Using Granite for More than Home Design

For many, the cold winter weather leads to extended bouts of hibernation. When the wind howls and the skies are tinged a dirty shade of grey, what could be better than finding oneself tucked deep under the blankets on the couch? These quiet times typically lead to late-night and weekend-long binges of HGTV marathons watching Rehab Addict, House Hunters International, and Fixer Upper along with visits to Pinterest during the commercial breaks to add all those new ideas and dreams to home remodeling boards.

In the midst of a granite-inspired online search, we came across an interesting use for granite that probably won’t be included in any home remodeling plan any time soon, but it may be the perfect activity for the weather outside. The discovery was of the use of a particular variety of blue hone granite that’s been in use at the U.S. Winter Olympics for all curling events since the inclusion of the sport at the 1998 Winter Olympics. Ailsa Craig, a tiny island 10 miles from the Scottish mainland, supplies the 44-pound granite rocks that slide down the ice and are furiously brushed or curled into place. Each curling stone contains two types of granite. The previously mentioned blue granite found on the 220-acre island is used closest to the ice and the middle of the stone, called the striking band, contains a green granite portion.

It’s incredible when you think about the versatility of a material that’s composed of crystalized volcanic rock. Granite remains one of the go-to materials for beautiful kitchen counters, vanities, bathroom showers and countertops, flooring, cooking and even curious winter sporting events. When you’re ready to clean your granite, stainless steel and natural stone surfaces, Rock Doctor offers its Granite & Quartz Cleaner to safely and beautifully clean stone table tops, countertops, vanities and stainless steel using no harsh chemicals. Rock Doctor Granite & Quartz Cleaner is safe for use on marble, Corian, Silestone, Travertine, Limestone, quartz, porcelain, granite and all other stone surfaces.

Use of Rock Doctor’s Granite & Quartz Cleaner leaves behind a stone surface that free of streaks and sticky residue and a like-new shine that will last for days. After cleaning, safeguard the stone surface with a bit of Rock Doctor Granite & Quartz Polish. Just a small amount provides a water-resistant protective coating that repels rings, etching and spills.

To start the New Year off right, Rock Doctor is offering a $2 mail-in rebate on the purchase of each Rock Doctor Item. (A purchase of Rock Doctor cleaner, polish and sealer equals a potential rebate of $6!) No stamp is required, just scan your original receipt and email it to us at lauraj@apexprod.com. Click here for more details on the mail-in rebate.

This article was brought to you by Rock Doctor, which offers a line of specially-formulated stone cleaner, stone polish, and stone sealer products. Rock Doctor stone care 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.