Honed Kashmir White countertop: oil stains and sealant

I just had a company install a countertop for me. I don't want to deal with them further as they are very unpleasant. They were supposed to seal my honed countertop but I can't tell if they did. It takes no time at all for oil to soak in. I read anothe r website that had different opinions on how to make a poultice. One person recommended just soaking paper towel in acetone and having it sit there, covered with plastic wrap, for 14 hours. Another recommended a baking soda/Windex combo. I'd like to try and get it out now as most stains are easier to get out the sooner you attack them, right? How do I tell if it's sealed? How do I seal it myself as part of the regular upkeep and how often? And how do I get the oil stains out? I find overall that because it's pale in colour and very spotted, it hides water marks brilliantly, as well as crumbs and even minor staining. But the oil stains look terrible. Oh, and is it really possible that it will start to look shiny and polished only in places, over time? THANK YOU!

 

Dear Natasha:

 

“ is it really possible that it will start to look shiny and polished only in places, over time? ”

 

Oh yes indeed: maybe between the next 100 to 200 years or so… J

 

“ How do I tell if it's sealed? ”

 

I don't know. That stone is such a “sponge” that even if they applied the impregnator only once (and maybe not the right type of impregnator) it may look like it was never sealed. Apparently, by your saying, it does not appear as they sealed. For sure, they did not seal it well.

If you log on at:   http://www.mbstone.com/HH_promo/helpful_hints.htm you will find a very revealing and useful article about a good sealing job.

 

“ How do I seal it myself as part of the regular upkeep and how often? ”

 

Buy a good-quality impregnating sealer like MB-4 and then follow the directions printed on the bottle (plus the ones that you will find in the article that I indicated to you before). Keep in mind, however, that if for any chance they did apply an impregnator once to your stone, the new one may not work properly because of the presence of the other one. As for the frequency of applications, if MB-4 will work (should you decide to buy that), it should go a good few years.

As for the removal of the current oil stains, When it comes to stain removal, either you buy one of those expensive “Professional kits” (that true professionals seldom use!) at a stone retailer near you, or you can spend less money and get our comprehensive guidelines on how to remove stains by using inexpensive and far more effective means that you may already have in your household! Such impressive piece of literature will also tell you how to tell stains apart from “stains”, and what to do about the latter! It does carry a small price tag, and you can order it by logging on at:   http://www.mbstone.com/literature/literature.htm.   It's available in pay-per-download format and it's much cheaper than any kit on the market! Not to mention the little and much needed support you'd be giving to the cause – your cause - since every single penny of the cost of the article will be used to support it.

Also, will you please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose by logging on at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm? By spreading the word about this valuable site among your friend & family and the stone trades' people you've been dealing with, you will be rendering everybody a valuable service!

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

www.marblecleaning.org – The Only Consumers' Portal to the Stone Industry Establishment!