Natural stone do’s and don’ts
So you moved into a gorgeous home with the countertops of your dreams. But now you have questions.
How do I clean granite? How do I clean marble? How do I clean quartz? Our very own IICRC Journeyman Textile Cleaner and certified House Cleaning Technician will show you the ropes on each of these counters.
Granite Overview
Granite is a strong natural stone. It is an igneous rock formed by the crystallization of manga as it cools. Yosemite National Park in California and Pike’s Peak in Colorado are famous for their natural granite formations.
Granite is a 6-7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, making it very resistant to scratching. Unfortunately, it is not as strong when it comes to downward force. Granite eat-in kitchen islands can be irreparably damaged by putting weight on the overhanging part of the counter: it will literally break in half.
Marble Overview
Marble is the most fragile stone surface that you will find in a home.
The Mohs Hardness Scale rates stones by their hardness, on a scale of 1-10. Marble weighs in at a 3-4 (the same hardness as limestone- yikes). In fact, marble is a metamorphic rock that was once limestone: until immutable tectonic forces pushed the stone into the Earth’s crust, where heat and pressure transformed it into marble.
It is also porous and very chemically reactive with acids. Even lemonade, common white vinegar, cola, or wine can dissolve a tiny layer of the surface. This process is called etching. An etched part of stone looks like a spot that isn’t polished.
Quartz Overview
Quartz is not actually a natural stone (quartzite is, but it is not common). It is a man-made surface. A lot of natural stone bits are pounded up. The manufacturer adds pigments and decorative flecks of other stones, metals and/or glass. This mixture is bound with resin in a mold to create the countertop.
Thanks to the manufacturing process, quartz can be any color, any pattern, and any size or shape that you want (as long as the price is right). Many designs and options are cheaper than natural stone. They are also less porous, more scratch-resistant, and more durable.
Although it is more durable than natural stone it can be hard to tell apart from natural stone sometimes. If you are unable to positively identify the surface, treat it as the more delicate of the possible surfaces.
Overall Stone Care Don’ts
Do not expose stone to chelating agents. I don’t have a full list of cleaners that have chelating agents in them, but I do know that laundry soap and Dawn dish soap contain chelating agents. Avoid them.
Do not use green scouring pads or stainless steel scrubbers. These will scratch the surface of the stone.
Do not expose stone to acids of any kind. When in doubt about the pH of a product, you can check by googling (the name of the product )+ (SDS). So “Zep Grout Cleaner SDS” will show you the safety data sheet for Zep Grout Cleaner and section nine will tell you that it has a pH of “<1” which is crazy-dangerous for natural stones. Vinegar has a pH of around 2.5: watch the video below to see what acids can do to stones.
Curious about etching? Check out this great video from our friends, Bruce and Sarah Vance, the instructors for the IICRC House Cleaning Technician class. You can view their blog here.
Overall Stone Care Do’s
Do use a neutral pH cleaner
Do use a cleaner that has no chelating agents in it. The most surefire way of accomplishing this is to use a product that is specifically designed for stone. Most professionals recommend Stone Pro’s line of products, though Sprayway, Method, and others are more widely available in retail stores. We don’t recommend a single brand over another, as long as you follow the next tip…
Do follow the directions on the bottle to the letter. Mixing chemicals is never good and can void any warranties you have and make you ineligible to complain to the chemical manufacturer.
Do buff it dry! You will see such a difference in the overall look of your stone if you control the way it dries.
Ready to purchase stone counters in the Flint Hills? We recommend Heartland Granite & Quartz.
Amber Starling, Author
Founder and President of
Good Witch Cleaning Services, LLC
IICRC Journeyman Textile Cleaner