Which stone / tile do you have questions on?
Marble Restoration Questions
Q: We used a regular tile and grout cleaner in our marble shower. Why is the shine completely gone, and how can I get it back?A: Unfortunately, you have used an acid cleaner that etched, or burned, the marble. The only way to restore the shine and color is to call International Stoneworks at (713) 956-8291.
- For the daily or weekly cleaning of marble shower, we recommend Akemi Crystal Clean.
- We recommend that marble be sealed (2 applications) with Seal & Go® S water and stain (grease) repellent penetrating sealer.
- Maintain the shine and protection of the non-floor marble or granite with Stone Essentials™ Countertop Polish spray.
Q: I have a new marble floor, vanities, and shower in my master bathroom. Do I need to seal them?
A: We recommend the following:
- Protect your marble and grout with 2 applications of Seal & Go® S water and stain (grease) repellent penetrating sealer.
- Maintain the shine and protection of the non-floor marble surfaces with Stone Essentials™ Countertop Polish spray.
- Clean the stone floor as needed with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green and clean the stone tops and showers regularly with Akemi Crystal Clean.
For sealing instructions and more information about stone sealers, please refer to our blog,"Smooth Sealing."
Note: The sealer will not protect the marble against acid, ammonia and other inappropriate chemicals.
Q: How do you clean watermarks on marble shower walls?
A: "Watermarks" are actually light etch marks in the marble. Typically you cannot "clean" them. If the marble shower is a few years old, the marble will probably have to be sanded, polished, and resealed by International Stoneworks.
In the meantime, try cleaning with Akemi Crystal Clean and polish with our Stone Essentials™ Countertop Polish to see if it cosmetically hides the watermarks. Countertop Polish contains a liquid wax and some silicone for water-repellency.
For further information on how to remove calcium deposits, refer to our blog, "Getting Rid of Those Pesky Calcium Deposits."
Q: I recently had black marble countertops installed in my kitchen, and applied Aqua Mix Stone Enhancer sealant after installation. However, I am already having problems with citrus juice spills "etching" into the stone as well as water marks. I was told by the installer that because the stone is porous, these stains would eventually evaporate out. This does not appear to be happening.
A: Marble contains calcium carbonate, a chemical substance, which reacts to acids. Sealers such as the Aqua Mix or our Seal & Go ® S are meant to protect marble against grease, coffee, tea, milk, etc. BUT NOT acids such as lemon juice, orange juice, vinegar, etc.
I suggest the following procedure to make your life a little less stressful regarding your counter top:
- Clean the top every day with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
- Maintain the polish and protection weekly with Stone Essentials™ Countertop Polish spray:
- Spray contains a liquid wax, a cleaner and silicone.
- Once a year, call us to hone (sand to remove scratches and etch marks), polish and seal the marble.
Q: I've had hurricane damage to my marble floors. My once beautiful marble floor looks dull and discolored. What can I do to get my marble floor back?
A: The removal of shine and the discoloration indicates to me that you have water damage. If the water came from the surface (from flooding for example), the discoloration and lack of shine is most likely from debris.
I would recommend you damp mop the marble floor with a neutral cleaner such as Lavenet or Lavenet Green and then dry as best as you can with floor fans and dehumidifiers. Then call International Stoneworks at (713) 956-8291 to professionally clean, resurface, and bring back the shine with our grinding system. We can also use the poultice method to remove deeper stains. However, in certain cases, some stains may be too deep to remove.
If the water came from underneath the marble, that is a more damaging problem as it has penetrated throughout the stone from the bottom up. In this case, you need to look into replacing your marble floor.
For more information on how to prevent future damage in the case of a storm, please refer to our blog, "Simple Ways to Protect Your Stone During Hurricane Season."
Q: I have marks on my marble floor after my dog had an accident on the marble. The spots are all over the floor. Do you have a product to clean these spots?
- Urine or gastric acids will etch these stones. The only way to remove the etch marks is to "hone" (sand) and repolish the marble. International Stoneworks, Inc. can professional restore your marble floor.
- You can contact International Stoneworks or try the following:
- Ver Glow #1 white: non-acid honing compound, Followed by
- Ver Glow #2 white: non-acid polishing compound
Q: I have a ten year old marble floor that has lost its shine. I thought stones would last forever.
