Granite Cleaning

When it comes to cleaning natural stone it is important to know what stone you are dealing with. A true granite is tough to chemically alter but it can be stained. If it is a calcite then the stone contains calcium and you need to make sure you avoid having acidic products come into contact with it. Calcites include limestone, marble, travertine and onyx.

If acidic solution comes into contact with calcium then a chemical reaction called etching occurs. This is simply the oxidization of the stone. When a stone etches the first degree is gloss degradation, followed by roughness of texture followed by stone deterioration. When in doubt about a discoloration on stone ask if these "stains" are lighter than the stone. If they are it is almost definitely etching as you stain something darker, not lighter.
With etching you should have a restoration professional come out who is qualified to top polish your slab to remove the etch and bring back the color and gloss level you desire.

If your stone has a stain on it you may be able to remove it with a good heavy duty cleaner. After using this cleaner you should use a high quality sealer to seal the stone. If it stained then it is not sealed and should be. A high quality stone sealer will stain-proof your stone. We recommend many sealers, among them are Hydrex which dries completely invisible, and Ager if you want a color enhancing sealer.

Once you have your stone stain-free and sealed a good Ph balanced daily cleaner should be used. By using a Ph balanced cleaner you will not cause etching nor will you be removing any of the sealer.