What is the best way to clean granite, marble and onyx?
Handy Andy® and Windowlene® are good products to use for daily cleaning of granite. Marble and onyx should ideally be cleaned with natural stone cleansers. To prolong the need for resealing granite, use a wax-based product or Mr Min® approximately twice a week.
What is the best way to get rid of stubborn stains on granite, marble and onyx?
Due to their porous nature, all of these stone types can stain. Granite slabs that are light in colour with a fine grain are more prone to staining, so it is best to clean off stain-prone substances as soon as possible. Should your marble, granite or onyx countertop get stained, follow this procedure:
- Create a paste with plaster of Paris and Jik®
- (Fabricators: plaster of Paris can be replaced with aluminium powder.)
- Cover and seal the area with plastic such as Gladwrap®
- Leave the covered paste for 24 hours, then remove.
How often do marble and granite need to be resealed?
Marble and onyx are very sensitive and should be resealed every 6 months: Akemi® is an excellent sealer that you can apply yourself. High-gloss marble provides the most resilient finish, as it creates a less porous surface than usual. You supplier will be able to tell you whether your preferred slab has a high-gloss finish. Granite needs to be resealed less often if you have been regularly polishing it with a wax-based product or Mr Min®
General care and maintenance for granite, marble and onyx:
- Do not sit, stand or kneel on your counter.
- Do not cut directly on the surface as scratching will occur.
- Do not drop heavy objects onto the surface.
- Using a trivet for resting hot objects away from your surface is recommended.
- Do not use abrasive cleaners.
- Do not forcefully scrub any area of the countertop.
- Do not allow water to pool around sinks and faucets areas for prolonged periods of time.