Care - Maintenance
 

Office & Showroom
Skull House Lane
Appley Bridge, Nr Wigan,
Lancashire, England

Telephone: 01257 253069  
Fax: 01257 255769
E-mail: mail@finchgranite.com

 

 
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Granite Care & Maintenance Guide

Natural granite is hard wearing,functional and beautiful addition to any kitchen and if treated properly will last for many years. To help you keep it that way we have prepared Some guidelines and information about granite worktops that should be observed.

  • STAINING & ACIDS: In general granite will not stain easily. All stone, however, is porous to some extent, but Granite has very little porosity. Most colors will never show any moisture. A few colors may show some moisture if exposed for a period of time. For example, a puddle of water left on the counter for 30 minutes for some colors, may show a dark spot when the water is wiped away. This spot will then dry up and no evidence will show. Only a few colors demonstrate this trait. Our granite has a sealer applied by the fabricator, and again by us at the factory before being shipped for installation. Some customers prefer to apply extra layers of a stone sealer after the granite is installed. Strongly coloured foodstuffs such as blackcurrant, beetroot etc should be avoided if possible or cleaned off the surface as soon as possible as these substances can stain natural Marble & Granite surfaces.Acidic foodstuffs such as citrus juices, vinegars, tomato sauce and cola may etch the stone surface and affect the gloss polish. Clean the spills up as soon as they occur to prevent any damage.

  • HOT PANS:
    • Always use pan stands and trivets to protect stone surfaces from hot, rough, and wet pots, pans and utensils. Direct contact from iron, steel, ceramic and copper vessels can scratch and stain granite surfaces.We provide the option of removable Pan stands with your order, they are created using a similar process to drainage grooves. Channels are routed into the granite then 10mm satainless steel rods are slotted into the grooves. This allows any hot pans to be placed on the worktops as they are kept away from the surface of the granite preventing damage.These removable pan stands provide protection for your surfaces with the benefit of easy removal for cleaning. Pan stands can be added to your granite order and processed in the factory.Click here for an example of pan stands

  • DETERGENTS & CLEANERS:
    • Never use bleach and other chlorine based cleaners, acids, photographic development liquid, alkalis (caustic soda) and concentrated disinfectants on the stone surfaces. If any of these substances come into contact with the stone, clean them off immediately, otherwise surface damage will occur. Avoid use of abrasive cleaning materials: scouring powders/pads course steel wool and metal brushes ect.

  • SCRATCHING & CHIPS:
    • We are often told by customers that they wish to use Granite because it will not scratch. It is a common myth that granite cannot be scratched as it is perfectly possible to do so, after all if it can be cut into worktop sizes then it can be scratched.Under normal working conditions in a kitchen this will not be a problem. If this is a major concern we will be happy to give you a sample of the granite you wish to use for you to test it’s suitability for your everyday use. Do not cut directly on the granite surface unless you want to ruin your good knives and possibly scratch your granite. Always cut and chop on a wooden, glass or plastic cutting board to avoid any damage. Like any solid surface, high impact blows can harm granite. Because of its crystalline structure, it can chip if subjected to sharp hard objects.

  • CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS:
    • In normal use, clean the stone surface regularly with clean hot, soapy water or a mild detergent or neutral detergent(see bottom of page for products) and a soft cloth or sponge. Rinse off the surface then dry and polish with a soft cloth or sponge.

    Over time with normal kitchen use, stone work surfaces will start to dull and be in need of some attention. It is normal for the granite high gloss to weather in this way and can be restored by using special liquid polishes and cleaners available from us.

    CARE PRODUCTS FOR GRANITE & MARBLE:

    Finch's supply a wide range of cleaning products for you through our association with Akimi. There are a number of different types of kits as well as stand alone products for you to keep you work surface in prime condition including...

  • TRIPLE EFFECT COUNTER REFRESHER
  • STAIN REPELLENT
  • SILLICONE-BASED STONE POLISH
  • WAX-BASED STONE POLISH(INDOOR ONLY)
  • STONE CLEANER
  • OIL & GREASE REMOVER PASTE
  • ALGAE AND MILDEW REMOVER
  • STONE SEALER

    • For more information on the host of care products available please follow the link below to akimi's website. You can then call us with your exact requirements

    Visit Akimi website

    Caesarstone Care & Maintenance Guide

    CaesarStone requires very little maintenance to retain its color and shine, although Certain rules should still be observed.If treated correctly Caesarstone should last you for many years to come.

  • STAINING & ACIDS:
    • Caesarstone has a high resiliance to staining from Tea, soda, wine, vinegar, lemon juice, and strongly colored spices, however these substances should be cleaned off as soon as possible to avoid problems. Just wipe away with a little liquid detergent and a damp cloth, and the surface is like new.

  • HOT PANS:

    • CaesarStone can tolerate moderately hot temperatures for brief periods of time without warping, discoloring or otherwise being damaged. However, take care to avoid direct contact and radiant heat for a long time with hot items.As a precaution to protect your investment we would suggest the use of pan stands and trivets to protect any surfaces from hot, rough, and wet pots, pans and utensils.

  • DETERGENTS & CLEANERS:
    • Any multi-purpose cleaner or detergent can be used if diluted. We have found that the Astonish Range of kitchen & bathroom liquid spray cleaner to be the most effective. To remove adhered materials like food, gum, nail polish, dried paint, etc, first scrape away the excess with a sharp blade. If there are any grey metal marks on the surface, a regular cleaning agent will remove them.

  • SCRATCHING & CHIPS:
    • Caesarstone has a high resistance to scratches but should be cared for in the same way as granite. Do not cut directly on the caesarstone surface unless you want to ruin your good knives and possibly scratch your new worktop. Under normal working conditions in a kitchen there will not be a problem. If this is a major concern we will be happy to give you a sample of the caesarstone colour you have chosen for you to test it’s suitability for your everyday use. Always cut and chop on a wooden, glass or plastic cutting board to avoid any damage. Like any solid surface, high impact blows can harm your caesarstone worktop and it can chip if subjected to sharp hard objects.