Care and Maintenance

Q. I have Emerald Pearl in my kitchen and Black galaxy in my bathroom. Both are dull not shiny. When you wipe them with a wet cloth they look GREAT as soon as they dry dull. I want them to look shiny like a sheet of glass How can I do this??? A.... Read More

Q. I have a polished White Carrera marble floor. A solvent-based enhancing sealer was applied about a week and a half ago. It seeped through the outer edges and darkened the stone. Someone recommended a poultice. I want to try it. Please tell me... Read More

Q. I have polished white marble that is to slippery for the floor what is the best way to take away the polish ? I have not laid the tile yet ? We are planning to lay the floor asap.  A. Your best options are a slip resistance treatment or changing... Read More

Q. We have a new home with black limestone in the master bathroom shower. I am looking to make a DIY cleaner for routine cleaning of the stone. Do you have a recipe or suggestion of products to use to make the cleaner? A. DIY cleaners can be... Read More

Q. We moved into a new house 6 months ago that has a shower stall made with 4x4 tumbled travertine tiles. We live in Phoenix where the water is pretty hard and the stone is getting a hazy white appearance to it most likely from the hard water. We... Read More

Q. We have two marble bathroom bowls that have soap scum on them. The bowls also have some chips on the surface. A. A good quality soap scum remover should be able to solve the problem (assuming the problem is, in fact, soap scum), but the chips... Read More

Q. The floor of my shower stall is covered with grouted sliced stones on mesh. The contractor sealed the floor with a "wet-enhancing" sealer about 3 years ago. I've noticed that the lighter stones have become rust-colored. (We have hard water... Read More

Q. Can acrylic be stripped off marble floors? A. Yes, acrylic or any sort of topical coating can be stripped off of a marble floor. However, the process can be problematic, so it is not advisable to attempt this as a do it yourself project. Stripper,... Read More

Q. Our dark granite counters are smooth but porous. No amount of cleaning, polishing, sealing leaves a lustrous, even finish. We have light granite counters in another home that clean and polish with no imperfections. Can they be refinished and... Read More

Q. Is there a solvent that can be used to safely remove years old grout haze from porcelain tile? I can provide more information as you need. Thank you. A. For standard grout, you will need an acid-based grout cleaner. For epoxy grout, then a... Read More