Natural Stone Care and Maintenance
- All natural stone that Empire fabricates or installs will be sealed. Sealing helps to prevent materials from being absorbed into your countertops, however, it does not eliminate the stones’ natural porosity.
- Clean up spills as soon as you can to prevent staining and/or etching.
- To clean natural stone, a damp cloth or paper towel is usually all you need. For sticky spots, a little mild liquid dishwashing detergent can help.
- A good rule of thumb is – if you wouldn’t use it to wash your hands, you shouldn’t use it to clean your counters.
- Bleach and oil or citrus based cleaners should not be used. (ex. Windex, Soft Scrub, Pine-Sol, 409, etc.)
- Natural stone is porous and needs to be sealed with a natural stone surface impregnating sealer. This will help reduce the risk of the countertop staining. Light stones should be sealed every 6 months, darker stones should be sealed every 12 months. The countertops are sealed during the fabrication and installation process. An impregnating sealer must be reapplied periodically for the natural stone countertop to resist stains and maintain its repellant characteristics.
- We recommend using cutting boards although granite is scratch resistant, it is not scratch proof.
- Use coasters under glasses, especially those containing alcohol or juices.
- We recommend using hot pads or trivets for hot pots and pans. Although granite is heat resistant, it is not heat proof. Do not set a hot pot directly on the surface.
Engineered Stone Care & Maintenance
- Quartz is virtually nonporous and should not be sealed. Mold, mildew, and stain and odor causing bacteria cannot penetrate the surface.
- To clean quartz, a damp cloth or paper towel is usually all you need. To clean up sticky spots, a little mild liquid dishwashing detergent can help. Clean up spills as soon as you can.
- Magic Eraser or SoftScrub will help to remove any surface level staining.
- Keep oven cleaners, silver polish, nail polish remover, drain cleaner, paint thinners, and alkaline cleaning products with PH>12 away from your quartz counters. Wipe down and rinse with water immediately if any of the above mentioned come in contact with your countertop.
- Bathroom cleaners, abrasive cleaners, and oil-based cleaners should not be used on your countertops.
- Do not use ammonia or bleach on your countertops.
- For stubborn or dried spills, use a glass or surface cleaner and a nonabrasive sponge or plastic putty knife.
- We recommend using cutting boards although quartz is scratch resistant, it is not scratch proof.
- Although quartz is heat resistant up to 350°, it is not heat proof. Setting a hot pot directly on the surface can cause the material to scorch and it cannot be repaired. We recommend using hot pads or trivets for hot pots and pans.
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