Care and Maintenence

Granite, Marble, and Limestone Care and Maintenance

Granite can be cleaned with the same items you use to clean your dishes, like soap and water. DO NOT use chemical cleaners or chemical based products on your countertops.
You can set hot pans and kettles directly on your granite, but it is not recommended to place very large items that are very hot for a long period on your countertop, such as a canning kettle. Granite absorbs heat and can crack when exposed to excessive heat for prolonged periods of time.
You can cut on polished granite without damaging the surface. It won't hurt the granite, but it may dull your knife. DO NOT cut on marble, limestone, soapstone, or engineered stone, as it will damage these products.
DO NOT put pressure or weight on the rails in front of or behind your sink or cooktop. These are very narrow strips of stone that, even though they are thoroughly supported, could crack if mistreated. Please do not sit or stand directly on these areas.
Permanent ink and markers will absorb into your granite even if it is sealed. Avoid using these things on top of your granite.
Avoid chemical and/or acid based cleansers like lime cleaners, rust remover, Hydrofluoric acid, Comet, Soft scrub, 409, etc., as these products can remove the sealer or can reacted with the minerals in the stone itself. Read the bottles before working on or over your countertops. Think "natural" when cleaning your granite.
Residues stuck to your granite countertops, such as food or hard water spots, can be removed by gently rubbing them with a razor blade or 0000 steel wool. Also regular vinegar works well when placed on the hard water deposits and allowed to sit for no more than ten minutes. DO NOT do this with marble, limestone, soapstone, or engineered stone, as it will damage these products.
If your granite should become stained, call us for stain removal suggestions, as different stains require different products to attempt to remove them. NEVER put a new coat of sealer over an existing stain as this may cause the stain to become a permanent part of your countertop.

BulletProof 15 warranty If you have purchased our sealer warranty kit, you do not need to reseal you countertops as described above for fifteen years from the time of purchase. To see a full description of this product please view our BulletProof warranty page.

If you have purchased our BulletProof sealer the next section does not apply

Your countertops have already been sealed with 511 Porous Plus before they were installed. Water should bead up on top of your countertops. Items such as a glass of water, should not leave any ring marks on a properly sealed countertop. It is recommended that you reseal your countertops once a year. Reseal every six months, if you have a white colored granite or a marble. Reseal every three months if you have a honed granite or limestone. Sealer can be purchased directly through us and we can ship it directly to your home. Other than the sealer, no other cleaning product is needed for your countertops.
To Reseal Your Granite:
1. Clean your tops with soap and water to make sure that there is nothing that will keep the sealer from reaching the granite. Then make sure that the tops are completely dry.
2. Pour small amounts of sealer onto your countertops and spread it out with an old rag or paper towel. Use a light coat when applying the sealer, since it takes a small amount to effectively seal your countertops.
3. Let the sealer sit on your countertops for about 5 minutes, but do not let it dry completely.
4. Wipe the sealer off with an old rag or paper towel until your countertops are completely dry. Honed, lime stones, or very porous stones, such as Durango, may require multiple coats of sealer.
Please feel free to call us with any additional questions, concerns, or if there is anyway that we can help you further. We hope you enjoy your new countertops! Thank You!