A: Stone actually does last for a very long time. However, the shine on the surface of the stone does not. A 10-year-old marble floor needs to be professionally restored. Call International Stoneworks if you are in or around the Houston area. If this service is not available in your area, you can try:
- Ver Glow #1 white non-acid honing (sanding) compound followed by,
- Ver Glow #2 white non-acid polishing compound.
Q: I would like to clean my family's marble tombstones, but there is no electrical outlet in the cemetery. How can I clean and polish these tombstones?
A: My recommendations are:
- Thoroughly clean the marble with a heavy duty alkaline marble cleaner such as Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
- Seal the marble with Seal & Go® S penetrating sealer.
- Polish the marble with the Top Kit Polishing Paste.
- Repeat once every three months with all these products.
Q: I have a marble and grout floor that is very dirty. Can you advise me on how to resolve these problems?
- For heavy duty cleaning of natural stone floors, we recommend Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
- To seal all these natural stones, we recommend Seal & Go® S water/stain repellent penetrating sealer. Note: The sealer will not protect the marble against acids.
For more information on grout cleaning, please refer to our blog, "Grout Cleaning 101."
Q: How do I polish a marble floor? Also, how can I remove ring stains from a marble table?
A: To polish the marble floor, call International Stoneworks. In the meantime, you can clean the marble on a regular basis with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green:
- To remove the "ring" (which is actually an etch mark), try our Etch Removing Kit.
Granite Restoration Questions
Q: We have just installed a granite countertop in our kitchen and a kitchen island. Do we need to seal it and how can we maintain it?A: Most granites are resistant to heat and etching (from acids such as lemon juice, orange juice, etc.) However, most granite types are somewhat porous and need to be protected against oils, butter and other greasy ingredients.
- For the daily cleaning of granite, we recommend Akemi Crystal Clean.
- If your granite has never been sealed, we recommend sealing with (2 applications) of Seal & Go® S water and stain (grease) repellent penetrating sealer. Reseal annually.
- Maintain the shine and protection of the marble countertop with Stone Essentials™ Countertop Polish.
For sealing instructions and more information about stone sealers, please refer to our blog, "Smooth Sealing."
Q: I have a dark colored stain on my granite countertop. How can I remove it?
- Clean first with Lavenet neutral stone cleaner.
- For grease and oil stains on granite, use our Akemi Oil & Grease Remover.
- After the stain is removed, seal the stone with Seal & Go® S water and stain (grease) repellent penetrating sealer.
Q: I have granite countertops in my kitchen and a slate patio that I want to clean on a weekly basis. However I'm trying to be environmentally conscious and reduce my carbon footprint. Can you suggest any products that I can use for my natural stone that are eco-friendly?
A: It is evident that home and business owners are taking part in the "green" movement and want to use products that are environmentally-friendly. For daily or weekly cleaning, I recommend Lavenet Green, a biodegradable, VOC compliant product that works just as effectively as regular Lavenet. For the annual sealing of your natural stone, we have Seal & Go® W, which is a water-based, VOC compliant sealer.
Q: We recently had a granite grill top installed on our brick patio. Rain darkens the granite considerably, and the darker color is much more compatible with the brick. Is there a color enhancer that would give me this darker look but without a shiny surface look?
A:Yes, we do have penetrating sealers that darken granite without adding shine. I recommend you review the information on Seal & Go® Enhancer S.
I recommend that the following procedure be used to maintain the granite following the sealing:
- Clean the top as needed with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
- Once a year, re-seal the granite.
For more information about enhancer sealers, please refer to our blog, "Don't Just Seal Your Stone, Enhance It."
Q: I am the property manager of a medium sized downtown building. Last year, the owners of the building decided to upgrade it and replace our brick paver lobby with shiny black granite. The floor looked great at first, but now on the traffic lanes, the shine is gone and the floor looks gray instead of black. Any suggestions?
A: Granite is a hard stone. To restore the traffic areas to their original "new" look, International Stoneworks can grind and polish the granite with our diamond grinding system. Note that this typically is expensive. However, there is another solution which will allow you to bring back some of the shine and color, and serve as a maintenance program:
- Hone (sand) the traffic areas of the granite floor with our Granite Glow® powder.
- Polish with Granite Glow® and Akemi Pink Crystallizer.
- Clean daily with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
Please see the information, MSDS, and instructions for use for all these products on our Web site. Feel free to call us at (713) 956-8291 for more information.
Q: How do I care for and maintain my granite floor?
