few rules related to what you can’t spill on their surfaces. In the kitchen, any food or liquid that is high in acid content (fruit juice, vinegar, tomato sauce, soda pop, etc.) has the ability to stain the surface of your granite or quartz countertop. And any abrasive substance (sand, dirt, or pumice) can easily scratch granite or quartz surfaces. Therefore, many household cleansers can be harmful to granite, quartz, and marble surfaces because they are acidic and often have an abrasive material in their formula. If you use these “tough on grime” household cleaners repeatedly, you will eventually damage the appearance of your granite or quartz surfaces. Even plain dish soap and water has the ability to dull or discolor your granite and quartz countertops!
More than anything else, you want to protect the surface finish and the natural color of your stone surfaces, so that you can enjoy them for a lifetime (or a millennia, whichever comes first). Those products that are specifically formulated to clean, polish, and seal granite and quartz surfaces – such as the complete Rock Doctor line of stone care products – are non-acidic and non-abrasive in nature. A stone care system should be able to clean stone counter-tops, vanities, and table tops safely and effectively. They should be gentle enough for everyday use, yet strong enough to eliminate soil and grime without streaking or leaving any residue on your stone countertops and surfaces. Each of the Rock Doctor products have been formulated with your beautiful stone surfaces in mind. And each will leave your stone surfaces clean and well-protected!
Note: as stone products have many different mineral compositions, it’s always a good idea to test any stone care system on a small area of your stone surface before a full application.
This article was brought to you by Rock Doctor, which offers a line of specially-formulated Granite & Quartz Cleaner, Granite & Quartz Polish, and Granite & Stone Sealer aerosol products. Rock Doctor products can be purchased through a number of fine retail stores, including Wal-Mart, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ace Hardware, Do it Best Hardware, Hy-Vee, and Wegmans.
