italian soapstone

I just had countertop installed. I love it, was told it is soapstone from Italy. It is green and black (honed looking surface). After reading, is it soapstone? How do I care for it? Too late to change it now after reading some of your comments so what is the best thing I can do? Can I use Corain/Granite cleaner? Thanks

 

Dear Barbara:

 

“ After reading, is it soapstone? ”

 

I really don't know. I was 37 when I move to this country from my native Italy and I started working in the stone biz since I was 15. For all I know there's only one soapstone in Italy and it is green.

What I also know is that certain distributors sell Petra di Cardoso as “Italian Soapstone”, which is not soapstone by a long shot! It is actually a terrible material for a kitchen countertop (it is calcareous phyllite) and would represent consumer fraud big time. So, I sure hope that what you have is indeed soapstone! It should be easy to find out: the true soapstone from Italy is extremely soft and can be scratched with a fingernail – literally. If it doesn't and it's hard to scratch instead… L

Assuming and hoping that it is soapstone, all you have to do is care for it with an appropriate cleaner like MB-5 and, oc cas ionally, treat it with some mineral oil. I really don't anything about the product that you mentioned.

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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