Give Your Stone Tiles the Best Care by Natural Stone Restoration Professionals

Cleaning tile floors with hand and towel is not very effective as tile and grout are porous and gather dust, dirt, spills etc. which go deep under the surface.  This makes cleaning such surfaces messy and uncomfortable. Though regular mopping and spot cleaning is a must, they don't ensure the lifelong protection as they are unable to reach the hidden dirt that lies deep within the pores of the grout lines.

Regular maintenance of tiles and grout will slow down the discolouration process and prevent mould from growing. Periodic inspection and timely cleaning or repair by stone care professionals is the best thing you can do for your natural stone tiles.

Marble and granite tiles are much more than just a flooring or wall decoration. In fact they can be the centre of attraction for your kitchen and bathroom if well cared for. Cleaning grout is the most important and effective way of keeping your tiles looking impressive. Unlike black tiles, white tiles get stained easily and put up a dirty look even if cleaned. Thus these tiles should be mopped regularly and don't forget to keep a tile cleaner handy so that immediate action can be taken in case of spills and stains.

Experts recommend the use of the mixture of baking soda and bleach as an effective way for deep cleaning grout. Mix the baking soda and bleach together in the bowl until it forms a thick paste. Use this paste on the dirty grout lines for about 5 to 10 minutes. The bleach will do most of the work just sitting there, but after 5-10 minutes, scrub it with a scrub brush so that the cleaner reaches deep down in to the grout. Wait another 5-10 minutes and then rinse the cleaner off of the grout.

In case of marble tiles, it’s best to use a mild dish-washing soap, as acidic products, such as things like vinegar, can cause damage. Apart from troublesome areas that need thorough clean up, you don't need to scrub as vigorously as when cleaning grout. A good quality cloth will do the work. Bathroom tiles give rise to growth of mould, particularly in light colored tiles. In such case, use of vinegar is often recommended along with cleaners that will prevent further mould growth.

At The Marble Man, you get stone tile cleaning services the result of which you can hardly expect if done manually at home. The stone restoration experts there inspect your floor and determine the exact type of treatment required for bringing back the vitality and lusture of the floor. The Marble Man team is the No.1 stone repair and restoration experts servicing many places in the QLD and NSW regions. They also employ latest professional floor cleaning methods to get you that extra shine and sheen. For more information contact their experts now on 1300 627 626.  

Natural Stone Experts Discuss Standard Cleaning Practice for Granite Counter Tops

Is there a best way to clean granite countertops? If you ask three persons, there will be four different answers for this! “You can use Windex.  No, never use Windex.” “Use special granite cleaner. No, you do not need special granite cleaner; simple cleaner is enough,” etc. etc.

After doing extensive research, the natural stone cleaning experts on the Gold Coast, Australia discovered how to take care of granite. You do not need any special cleaners to make the counter tops look shiny, fresh and attractive.

Essential Facts on Cleaning Granite:

Do’s:                                                                                                       

• Ensure the granite surface is sealed. Granite is very hard and competitively less porous than marble. However, weak or unsealed granite will easily soak up spills, stains and oils. To check the sealing of granite, place few drops of water on the granite surface. If the water drops beads up, your counter top is securely sealed. If after few minutes, the water got soaked into the granite, it is time to reseal it.
• Wipe up the food spills as soon as you notice them.
• Use warm water, gentle dish wash soap, microfiber cloth for daily wipe downs.

Don’ts:

Do not use harsh and abrasive cleaners & sponges, acidic cleaners, vinegar, lemon, lime, ammonia or bleach. Frequent application of these chemicals will dull and darken the sealant over a period of time. The harsher the cleaner, the quicker it breaks down the sealant.

What to do for Disinfecting a granite countertop? 

A granite counter top which has been sealed well is highly impervious to bacteria. Sanitize granite countertop regularly to keep down the population of bacteria that healthy immune system of human beings can handle.  A Brazilian/Portuguese study reveals that 590 percent more bacteria can live on a granite surface comparing to a plastic surface like polypropylene polyethylene. So to prevent colonisation of bacteria, sanitising the granite countertop is very important. 