A: For the weekly cleaning of a granite floor, we recommend Lavenet Ready-to-Use or Lavenet Green Ready-to-Use stone cleaner. Spray Lavenet lightly on the floor, and mop it with a damp cotton mop. You may have to dry the floor with a towel.
For the protection of granite floors, we recommend sealing once a year with Seal & Go® S water and stain (grease) repellent penetrating sealer.
For polishing worn areas, contact International Stoneworks, Inc.
Q: My mother-in-law has a brand new granite top in her kitchen. How can she keep the top shiny. Any tips?
A: Yes! First clean the surface with Akemi Crystal Clean, then order some Stone Essentials™ Countertop Polish and she will thank you forever (maybe). Do not use Countertop Polish spray on floors.
For more information on these products, and their applications, please call or e-mail us.
Q: I have flamed granite in front of my house. I would like to protect it but it looks faded. What do you suggest? A:
- Deep clean first with Green Solutions Floor Finish Remover
- Seal with Seal & Go® Enhancer S, a solvent-based penetrating sealer which will slightly darken the granite.
For more information on caring for flamed granite, please refer to our blog, "Flamed Granite: Feeling the Heat."
Q: There is a white deposit around the faucets of my red granite kitchen top. Can you advise me on how to resolve this?
- To clean light calcium deposits around the faucet, clean regularly with Akemi Crystal Clean.
- To clean heavy calcium deposits on granite surfaces (Be careful. This will etch marble & limestone), we recommend TGR (Tile & Grout Restorer).
Q: My bathroom has a granite shower with a glass door. Can I use MDR to clean the calcium deposit from both?
A: Yes, you can use a solution of MDR (Mineral Deposit Remover) to clean the calcium deposits. Test a 50/50 solution in an unobtrusive area first.
- We recommend that you protect your granite shower with 2 applications of Seal & Go® S water and stain (grease) repellent penetrating sealer.
- Maintain the shine and protection of the granite with Stone Essentials™ Countertop Polish spray.
- For the regular cleaning of the granite shower use Akemi Crystal Clean.
Travertine Restoration Questions
Q: I installed a beautiful honed cross-cut travertine floor in our living room. Problem is, the sample tiles we chose look much better than the floor did after installation. Should I ask the installer to replace the floor? It looks like the floor is always dirty no matter how much cleaning we do.A: Sometimes, following installation, the cement grout leaves a residue on the stone or even slightly "etches" the travertine.
- First try a non-acidic grout release type cleaner.
- If this grout release is not enough, the travertine can be re-honed on site with Ver Glow #1. This is a non-acid honing compound, which should give the floor a more uniform patina.
- Seal the travertine and grout with Seal & Go® S. This is a water/stain repellent penetrating sealer that will not change the appearance of the floor.
- Clean the floor weekly or as needed with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
For more information about how to care for Travertine, please refer to our blog, "All About Travertine."
Q: My travertine floor is only a couple of years old and I have noticed that it is "pitting." Is it normal that my travertine has these holes?
Travertine is a stone that naturally has voids (holes). The voids (or holes) can be filled during the fabrication process, but over time these fills can pop out. Part of our job during the restoration process is to re-fill these voids.
You can also re-fill these holes yourself with the Akemi® Marmorkitt 1000 S-Soft Travertine Light Ivory.
For more information on how to fill travertine voids, please refer to our blog, "Filling the Void... Literally."
Limestone Restoration Questions
Q: We have French limestone kitchen countertops. They have been sealed 2 times and will be sealed a third. However, there are water rings and some other spots that I would like to remove or clean. What product do you recommend? The limestone countertops are a honed finish, but are smooth and not very shiny. Thanks!A: Limestone contains calcium carbonate, a chemical substance, which reacts to acids. Sealers such as our Seal & Go ® S are meant to protect marble against grease, coffee, tea, milk, etc. but not acids such as lemon juice, orange juice, vinegar, etc. Here are some ways you can help maintain the honed finish:
Seal the limestone once a year with Seal & Go® S.
Clean the top every day with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
Once a year, you might have to call International Stoneworks to hone (sand to remove scratches and etch marks) and seal the limestone.
Remember, nothing will protect the limestone against acids (water is typically slightly acidic), so I recommend you do the best you can to maintain it while using it until it is time to restore it.
For more information on limestone care, please refer to our blog, "Triple A."
Q: I have a limestone floor. How can I clean and protect it?
