Thank God I have found you.... There are so many idiots out here spouting incorrect information that it makes research quite difficult!!!( and a girl crazy!) We recently had Santa Cecilia Counters installed in our kitchen and I am anxious to know the proper way to care for them! The installers , yep, sealed them before they left, and now after reading all of your info, I am concerned that might not have been necessary. Is this true granite, if not, what is it and how do I care for it properly? Thanks so much!

 

Dear Heather:

 

“ Thank God I have found you... ”

 

Oh boy, don't let my wife read this: she may get jealous!! J

 

Santa Cecilia is garnet gneiss – a far cry from granite. However, especially if resined by the factory (and most slabs of Santa Cecilia are) it makes a terrific stone for a kitchen countertop. In its natural state it does need to be sealed (garnet gneiss, like all types of gneiss, is absorbent); when it's resined it may or may not. At any rate, the impregnator applied by your contractor – whether necessary or not – will not have any adverse consequence, unless you still have some residue of the product sitting on the surface of your countertop. But you should be able to tell: if your top is nice and smooth you should be alright.

As for routine care, I recommend a spray cleaner rated “for natural stone” like MB-5 and, occasionally, a good-quality stone polish like MB-13.

After that, just enjoy your stone!! Just keep in mind that if you spill something on it, you do not want to let it sit there too long.

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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