Easy Care Tips

• Coasters: Use under all glasses, especially for alcohol or citrus juices.
• Trivets: Recommended to protect stone from heat.
• Dust Mopping: Frequently dust mop interior floors with a clean, non-treated dry mop to avoid abrasive damage from sand and grit.
• Mats/Rugs: Place at entrances to minimize dirt and grit. Ensure slip-resistant backing.
• Vacuum Cleaners: Check for worn attachments or wheels that could scratch surfaces.
• Spills: Blot immediately with a paper towel. Flush with water and mild soap, rinse, and dry with a soft cloth.

Cleaning Tips

• Clean stone surfaces with a neutral cleaner, stone soap, or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water.
• Avoid excessive concentrations of cleaner or soap to prevent film or streaks. Follow manufacturer recommendations.
• Use a clean rag mop on floors and a soft cloth for other surfaces for best results.
• Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft cloth.
• Change the rinse water frequently.
• In bath or other wet areas, soap scum can be minimized by using a squeegee after each use. To remove soap scum, use a non-acidic soap scum remover or a solution of ammonia and water (about 1/2 cup ammonia to a gallon of water). Frequent or over-use of an ammonia solution may eventually dull the surface of some stone types.
• In outdoor pool, patio, or hot tub areas, flush with clear water and use a mild bleach solution to remove algae or moss.

Stain Types and Cleaning Methods

Food Stains

Cleaning Solution: Mild dish soap and warm water solution

Cleaning Method: Use a soft cloth in a circular motion, rinse, and dry with a soft towel.

Oil or Grease Stains

Cleaning Solution: Gentle household cleaner or degreaser

Cleaning Method: Apply, let sit, gently scrub with a non-abrasive sponge, rinse, and dry.

Coffee or Tea Stains

Cleaning Solution: Baking soda and warm water paste

Cleaning Method: Apply the paste, scrub gently with a soft cloth, rinse, and dry.

Ink Stains

Cleaning Solution: Isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide

Cleaning Method: Apply with a damp cloth, blot the stain, rinse with water, and dry.

Hard Water Stains

Cleaning Solution: White vinegar (use sparingly)

Cleaning Method: Soak a cloth or sponge, place over the stain, scrub gently after a brief period, rinse, and dry.

Red Wine Stains

Cleaning Solution: Hydrogen peroxide

Cleaning Method: Dampen a cloth, blot the spill, rinse, and dry.

Stain Identification Tips

Identifying the type of stain on the stone surface is the key to removing it. Stains can be oil-based, organic, metallic, biological, ink-based, paint-based, or acid-based. If you don’t know what caused the stain, consider likely staining agents that may have been present. Here are some questions to consider:

• Where is the stain located? Is it near a plant, a food service area, or an area where cosmetics are used?
• What color is it?
• What is the shape or pattern?
• What occurs in the area around the stain?

Overview

The majority of kitchen cabinets, particularly those made of wood, are designed to survive for many years. The timeless elegance of high-quality solid wood cabinets makes them a perfect complement to any kitchen. However, no matter the material of the cabinet, as time passes, some form of damage is bound to happen. At first glance, this damage may appear to have come out of nowhere. Most cabinet damage is caused by fluctuations in humidity and temperature.

Common Causes of Damage

Extreme Moisture and Temperature Changes:

• Kitchen temperature and humidity fluctuations are the leading cause of cracks in the wood center panel and cabinet doors that damage your kitchen cabinets. Wood is a natural material that will adjust to the humidity and temperature of your house over time.
• Even the best kitchen cabinets may swell in the summer and other humid months because wood readily absorbs the extra moisture in the air due to the higher relative humidity. When winter arrives, the humidity lowers, causing the wood to compress.
• Additionally, kitchen cabinet paint wears off over time due to the wood’s continual movement. These flaws manifest as tiny openings or thin fractures in the cabinet’s doors, joints, or corners.
• Prevention: If you manage the kitchen’s humidity properly, problems with painting won’t arise. To prevent cracks, maintain a constant humidity level of between 40 and 50 percent.

Cabinet Damage Caused by Water:

• The kitchen is one of the busiest areas in the home, so it’s not surprising that water spills and stains are common on painted cabinet surfaces.
• If your high-quality wood cabinets absorb even a tiny bit of water, they can quickly lose their quality and beauty. Cracking of butt joints in corner cabinets, paint peeling or bubbling, and expansion of wood materials are all possible results.
• However, if you have plywood cabinets and countertops rather than solid wood ones, it’s highly unlikely that your cabinets will become damaged due to water alone.
• Prevention: To prevent water damage to your kitchen cabinet materials, clean up any spills as soon as they happen.