A: Browse the Residential Products link for more information on products for sealing and maintaining your stone. For the proper maintenance of your limestone floor, we recommend:
- For the daily or weekly cleaning of a limestone floor, we recommend a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
- Seal with 2 applications of Seal & Go® S. This sealer is a water and stain (grease) repellent penetrating sealer.
Sometimes honed limestone can trap embedded dirt. If this is the case, call International Stoneworks, Inc. and we can professional scrub clean and re-hone the limestone.
Slate Restoration Questions
Q: I have a slate patio that I want to clean on a weekly basis. Do you have any eco-friendly products that I can use for my natural stone?A: We have developed a whole line of green products for maintenance and restoration of natural stone. Check out our Green Products Page for more information.
For daily or weekly cleaning, I recommend eco-friendly Lavenet Green. It is a biodegradable, VOC compliant product that works just as effectively as regular Lavenet. For sealing your natural stone, you can use Seal & Go® W, which is a water-based, VOC compliant sealer.
Q: I have a new slate floor. I would like to have a medium gloss on the slate, but I would also like to darken the stone a bit. Should I use one of the color enhancing sealers I saw on your website?
A: You can certainly use a color-enhancing penetrating sealer to darken the slate. However, this type of sealer will not give you shine. You could also use a topical sealer, which is the only way you can get shine on the slate. We recommend the following procedure:
- Thoroughly clean the floor with a 10 to 20% solution of MDR (Mineral Deposit Remover).
- Rinse very well and allow the floor to dry at least 2 hours.
- Intensify (darken) the slate with our Seal & Go® Enhancer S (See appropriate directions). Allow 8 hours to dry.
- Seal the floor with Seal Out topical sealer. This sealer will give you a light shine (one application) or medium shine ( 2-3 applications).
- For further information on these products, their applications, please call us or e-mail us.
For more information about enhancer sealers, please refer to our blog, "Don't Just Seal Your Stone, Enhance It."
Q: I have grease stains on my slate backsplash in the kitchen. How can I remove these stains and maintain the slate?
A: We recommend the following:
- First, remove the stains from the slate backsplash by using Akemi Oil & Grease Remover. If the stains are too deep you may need to call us.
- Once you have removed these stains protect with Seal & Go® S.
- Maintain the shine (if needed) and protection with Stone Essentials™ Countertop Polish.
- For the regular cleaning of all stones, use a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
For more information on stain removal, please refer to our blog, "Removing Stains From Natural Stone."
Q: I have a slate floor that scratches easily. How can I remove the scratches and prevent them from coming back?
A: Unfortunately, not all slate has the same resistance to scratches. Some slate is much softer than others. You can coat your slate, but you may have scuff marks on the coat, and it will require constant buffing and care. Additionally, the wax and/or seal coat will not prevent the slate from being scratched by heavy objects such as chairs. If the slate is honed and not textured, it can be re-honed (sanded) and re-sealed. However, scratches will come back. This is a service we offer, and this refinishing can be done on a yearly basis if needed. If you are in the Houston area, please feel free to call us at 713-956-8291, and ask for a quote.
Q: There are dark marks on my kitchen's slate flooring. This floor stains very easily and I have difficulty keeping it clean. What do you recommend?
A: We recommend the following:
- We recommend that you first try to clean the floor and stains with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green.
- Should the stain remain, we suggest that you try S.A.C (Stain Absorbing Compound) then seal the floor with Seal & Go® S. Please note that whatever penetrating sealer you use, you need at least two heavy applications.
- Please call us for details at 713-956-8291.
For more information about cleaning and maintaining slate, please refer to our blog, "Restoring and Cleaning Slate."
Brick Paver Restoration Questions
Q: I have an old brick paved floor with many years of wax. I would like to refinish it while keeping it dark and shiny. What should I do?A: First thoroughly strip the floor with Zoom. Use gloves because this is a powerful stripper. Second, partially seal the tile and grout with Seal & Go® Enhancer S; then seal the surface with Seal Out. This will allow the color intensifier to darken the floor while still allowing the topical sealer to hold and give the floor the shine you require. Lastly, clean the floor weekly with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green. Please call or e-mail us for a quote or if you have any questions.
Q: I have a brick floor and I like the natural/ rustic look. How can I protect the brick without making it shiny? A.
- Scrub clean the brick paver floor first with Green Solutions Floor Finish Remover.