To properly sanitise and clean granite counter tops, all you need are warm water, gentle dish wash, dish cloth, terry cloth towel, and 91 percent isopropyl alcohol. The granite cleaning procedure is as follows:

• Wet the dish cloth with warm soapy water.  Initially fill the sink with warm water and mild dish soap, and then wet the clean dish cloth.
• Now wipe the granite countertop to remove any spills or crumbs on it.
• To avoid streaking, dry with a micro fibre cloth or terry cloth towel.

About Special safe cleaners for granite: 
There are different granite cleaners available in the market. Some all purpose surface cleaners specify that they are safe to use for granite cleaning. Use them only if you’re sure about it, or else ask a stone restoration specialist. 

To periodically disinfect your granite counter top, restore the shine and remove any residue, you can mix equal amount of water and 91% isopropyl alcohol. Spray the solution on the surface of the granite. Allow it to be there for three to five minutes, then you can rinse with water. Dry the surface with clean microfiber cloth.

This way you can enjoy shiny, nice cleaned granite counter tops. If you would like to have regular granite sealing and maintenance in Sydney, Newcastle, Canberra, Gold Coast, Central Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast, call Australia‘s No.1 stone polishing and sealing specialist, ‘The Marble Man’. Their team of professionals will provide affordable and appropriate sealing, restoration and maintenance services after checking your granite counter tops. You can contact them by visiting their website or calling them on 1300-627-626.

Benefits & Drawbacks of Marble and Granite Countertops- a Comparative Study

Natural stones such as granite and marble are used as a favoured material for various structures for centuries. They are highly regarded for their durability, aesthetic appeal, performance and longevity. The granite and marble countertops are quite impressive and speak about sophistication and luxury.  Both the stones transform an ordinary interior decor into elegant space. They considerably increase the market value of a home; increase its potential for higher price and quicker sale.   

MARBLE: Formed from sedimentary carbonate rocks through metamorphic formation, the marble stone is truly unique and they are distinguished by veins of various mineral deposits that includes clay, quartz, iron-oxide, fine-grained chart, silt and other sediments. The materials are fused together naturally under great pressure forming different kinds of patterns of swirls in different ranges of colours such as white, cream, red, grey, blue, pink and green.

Apart from ornamental use, marble stone is also suitable for building applications such as marble flooring, marble sink, marble counter top and marble dining table. In addition it is used as columns, bathtubs, tiles, fireplace mantels, window sills etc.

Benefits of marble:

• It increases the real estate value of a house because of the professionally worked high quality marble used in structure and design.
• It is a unique material choice, No two pieces look alike.
• It enhances the decor and aesthetic appeal with matchless beauty.
• This natural stone is highly durable if properly cared for.
• It provides a good sanitary surface.
• It is easy to disinfect, improves the indoor quality of the air, and does not trap dust, pollens and other allergens.
• It is cooler in warmer and hot summer than other types of stone choices for flooring.

Marble has few negatives also such as:

• It is expensive, and easily gets scratches,
• Can get damage when in direct contact with hot items,
• Requires routine resealing,
• Stains easily and should be wiped promptly,
• Requires annual restoration for its maintenance.

GRANITE: Like marble, granite is another popular stone, visually impressive and coveted for its rich elegance. It is a composite of fused elements like mica, quartz and feldspar which influences the colour of the granite. It is formed deep in the earth with intense pressure for thousands of years to become marvellous granite.

Granite is incredibly hard, durable, tough and versatile. It is removed from earth as huge blocks and used after precision cutting and polishing into granite slabs and tiles.

Granite with different colours and mottled patterns is used as countertops and tiles for residential use in kitchen and bathroom. The major benefits of granite are:

• Competitive price than any other natural stone.
• It resists moisture and scratching, and is resilient to heat.
• Cleaning granite is very easy and it is known for its self cleaning ability and sanitation comparing to other natural stones.
• Once polished, it maintains the shiny and lustre appearance.
• It endures extreme temperature and resists wear.
• It is highly durable and popular for its longevity.
• Each piece of granite is unique.

