Caring for your natural stone surfaces
Regular maintenance procedures are important to protect your investment and give you many years of beauty and enjoyment.
Regular Cleaning
A clean rag, water and a small amount of neutral cleanser, such as mild dish soap or a stone soap (available at most hardware and building centres) are more than sufficient to maintain a safe and clean surface. Rinsing thoroughly is a good practice to avoid soap scum build-up. Dry the surface after cleansing.
For oily spills that may occur, simply wash with a mild cleanser (such as Palmolive liquid dish soap) wipe with water, dry.
Rule-of-thumb: wipe up spills as soon as they occur. Prevention is the best policy and preventing spills from sitting on the surface for any great length of time helps to avoid staining.
Some Precautions
When caring for any natural stone surface, it is very important not to use any harsh commercial detergents or ammonia–based cleansers. This includes products such as VIM, Mr. Clean®, S.O.S.® Pads, Windex® and other similar cleansers.
Coasters are an excellent and easy way to protect your surface from harsh acids contained in most alcoholic beverages and citrus juices.
Avoid exposing a natural stone surface to strong acidic products common in the kitchen like lemons, limes, mustards and the like by using a cutting board during food preparation.
Use trivets and hot-pads to guard against hot items damaging the surface of the stone. Though natural stone is highly heat-resistant, prevention is the best policy!
Avoid ammonia–based cleansers as they will dull the sheen and surface of the stone. Use non-acidic scum removers in the event of soap scum.
Always use a cutting board when using knives or other cutting utensils.
In the event of a stain issue please contact our Customer Care Department
Long Term Care and Maintenance
Natural stone countertops are thoroughly sealed with a layer of silicone impregnator at the time of original installation. Sealing natural stone surfaces is important in order to prevent staining when accidents occur.
We recommend re-sealing a countertop at a minimum of once every 5 years. Re-sealing is a preventative measure, especially for highly used countertops, to achieve maximum protection and maintain the original appearance for years to come.
Care and Maintenance for Engineered Quartz
The natural quartz in Silestone makes it the toughest interior surface available on the market. It resists scratching, staining and scorching better than any other natural stone or solid surface. Do avoid excessive force or pressure because that may mar or chip the surface. Don’t worry about spills from coffee, wine, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, makeup, and many other common household products; just avoid harsh chemicals. And don’t worry about dropping a lit match onto your Silestone countertop; it won’t scorch. But, use trivets when placing any hot items to avoid thermal shock.
Regular Cleaning
For engineered quartz with a polished finish, we recommend you use a mild household cleaner, such as 409®, Fantastik®, Lysol®, or Windex®.
In case of stubborn spills or stains, soak the area for up to 10 minutes with one of the above cleaners and vigorously wipe away with a non–scratch Scotch Brite® pad.
Silestone® Leather™ does show daily living more frequently and therefore requires more daily maintenance than other Silestone Quartz products. For your daily cleaning routine we recommend Countertop Magic™ follow instructions on bottle of cleaner.
Some Precautions
The following will harm engineered quartz: Drano®, Liquid Plumr®, oven cleaners and floor strippers. Do NOT use these or any other harsh chemicals on your Silestone surface.
Do NOT use crock pots or electric skillets while in direct contact with your engineered quartz surfaces. Always place them on a trivet or cutting board to protect your countertop. (Review your electric appliance manual as a reference.) Silestone is a stone product. As with any natural stone, certain exposure to heat may cause cracks due to thermal shock.