Maintenance and Care Guide

What you should know about your stones:

Polished marble is one of the most elegant and attractive surfaces of choice for those who can afford it, however, because of its delicate nature it can easily get stained or dulled from abrasives.

(Marble, along with Travertine and Limestone, are Calcites whose composition are lime and calcium which are some of the softest and porous of all stones/minerals.)

        What will hurt your Stones:

Sand and grit brought into your home from the bottom of your footwear can easily scratch and abrade the surface. Unprotected furniture legs may scratch your stone. Dragging heavy objects or sharp items on the floor can cause permanent deep scratches or gouges.

Calcites are easily discolored by spills from food and drinks, sitting pots, oil, ink, water damage, improper cleaning product; any product/food/drink containing acid will etch and/or dull your stone surfaces. For example: any fruit juice, carbonated beverages (especially sodas), wines and beers, fruits that are left on counters/floors that go bad will release their acids and cause excessive damage to your stone, and...more. Another source for etching and dulling are cleaning products containing acid. For example: Tile cleaners, Vinegar, Ajax, Soft Scrub, Limeaway, 409, Windex, Comet...Also cleaning products or anything high in alkalinity can discolor or dull your finished surfaces.

Your tap water may contain chlorine, salts, iron, calcium, lime, magnesium, potassium and other minerals. When water is used continuously to clean your stone, it may causing pitting, spalling and yellowing to certain types of materials. This is why it is important to protect your stones with a premium sealer and to maintain them with the proper cleaners.

    Maintenance Tips

Protect your stones with a premium sealer to reduce etch marks and prevent stains and contaminates from penetrating into your stone. To apply the sealer properly, use a professional stone care company. High traffic areas should be resealed on a regular basis.

Install a welcome mat by the main door to prevent sand and grit from spreading on the floor that causes scratches and dullness. A good quality mat will capture dirt before it is carried into your home.

Protect all furniture legs that come in contact with your stone with special felt pads or rubber/plastic feet. Proper protection will reduce the damage from scratches.

Place all plants on a base that will not scratch or leak water onto your stone.

Use only neutral cleaners or stone soap liquids specifically formulated for natural stones.

Dust mop or vacuum the floor at least 1-2 times per week to eliminate sand and grit so as to reduce the possibility of scratches. Do not use oil-treated dust mops on marble surfaces. Do not get the dust mop wet. If the floor is wet, be sure to dry it before dust mopping. Run the dust mop in one direction only... don't move it back and forth.

Damp mop the floor regularly 1-2 times per week to remove dirt and soil. Mix solutions as per manufacturers directions. Always use clean cold or warm water. Do not use hot water as it will cause the floor to streak. Rinse often.

Blot spills - Don't wipe because it will spread the spill. If your marble tends to streak every time that you clean, then dry the marble with a clean micro fiber cloth or buff it with a residential buffing machine.

     Guidelines for Micro MED Sealed Surfaces

On kitchen counters, vanities, or any walls (showers, wainscots, back splashes) jacuzzi tops, fireplaces, or any other sealed surface by Micro MED, just lightly spray the Daily Cleaner on your stone and after 30 seconds, give another light spray and clean it with the micro fiber cloth or sponge that was provided to you by the applicator. You will find that the blue sponge has superior cleaning abilities even though it is not abrasive and will not harm your stone. The Daily Cleaner, when used with a micro fiber cloth, will leave your surface 99.9% bacteria-free.

Once a week, it is imperative that you clean your stone with the Weekly Cleaner. This cleaner will clean and sanitize as well as the Daily Cleaner, but it also rejuvenates the sealer to a new condition once again, thereby giving your stone long lasting protection.

On glass, metals, sinks and fixtures, wood (except for floors as it will get too slippery), synthetic materials such as plastics, fiber glass, and painted walls, the Repellant Wash should be used with a micro fiber cloth to clean, sanitize, and renew the hydrophobic abilities of the sealer.

On all flooring, the NU Flooring Cleaner or the Stone Wash should be used with a Micro Fiber Mop. The Weekly Cleaner may be used on the flooring, but you must first test a small area (low traffic area) to see if it is too slippery. If it is, then you must use the NU Floor Cleaner. Innovative Sealing Solutions wants our customers to have the easiest cleaning methods available, but not at the risk of their safety.

In shower areas, you need to wipe down the entire surface (including your glass enclosure) at least twice a week, and then clean it with the Weekly Cleaner on your stone, and the Repellant Wash on your glass. Hard water deposits stain and erode your surfaces quickly. Even though they may be sealed, the corrosive aspects of the hard water may undo your protective coatings if not maintained within these guidelines. Just look at the Grand Canyon and how water formed the rocks as they are today! When water evaporates, the contaminates that are left behind are very damaging. The Micro MED sealed surfaces allow you the time to clean and restore your stone and glass to its original condition when it was first installed, but you must follow the proper maintenance guidelines. Continued evaporation of water along with soaps, shampoos, conditioners, etc will build up and ruin your shower areas even though they are professionally sealed.

Once your surfaces are sealed with Micro MED, you will find that you won't need as much of the cleaning solutions to clean. Your cleaners won't get absorbed by your surfaces since they are sealed...you are now cleaning the sealer and not the stone/surface!

Note that all Micro MED cleaning products are biodegradable, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. They were made to create a more environmentally safe home for the consumer.