Despite resistance and durability to water, spills on natural stone surfaces should be wiped up and cleaned immediately to prevent etching. Coasters should be used under glass vessels when carrying hot items.

Natural stone counter tops create a dramatic appearance to your kitchen and bathrooms. They are becoming the preferred choice as they complement any decor and are budget friendly.

Maintenance of granite and marble countertops is made easy with regular sealing and restoration works by stone care professionals. The Marble Man has been doing the stone restoration for over 20 years and they are the best choice for all your store counter top maintenance. The technicians at The Marble Man offer guaranteed stone restoration work and service Queensland and NSW regions.

Some Common Misconceptions about Marble Countertops

Since the days of ancient Romans, marble has been used as countertops. It is a design option that has no age, and continues to attract people of all types and ages due to its versatility, beauty, durability & functionality. However, there are certain misconceptions and myths about marble countertops that need to be addressed.          

Some of the popular myths about marble countertop are as follows:

Marble needs great maintenance: Every type of stone countertop requires some common sense maintenance on a routine basis. It goes well for the Marble countertop also. Like any other type of stone countertops, marble will also get damaged on abusing it. If you consider your marble countertop with due importance, professionally seal it after installation, then your maintenance will be very minimum- little more than a routine wiping after finishing all the work and reminding the people not to place the red hot pans directly on the countertop.

Marble is a very costly stone: Marble is not cheap. But the cost of marble varies greatly with the type of marble. Some marble types are rare and very expensive. Other types of marbles are abundant and less expensive. Marble countertops add real value to your home and if they are cared properly, they add value for decades thus serving even your great grandchildren as they did for you so grandly.

Marble looks great but it is not very tough: One myth about marble that circulates is ‘Marble is a look but do not touch type of material’. The marble stone functions excellent for cosmetic purposes like decorating or lining the walls of palaces and cathedrals but cannot put to work. This is the hardest to accept or understand of the marble myths as marble stone has been used for floors in heavy traffic areas for centuries. If it is capable of withstanding such traffic for so many years why cannot we use it as countertop as well? Yes it can be- even brilliantly.

Marble is easily prone to Staining and scratching: Contrary to this popular belief, marble is really a dense tough stone and cannot get stained easily. Sealing the marble countertops properly will reduce getting stains. If something get spilled and threatening to leave the marble surface, you can neutralize it adding a mixture of baking soda and water. Leave it overnight and then clean. Certain acidic substances like lime juice and vinegar may change the surface dull and etch the spilled areas, but if it is attended immediately it will not be an issue at all.

Marble counter tops are Unhygienic: Microscopic living beings are everywhere. Marble is not susceptible to undesirable bacteria than any other surface. If you are much concerned about this issue, you can make a point of cleaning your countertop with anti-bacterial soap during the normal cleaning.

Do not let misconceptions and rumours prevent you from considering marble as your favourite countertop.  Marble can imbue your bath and kitchen with prestigious look and ageless style, and it’s versatile enough to complete any home decorating motif. They get damaged and lose their beauty due to lack of maintenance and improper use. 

Contact The Marble Man for all your stone countertop issues and they’ll provide convenient and affordable marble restoration and other stone repair works. They service Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and Central Coast. You can visit The Marble Man website or dial 1300 627 626 for a FREE quote on all your stone restoration needs.

Keep Your Shower Tile and Grout Looking New by Professional Cleaning and Sealing of Tile & Grout

There is no doubt that everybody wants to have the best way to maintain tile and grout in the shower area and avoid costly repairs in the future. 

Grout is made with the property of water repellence so that it should remain in good condition for years. In a simple way to say, your grout should appear bright and shiny forever. However that is not found in most of the houses. Even with the best practice of tile and grout cleaning, mildewing and yellowing still persist. Why it happens so?

