General cleaners not specifically formulated
for natural stone or tileare
never recommended.These can breakdown
the sealer, thereby removing its protective properties and making
the stone and tile grout susceptible to stains. Worse yet, many
cleaning products, including those that contain lemon, vinegar,
bleach or ammonia can etch away the polish, discolor the surface,
or even scratch your stone. Many
cleaners have what is called a chelating agent in them.This
agent breaks down and dissolves minerals in hard water. Since
all stone is made up of minerals, these types of cleaners will
dissolve and cause streaks over prolonged use. Pro-Care offers
the complete line of StoneTech Professional™ Products.
Marble is softer and more porous than most
stone; it not only scratches easily, but also etches easily. Marble
is sensitive to acids
in many different food items (including citrus products, sodas,
etc.) and the chelating agents in household cleaners. See the
section marked maintenance for more on chelating agents. Pro-Care
offers rust and stain removal as well as cleaning, polishing,
and sealing of marble floors and countertops. For best results,
have your marble sealed and use a neutral stone cleaner such
as StoneTech Professional™ stone and tile cleaner available
through Pro-Care.
Terrazzo appears more uniform than most
natural stones and is available in tile form or by a pouring application
on the slab. Terrazzo
is a mixture of Portland cement and marble chips; these chips
can range in size from a fraction of an inch to as large as several
inches. Pro-Care offers Terrazzo cleaning, polishing and sealing.
For best results, have your terrazzo sealed and use a neutral
stone cleaner such as StoneTech Professional™ stone and
tile cleaner available through Pro-Care.
