Care and Maintenance

Q. I recently laid out 30 sq feet of marble tile in an entry way. The tile originally was of a high gloss polished look. After the grouting I had a persistent grout haze that would not go away. The instructions on the grout said to use vinegar and... Read More

Q. I recently washed the mirrors about the marble or granite tiles with vinegar. Now there are spots on the tiles. Is there a way to remove these? It feels a little rough on the top of the spots as if the coating came off a bit. What can I do? A.... Read More

Q.  I have a new home (1 year old). I chose to have crema marfil marble installed in the master bath. The entire floor and the walk-in shower are crema marfil. Neither the installer or the contractor gave me any warning about care of the stone and... Read More

Q. Hello, I have a 2'x3' piece of white marble and some black marbling in it along with what looks like shiny glistening stuff in it. It is not shiny for it's in its natural state. It has been out in the weather for a long time. It... Read More

Q. My fireplace surround is a honey colored marble which has become stained black from what I assume is smoke/soot from building fires in it. These stains appear to be below the surface, that is to say that the marble retains its sheen and most of... Read More

Q. My cat peed on the carpet, and it soaked thru to the concrete. The advice I've gotten included dousing the area with a water/bleach combination, "Enzyme D" product, or soaking the area with hydrogen peroxide then painting over it with Kilz... Read More

Q. What is the best cleaner to use on limestone floors? The floors in my bathroom are starting to look very dirty, with grayish marks and spots all over. A. It sounds like your floors have been etched -- probably by using an acid based cleaner. Many... Read More

Q. Is there any way to bring back the shine of dull spots on polished travertine? The cat threw up and we didn't discover it until the next morning. Then our son sprayed some floor cleaner on it and didn't get it all up so there are dull... Read More

Q. How can I remove white stains from rubbing alcohol dripping on my saltillo tile? The tile is sealed but the sealant probably needs to be redone.  A. The alcohol has removed the existing sealer. The best thing to do is to strip the existing... Read More

Q. I have 2" x 2" porcelain tiles for my shower floor. It accumulates a dark soap scum, etc. sticky buildup that is hard to remove. A regular scrub brush does not cut through to clean the tile. What products/tools are the best and safest to use. I... Read More