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.

When Should You Call a Stone Care Professional?

Natural stone floor tiles or a stone countertop look excellent no doubt, but you need to take care of it daily to maintain its sheen and shine. There are situations when despite your best efforts, you fail to upkeep the glamour and sparkling cleanliness of natural stone surfaces. This is high time when you should call a stone care professional for a complete stone restoration work. 

Here are a few specific cases when you need professional stone restoration:

When the stone tiles look dull

All of a sudden, you may notice that the natural stone tiles in your home have lost its glamour and despite best cleaning effort, the stony surface is not looking shiny. You may have tried the best cleaner available in market but you are not getting any visible improvement. This is the time you need the professional cleaning assistance of an ace stone restoration company on the Gold Coast, Sydney or any other place to restore its lost gleam.

When the stone surface looks worn out

There are instances when you may find that your stone surface is looking absolutely worn out. In fact, there are many reasons behind this unsightly look. However, the most common reason is accumulation of stubborn dirt on the surface. Sometimes the collection of unwanted wax on the stone floor makes it shadowy. These worn out stone surfaces can be restored only by professional stone care treatment.      

Call a professional stone restoration service provider and they will select the best suitable process of stone restoration between grinding, honing, polishing, sealing or combo of any of these repair processes.

Stone resurfacing service for scratch removal

Although stone floors are durable enough, sometimes due to heavy traffic the smooth shine surface attracts scratches, wear patterns and lippage. In these instances, you should call a stone restoration expert because professional resurfacing service can only restore the smoothness and natural shine of the stone floor.

When polishing is required

Despite your best effort to keep the natural polish on your stone floor unharmed, after one or two years the floor can lose its natural sparkle by its own. In these cases, the only way to restore factory shine of the stone surface is to call and hire a professional stone care service provider for polishing the floor.

Stone sealing requirement

At the time of installation of stone floor or benchtop, stones are set with proper sealing. Proper sealing is a prerequisite for kitchen and bathroom area, and the sealer can get withered by natural reason. If you find any discrepancy in sealing or broken seal on your stone floor, you need to call a stone restoration specialist for restoring the sealing.

Selection of right cleaning products

Even a new stone surface may look dull and unimpressive. One of the reasons behind this dull look is use of improper cleaner on the stone surface. This is the time to call and consult a natural store restoration expert for remedial measures and proper guidance. Regular use of right cleaner on the stone surface will help you to maintain its freshness and natural luster for long.

Different types of stone cleaners are available in the market. Only a professional stone restoration service provider can suggest you the right cleaner for your particular natural stone.

The Marble Man- your trusted stone restoration, repair & cleaning specialist

These are some of the primary reasons for calling a stone restoration service provider. However, even if you have not found any visible defect on your stone floor, it is better to hire an expert stone restoration company on a periodical basis to clean and maintain the floor tiles in professional manner. The Marble Man who has been in the stone restoration field for over 20 years is your best choice as their guaranteed and dedicated service is available at many places in the Queensland and NSW regions.  

The Marble Man Tips for Natural Stone Care & Maintenance- Removing Granite Stains & Dull Spots

Granite is one of the most widely sought after natural stones used in the kitchen and floors of your home. It is durable and tougher than marble. However, like everything else, it is important for you to ensure granite is taken care of.

There is a common misconception that stains and dull spots do not appear on granite surfaces. This is wrong. Just like marble, your granite countertop or floor also has the tendency to get stained and lose its shine.

