Q. I used an oil stain remover made for natural stone on my light whitish-gray quartzite to remove a very faint oil ring. I did only one section and the area turned white, almost bleached. From what I could tell, the stain was gone. I contacted... Read More

What You Need to Know About Applying Coatings Over Silicon Impregnator The most important thing to do when applying coatings is to make sure you are able to achieve proper adhesion.  Fred Hueston, Chief Technical Director of Surface Care Pros and... Read More

Do Not Apply a Silicon Impregnator Over a Stain If natural stone is stained, applying a silicon impregnator is a bad idea. The stain should be addressed first. Once the stain is removed, then apply the impregnator. Fred Hueston, Chief Technical... Read More

The mildew on you grout has penetrated deeply. To remove it, you will have to prepare a mixture of bleach and an abrasive cleaner like Soft Scrub. Apply the thick mixture to the grout with a paint brush and allow it to set overnight. Rinse the thick... Read More

Wax build-up on a vertical surface can be difficult to remove, since most strippers will run. Janitorial supply stores do offer spray-on baseboard wax removers that work very well; since they are applied as a foam, they will cling to vertical... Read More

The newspaper ink has probably soaked into the marble, and may require a poultice to remove, but first try cleaning the area with a white cloth and some acetone. Be careful with the acetone, since it can be flammable, and keep it away from any... Read More

First try cleaning with some acetone and a clean white rag. Blot the stain with the rag. Do not rub the stain, since this may only spread it around making it worst. Depending on how long the marker has remained on the floor it may require a poultice.... Read More

The best cleaner to use for removing grout residue from a granite floor is sulfamic acid. Sulfamic acid is sold as a grout cleaner and works well on granite surfaces. Do not use on marble or limestone since the acid will etch these surfaces. Sulfamic... Read More

Q. My friend cleans houses for a living, she mentioned she has seen marble showers become porous with time. Is this due to having a sealant?   A. Marble is a porous stone. Sealers can enhance stain resistance by filling the pores of the stone and... Read More

To properly apply an impregnator it is important that the stone is thoroughly saturated with sealer. If too much sealer is applied it will puddle on the surface. This excess should be removed, otherwise it will dry and form a sticky residue. If this... Read More