Care and maintenance of onyx countertops

When you have an onyx countertop you should clean it as much as you can. It is a soft surface and based on calcium. This is why it reacts with acids. This includes liquids that you use normally at your home such as vinegar, lemon juice, coffee, and yes, red wine. This is why never use any homemade cleaners, glass or window cleaner, or even normal kitchen countertop cleaners as they too can contain acids that could prove to be disastrous for these countertops. In the same way, never use abrasive cleaners in case of onyx countertops. This is the first rule that you need to keep in mind while cleaning these countertops.

As has been said already, as far as onyx is concerned most of the countertop cleaners out there are way too acidic and harsh. What works for the normal stone countertops does not work for these surfaces. Instead of these you should use natural cleaning products that come with a neutral pH balance and use a soft cloth to apply the product in question. One cleaner that may be recommended in this case is Gel Gloss. If you are unable to find any proper answer as such the best person to ask would be your stone supplier. They always know which cleaner is going to be the best for a particular stone.

Who knows, they may even supply it themselves. You should never put the cleaner directly on the countertop as the surface may absorb a lot of it and that, you can be sure, would do more harm than it would do good. Always use a clean piece of cloth for such applications. There are certain steps that are to be taken in case of spills. Onyx is prone to spills since it absorbs liquids by virtue of being a porous stone.    

Maintaining natural stone countertops

One of the worst spills that can happen in the context of natural stone countertops is molten lard oil. The stuff spreads quite a lot and it also penetrates these stone surfaces. In case of such stains you have no option but to poultice the stains out of the surface in question. In such cases you can use a few layers of cheesecloth and soak them in water, along with a powder named whiting. You can get these cleaning materials at most stores that sell houseware products. This cleaning process can take up to three days and you need to leave the layers on for that period.

You could be sure that this is an effective form of treating such stains. However, you also need to keep in mind the fact that when you poultice your stone you should seal it later on. There are quite a few kinds of stains that you can remove yourself. In case of rusts you can use the technique of poultice. In the context of stains such as mildew and soap scum you can use a solution of a gallon of water and half a cup of ammonia. As far as common stains such as juices and coffee are concerned all you got to do is use a smidgen of hydrogen peroxide in water and use a few drops of ammonia as well.

When it comes to wear-and-tear that happens as a result of usage of the natural stone countertop on a regular basis, you should just buff the small scratches away. In this case you can use superfine dry steel wool also known as grade 0000. In case, the condition of your new countertops are really worrying you then you can use engineered quartzes to address the situation. It is nearly impossible to destroy them or even just penetrate them for that matter.   

How to retain the superior and exceptional characteristics of marble countertops

There are certain ways in which you can always preserve the natural charm of your marble countertops. You should always use coasters underneath all the cups, glasses, and mugs that you place on a marble countertop. This is especially true of vessels that contain alcohol and juices of citrus fruits. In case your marble countertops are being used in the kitchen, you would be better off by using trivets and hot pads. You should do this in spite of the fact that by virtue of being a natural stone marble can withstand a fair amount of heat. You need to be careful with spills though.

Immediately after food or liquids get spilled on the surface you should blot the space with a paper towel. You can also use mild soap and water to flush the stain and then rinse it a number of times. You should also dry the area with soft cloth in a thorough manner and repeat as and when may be needed. In case your marble countertop is a customized one, you should follow the aforementioned tips. In such cases you should always use a mild dishwashing liquid, or warm water, or a stone cleaner. Also in these cases, do rinse the surface thoroughly.

This rinsing needs to be done after you are done washing. In this case you should use a soap solution. Once this step is out of the way you should dry the area by using a soft piece of cloth. When you are rinsing, you should try and change the water being used for rinsing as frequently as you can. It is also important that you stay alert to the possibility of spills and wipe them off immediately. Otherwise they can leave a bad mark on the marble countertop in your kitchen or bathroom.   

How to clean marble countertops the proper way

There are certain things that you should never do when you attempt to clean a marble countertop. Marble is made from calcium carbonate and such stuff reacts rather quickly with acids. So, if any acid gets spilled on your marble countertop you can be sure that there would be stains and etches to deal with. And all this would happen because of the chemical reaction that is natural in these cases. You should also know that lime juice can be bad for your marble worktop as well. The same thing can be said about vinegar as well. You should also not use powdered cleaners.

Similarly, never use abrasive material and harsh chemicals on your marble countertops. Never use bleach on them. When you use bleach there is an acid reaction and this just corrodes the surface. Even if the corrosion is small, it is still there and you would not want such a thing on your marble countertop now, would you? This is especially true if you happen to be a perfectionist or a fastidious owner as such. Now, that you know what you should not do, the question that needs to be asked is what you should do then.

Cleaning marble countertops is really simple and it is this simplicity, which ensures that there are not too many alternative methods in this case. All you need to use are soap, a towel, and a spray bottle. They may be from different companies or separate colors but it would hardly matter in such cases. All you need to do is take a little care on a regular basis and you can be sure that your marble countertop will look new for years to come. Since marble is a stone it will also stay durable for a long time as well.  

How to care for limestone countertops

You should never use the conventional cleaners that you use in your kitchen in order to clean limestone countertops. In case you are unable to find a cleaner that is supposed to be used specifically for these countertops then you can employ a combination of warm water and some mild soap. Normally, the cleaners that are used to clean limestone countertops have a neutral pH level. You should also shy away from using sponge or any cleaning equipment that has a rough surface. The major reason for such a suggestion is the fact that these cleaners are perfectly capable of damaging the surface by leaving scratches on it.

Now you do not want such damage on your countertop, do you? It is always best to use a soft piece of rag or washcloth would be the best option that you may have in this regard. There are also some things that need to be kept in mind when it comes to dealing with scratches on these countertops. You need to understand that these surfaces get scratched quite easily. This is why if you want to avoid scratches then you should use cutting boards on these countertop surfaces. This is especially applicable when you are using knives on the surface.

You should also use dishes and utensils carefully on this especially ones that can potentially damage the surface. In case of these dishes and utensils you can use place-mats and trivets. In case you find small scratches on the limestone surface you can use fine steel wool in order to buff them out lightly. In this case you can also use small amounts of polishing compound that is designed in such a way that it can take scratches off car doors and even grout on the scratch. It is quite a useful feature to have.