- Protect the brick paver with Seal & Go® S. This sealer is a penetrating sealer that will not darken or add shine to the floor. It will just protect.
For more information on restoring brick paver, please refer to our blog, "Brick By Brick."
Porcelain Tile Restoration Questions
Q: I think I have made a mistake by choosing a pink grout in all of my bathrooms. We have beautiful Spanish porcelain tiles. The grout is getting dirty and has white residue, which I assume is due to the hard water we have in our area. I don't want to change the color of my grout and every product we have tried (including bleach) to make our grout lighter or whiter does not seem to work. Do you have a magic solution?A: No magic I'm afraid. However, our TGR (Tile & Grout Restorer) will not change the color of your grout while thoroughly cleaning it. By the way, make sure you seal the grout with Seal & Go® S (water/stain repellent penetrating sealer) after the grout is dry.
For more information on grout cleaning, please refer to our blog, "Grout Cleaning 101."
Ceramic Tile Restoration Questions
Q: I own a small janitorial company. The biggest complaint I get from the property managers of the buildings I clean is that the ceramic tile bathroom flooring is dirty. I know it's not true because we clean them nightly and seal them monthly. Any suggestions?A: Yes! Please find below the procedure I suggest:
- Strip the floor with Zoom to remove the sealer/wax. Waxing a tile bathroom floor is not a solution. Wax attracts dirt and soon the tile and grout look yellow and dirty.
- Clean the floor with MDR (Mineral Deposit Remover).
- Polish the tile with Tile Glow® #2, a non-wax polishing compound, which will give the tile a natural, long-lasting shine. This shine should last at least one year.
- Note that for most property managers, shine equals clean and shine without wax equals no scuff marks.
For more information about tile polishing, please refer to our Tile Glow® Product Demonstration Video: ttp://www.intlstoneworks.com/products.htm#demos
Q: How can I restore and maintain an old ceramic tile floor?
A: For your ceramic tile floor, I recommend the following:
- First strip the tile and grout with a solution of the Zoom stripper. This stripping will remove topical dirt and acrylic wax from the floor.
- Second scrub the tile and grout with TGR (Tile & Grout Restorer). This scrubbing will thoroughly clean the tile and grout.
- None of the above will add shine to the floor. If the tile was glazed initially, it probably will be shiny. If you need to add shine, we recommend an application of Seal Out topical sealer/finish. Do not add too much because the build up will require more maintenance.
- The other method of adding shine is our no-wax polishing system called the Tile Glow® System. Click here for more information.
Q:The white grout in my kitchen has become very dirty. The tile is an old ceramic tile. Is MDR (Mineral Deposit Remover) the right product to clean my tile and grout? I also have tile around the pool that needs attention. Can I use MDR there as well?
A: MDR is an excellent product to clean the tile and grout in your kitchen. It also is a good product to clean calcium deposits from ceramic tile around the pool. It may require some scrubbing. Also note that MDR contains phosphoric acid: if some of the MDR gets into the pool, you might have to adjust the pH of the water.
Saltillo / Mexican Tile Restoration Questions
Q: I have Mexican tiles in my home, and want to know how to restore them. What should I do?A: You most likely need to strip the floor first. The most efficient wax stripper we offer is a product called Zoom. If you want to do the work yourself, you will need a stripping brush (we offer two types - for machines or with a handle).
Note: if the sealer on your tile is a solvent sealer, such as polyurethane, Zoom is not sufficient. You will need to use a solvent-based stripper. Be very careful -- solvent strippers are best handled by professionals, so please call International Stoneworks at (713) 956-8291.
To seal the Saltillo tiles you can use:
- Seal & Go® Enhancer S: a solvent, stain repellent sealer that will darken the tile, but not add shine
- Seal Out: a topical sealer that will add a medium shine to the floor
- Seal & Go® S: a penetrating sealer that will add neither color nor shine to the tile
For more information on Saltillo tile restoration, please refer to our blog, "Caring for Saltillo (Mexican) Tile."
Soapstone Restoration Questions
Q: I hear a lot about Soapstone. Do you recommend it for kitchen tops? How would you maintain it?A:Soapstone is a non-porous material, which means that it should not stain. It is probably a good choice for kitchen tops if you like the color. Unfortunately, I have only seen a light gray or green colored Soapstone. You can darken these colors with mineral oil, but the choice of colors is still very limited.
