Consumer News

Innovative Stone Care Products For Home Provide Peace Of Mind Against Stains And Spills

Posted: 9/7/2010

To protect natural stone surfaces in your home, seal them and use only specially formulated cleaning products created specifically for that purpose.

(NAPSA) - Protecting and cleaning stone countertops with everyday products may be doing more harm than good.

The wrong cleaning products can seriously damage or potentially ruin all types of natural stone surfaces found around the house.

"Although they seem like extremely hard surfaces, granite, marble, travertine, slate and other types of natural stone commonly used in homes are extremely porous," said Steve Wolf, DuPont™ Stone Care General Manager.

"A stone's polished shine doesn't mean it is sealed, allowing substances like juice, wine, ink and perfume to seep in, causing irreparable damage."

To thwart the many stain threats faced by natural stone every day, DuPont™ Stone Care offers a family of products to protect, clean and enhance the significant investment of having stone in the home.

With the following simple steps and regular cleaning using the correct products, countertops and floors can look new for a lifetime.

Protect: The best way to prevent stains on natural stone and grout lines is to treat its surface with a sealer to offer protection and to keep it looking new. While many stones are pre-sealed or sealed during installation, these sealers often wear away from everyday use and certain all-purpose cleaners. Depending on the amount of use, a countertop or floor can become susceptible to stain penetration within one year, with most sealers fading away after five years. Products like DuPont™ Granite & Marble Countertop Sealer will keep countertops protected.

Clean: Many homeowners use general all-purpose cleaners, disinfecting wipes or glass cleaners on their natural stone, which can degrade the stone's sealer and dull or erode the surface. Instead, specially formulated cleaners are necessary to remove residue from cooking oils, food spills, hair spray and other offenders. If a spill does occur, experts recommend removing as much of the material as possible without allowing it to spread by using a nonabrasive sponge; then simply spray the area with a cleaner such as DuPont™ Granite & Marble Countertop Cleaner + Protector.

Enhance: Whether daily use has dulled the stone or a shinier "wet" look is desired, the use of an enhancer can restore the luster to polished stone and tile or bring out the surface's color, depth and beauty. DuPont™ Stone Care has many enhancing products to treat most natural stone and tile surfaces, with or without shine, including DuPont™ Granite & Marble Countertop Polish.

The products are available in a variety of sizes at Lowe's, Floor & Decor, Kroger and other fine retailers across the country and at www.dupont.com/scmat.