The Marble Man- a leading marble and natural stone maintenance, restoration and repairing company on the Gold Coast servicing most part of QLD and NSW- gives you some insights about the granite stone and how you effectively can keep away stains and dull surfaces at bay. Let us take a look at them below-

Granite – How to Keep Stains & Dull Surfaces at Bay:

• Though granite is a tough stone, it has the tendency to suffer from scratches. When you find a scratch on your granite stone, it is recommended to contact a professional to have it repaired.
• It is advised to use coasters under all your glass items to stop stains and dull spots on your granite surfaces.
• If you have a granite countertop at home, it is very important for you to avoid having citrus and other alcoholic products sitting on the surface. This leads to etching and subsequent dullness.
• It is very important for you to keep hot items away and off the granite surface. In case you need to place something hot on the granite countertop or surface, use a trivet or a hot pad. This will protect the granite surface from stains and dull spots.
• It is important for you to reseal the granite countertop in order to preserve and maintain its sheen. It is important for you to do this after an interval of every two years or as advised by a stone care specialist.
• If you wish to clean the granite countertop on your own, you can make your own cleaner. This is a pH balanced cleaner and you can mix one part water with one part alcohol to get the best effects. If you wish you may use less alcohol and more water.
• If you have a floor made of granite, you should clean it with the help of granite cleaner. You may call in a professional to do the stone cleaning for you. If you want to clean the granite stone on a regular basis, you may do so with regular dusting and sweeping.

It is thus evident that the task to keep stains and dull spots on granite at bay is an easy one. You just have to be little more careful and ensure the tips above are followed. If you are based in the QLD and NSW region and looking for skilled and experienced experts to take professional care of your granite stone, feel free to call in the friendly professionals at The Marble Man. 

Some Common Myths and Realities about Granite Countertops You Must Know

If you are planning to purchase stone counter tops, it is good to know common myths and misconceptions about granite countertops. These myths are spread either by people who try to sell granite or who try to sell the competing products by disapproving granite. Myths also originated when people simplified the complex matters of granite and generalizations came up that are sometimes true but not all the time.

The following are most common myths about granite stone:

Granite is heat resistant, so it is perfect to place hot pot on granite counter tops

Granite is quite resistant to high temperatures but excessive heat can discolor or damage the granite sealers. Rapid heating can generate internal stress and causes cracks at the weak spot. A natural fissure or flaw may occur because of the excess heat of the pot. This can be eliminated by using a trivet with feet.

Granite counter tops needed to be sealed once or twice in a year

This is a generalized statement about granite counter tops. Many stones are sold commercially in the name of granite. Some stones are inherently resistant to stain without applying sealers. Actually on applying sealers theses stones can cause problems. Some stones sold as granite are very porous that their shortcomings cannot be set right by even using the best sealers.  So the answer is sealing frequency depends on the type of stone. Only a specialist stone restoration service provider like The Marble Man can decide on the sealing requirements.

Granite is second to diamond in hardness- Nothing but diamond can scratch granite

Granite is a scratch resistant material. But it is not scratch proof. Many substances are harder than granite. The hardness of the minerals is rated by Mohs scale. Soft minerals like talc are rated 1 and diamond is rated at 10 in Mohs scale. Most of the commercial granites are rated at 7 because of their high quartz content.  On misusing, the abrasive substances in some cleaning products can cause tiny scratches or dull spots on the granite surface. Natural stone should be cleaned with neutral pH solutions and non abrasive products. See The Marble Man’s guidance on stone cleaning products.

Absolute Black granite is the best counter top

Better quality stones are sold as Absolute Black Granite and they are outstanding performers. But be alert that some stones sold as Absolute Black granite are not genuine. Originally the Absolute Black granites were quarried in Sweden and South Africa. Some companies sell natural stones with low quality that may be dyed to black or they may have excessive flaws or they have not been polished to a glossy finish. A stone cannot be considered as Absolute Black granite just by its market name. To test black granites, pour some acetone on the stone and wipe the surface with a rag. If the rag shows grey or Black discoloration then the stone is treated with dye or wax and cannot be used for kitchen countertops.    

The Marble Man is a leading Australian stone polishing and sealing specialist Company who can provide you professional and effective stone care solutions. They are specialised in large and small marble and all natural stone restoration jobs. For more information, visit The Marble Man website or call their stone restoration team on 1300 627 626.