Grout experiences lot of wear: When we consider a home of 3 people showering at least once in a day then for 365 days the shower is used 1095 times in a year.  Only if your car stays outdoors your shower can get sunny days in between to get dried.

This heavy use creates a need to maintain your tile and grout professionally to keep them clean, sealed and look new. 

Unfortunately, the cleaning products that are sold in the market today to clean the tile and grout are harsh chemicals that quickly fix the problem. But they wear down your grout’s repellence in a course of time and change the grout to be water absorbing one with chalk like consistency. Therefore discolouring and mildew happens and stains the grout permanently. The only way left is to totally regrout which is an expensive option.

Another culprit for the stained grout is the local water supply which contains rust. If your house water supplied is rust filled then the whole house water filters have to be considered.  

Sealing: Professional sealing brings back the water repellence in the grout which has been lost over time. Moreover, the grout which is sealed becomes more stain resistant. High quality sealers such as the ones used by The Marble Man do not alter the surface appearance or colour of the stone tiles and grout. So it is recommended to seal the grout and tiles at least once or twice in a year according to your shower usage.

It is highly recommended to have annual professional maintenance of your shower tile and grout to keep your shower appears fresh and new. Marble, granite and other natural stone floor tiles need professional cleaning. There are fine pores on the surface of the stone which require cleaning with stronger cleaners and specialty scrubbing machines. Most people hesitate to call professional stone cleaners thinking it’s costly, but it is negligible when compared to the cost of rip out and replacing new shower when it goes bad. 

Contact The Marble Man today on 1300 627 626 to clean your tile and grout hassle free and excellently.  They offer expert and affordable stone restoration services on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and Central Coast. You can avail their stone care services not only for cleaning but also to seal the tile and grout, if needed, making your daily maintenance easy.

Three Simple Rules for Proper Care & Maintenance of Granite Countertops

Granite is a natural countertop material, one of the hardest natural substances available which can last for decades. It can withstand few knife slips where other material surfaces could get scratched. However, there is hesitation among some homeowners about installing a granite countertop in the bathroom. They fear that the upkeep and maintenance of granite bathroom countertops are costly and involve tedious processes. 

The following facts about granite countertops and their maintenance procedures will alleviate some of your major concerns:

Seal your Granite Bathroom Countertop:
People who take care to seal their granite bathroom countertops on time are sure to enjoy stain free living for a long time- and remember it won’t cost you too much. Your granite countertop should be sealed every year, but if it is done too often, it can lead to milky appearance. 

You can do two tests to determine whether it’s time to seal your granite bathroom countertop.

• Take a small quantity of paint thinner and keep it on a small corner area of the countertop. Watch the surface carefully. If the surface begins to darken in colour, then you have to protect the countertop against oil based stains.
• Place a wet paper towel piece in a small area of the surface of the countertop. Leave the paper towel on the spot for a few minutes. If the area gets darkened then you have to seal it against water based stains. Obviously this is very important inside the bathroom.

Before applying the sealer, be sure to neatly clean the granite bathroom countertop with a high quality granite cleaner. This will ensure applying the sealer effectively.

Properly clean your granite bathroom countertop:

It is crucial to use the right type of cleaners or the countertop will lose its lustre finish.  The obvious cleaners to be avoided are bleach, ammonia, lemon and other acidic cleaners.  All you need is just a mild soap and some water. Make sure to keep dry cloth around to clean the spills then and there on your granite bathroom countertop. This will keep it out of stains. Stain will not happen if there is good sealant but it is better to safeguard than getting stained.  

Prevent damages to the countertop:

It is true that granite countertop is highly resistant to heat. Why to test it unnecessarily?  Be sure not to place curling irons or hot items directly on the surface of the countertop. Leave your hairdryer off while leaving it. Enough heat could damage anything on earth, even granite.

Hang all the items with sharp edges as they can damage the surface over a period of time. Keep a pad around always if you are setting something sharp on it in the same spot daily to avoid any damage to the countertop.

