Benchtop Care + Maintenance

Natural Stone

Due to the porosity and characteristics of natural stone, specialised cleaning and sealing requirements are recommended to promote the longevity of the products in their applied form.

Sealing acts as a barrier, which is designed to prevent immediate penetration of liquids into the stone, providing an opportunity  to remove the substance, before it stains the stone.

Sealing may protect the stone from liquid penetration, but not completely protect the stone from etching. Etching is acidic liquids (as lemon juice, orange juice, tomato)-reacting to the stone (more prone in marble-which is softer in character)-eating away at the stone, creating dull spots. Effectively sealing the stone, and with careful maintenance, etching can be minimized.

Honing is the preferred finish for marble benchtops, as this assists in disguising scratches and marks. Honed marble may also be sealed.

Maintaining natural stone is easier if the product has been sealed.  General cleaning using pH neutral cleaners or mild detergent with warm water are the preferred products to use, with a microfibre cloth for drying. All spillages should be cleaned immediately by blotting the spill and flushing the area with water and mild soap and rinsing several times. Avoid applying heat (i.e items from ovens) directly onto the surface of natural stone.

Prior to purchasing natural stone, please check the sealing and maintenance requirements of each product and patch test prior to sealing if necessary.

For further information please view the provided links below.

Granite Sealing Instructions

Recommended sealing instructions for Granite

Natural Stone Care and Maintenance

Recommended care and maintenance for Natural Stone

Quartz or Engineered Stone

For lighter coloured benchtops only, we recommend Stonefoam cleaner. Stonefoam is sold at our Showrooms and Head Office in SA.

For the latest care and maintenance instructions for Quartz surfaces, we recommend the following brand websites.

Casaerstone

Smartstone

Essastone

Silestone

Stone Ambassador

Acrylic Solid Surfaces

For the latest care and maintenance instructions for acrylic solid sufraces, we recommend the following brand websites.

Corian Solid Surfaces

Hi-Macs Acrylic Solid Surfaces

Freestyle Surfaces

Always remember the important DONT’S

• Don’t use harsh chemicals
• Don’t step on your tops
• Don’t sit on your tops or place stress on or near locations of joins or an overhang of an island bench
• Don’t drag any rough surfaces on your tops
• Don’t ignore a spill- always clean it up
• Do not place hot items on your tops. This includes items that have been cooking in the oven/microwave/hotplate
• Don’t use your surface as a chopping board- stone will blunt your knives and knives can scratch your surface