Looks like I was also mislead into sealing my Black Galaxy countertops unnecesarily. You mention using paint thinner to remove it. Can the specific kind you mention be found at home improvement stores like Lowes or Home Depot? Except for the sealer, I've never used any type of cleaner on them. I simply wipe them down with a damp cloth diaper every night but recently read that I should spray them with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water - good or bad idea?

 

Dear Shannon:

 

“ Can the specific kind you mention be found at home improvement stores like Lowes or Home Depot? ”

 

Absolutely: in the paint department.

At any paint store, too.

 

“ recently read that I should spray them with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water - good or bad idea? ”

 

IMO it is really a bad idea! It could be acceptable only (very) occasionally for disinfecting purposes, under particular circumstances, but certainly not on a routine basis.

Your own reported cleaning procedure would be all right only if you don't use your countertop too much, because if you do, it would not do much cleaning. (You wouldn't do your dishes with just water, would you?…)

 

All in all, I can see the usual routine: they told you to seal a stone that could not be sealed, but they “forgot” to tell you what to use to properly clean it.

And The issue of what you'll be doing day in and day out to your stone is – as it should be intuitive – vastly more important than its sealing (if and when possible and/or advisable) and it's all too often neglected. As you can tell by reading many of this site's postings, you're not likely to get good information about routine care from your dealer or installer. Don't become another statistic! By logging into the Helpful Hints section of our website at:  http://www.mbstone.com/HH_promo/helpful_hints.htm , you will be able to get the short version of our maintenance guidelines at no charge. The full version of it – a 7-page document considered by many as an industry benchmark – is available in pay- per-download format in our Educational Literature section at:  http://www.mbstone.com/literature/literature.htm .  

And remember, every single penny of the cost of the literature will be used to support this site and its cause: your cause.

While you are in the “Helpful Hints” section, do spend some time reading all of the interesting FREE articles you'll find in there!

Finally, keep in mind that we need your support to help us helping you!

Will you please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose 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!

Thank you  

Ciao and good luck,

Maurizio Bertoli

 

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