The above mentioned facts and tips are not too complicated and easy to follow. You can keep your granite bathroom countertop looking great by regularly sealing it with the help of a stone restoration specialist.  Some sealants may claim to last for two to three years, but always consult stone care professionals like The Marble Man to be on the safer side. This way you can have granite bathroom countertops in perfect condition without worrying about its care & maintenance.

If you are intending to carry out any natural stone restoration process, then contact ‘The Marble Man’, a leading natural stone polishing and sealing specialist Company in Australia. The professionals in ‘The Marble Man’ are specialists in polishing, sealing and repairing all type of stone surfaces such as Marble, Granite, Travertine etc.  For further information about polishing, sealing and repair works contact The Marble Man stone restoration team on 1300 627 626 or visit their Website.

Six Handy Tips for Cleaning and Maintenance of Natural Stone Surface

Natural stone floors are known for their ageless beauty and extreme durability. These stone floors offer best endurance against heavy traffic also. Although natural stone floors are mostly known for their use in the kitchen, bathroom, portico etc., but there are several instances where natural stone floors are used in living room, bedroom, study etc.

It is rightly said that natural stone adds a wonderful earthly flavour to a home ambiance. It adds to natural beauty of a home interior if the floor is well maintained. Natural stone maintenance is not at all hectic if you know the right approach.

Use proper cleaner

By texture, natural stones are mostly porous. If any harsh chemical is used on porous natural stone surface, there is high chance that these chemicals can spoil the surface of the stone. As the immediate result of this cleaning spree the stone surface will turn into rough and uneven plain. It is always safe to use recommended stone floor cleaner.

Sweep the floor regularly

Dust and dirt are the worst enemies for stone floor and its regular surface. Once dust and dirt sit on the surface, it makes the floor uneven with scratch and splits. Initially these scratches do not look unsightly, but gradually the floor starts losing its natural shine. You can delay this deterioration by sweeping the floor with a broom at regular basis. Brooms made with natural bristles are most useful for keeping natural stone made floor clean.

Use warm water for mopping

It is always recommended to mop the stone floor with lukewarm water and a clean cotton mop.  Nylon mops are strictly not to be used for stone floor because its synthetic fibre can make the entire floor scratchy. Once floor starts becoming scratchy, it attracts more debris on it and at the same time start looking dull and unimpressive. And if you notice scratches on the stone surface, immediately consult with a stone repair & restoration specialist like The Marble Man who will guide you what to do. You can also take a snapshot of the damaged surface and send it to the stone care team.

Steam cleaning

Steam cleaning is an efficient way to remove the loose layer of dirt and grease that gets tangled with the stone surface and stays long. Steam cleaning helps in removing stubborn dust and dirt from stone surface. However, steam cleaning is not an easy job and may not be appropriate to get it done by DYI method. Rather, it is wise to hire a professional natural stone restoration specialist to steam clean a natural stone floor. 

Attempt deep cleaning with a natural stone cleaner

Sometimes natural stone floor becomes clumsy with accumulated heavy grease, stain, dirt, etc. Common sweeping or mopping cannot restore its original glamour. In such case, you can use heavy duty natural stone cleaning products. However, it is mandatory that you use cotton mop or nonabrasive sponge to smear the stone cleaner on the floor, or else it may affect the smoothness of the natural stone surface.

Scrubbing grout

Sometimes natural stone floor attracts grout to get accumulated on its surface. Regular mopping and sweeping cannot remove the grout completely. In this situation, the best move is to call a professional natural stone restoration service provider to restore the lost sheen and shine of the floor.

Natural stone is easy to maintain and it offers a long service life. If you have natural stone floor in your house, you should take proper care to maintain its elegance and natural beauty. In every 6 months to 1 year interval, you should call the natural stone care and maintenance service to inspect the stone and do periodical cleaning and maintenance.  For further info, you can talk to The Marble Man stone restoration specialists on 1300 627 626.