Maintenance
Keep your stone the way it was the day we installed it.
Natural stone is nearly indestructible if you know which cleaners help and which ones quietly destroy the polish. Quick reference below.
How do I care for natural stone countertops?
Wipe daily with warm water and a stone-safe pH-neutral cleaner. Avoid acids (citrus, vinegar, wine) and harsh chemicals (bathroom cleaner, bleach, acetone). Reseal granite every 1–3 years, marble every 6–12 months, quartzite every 1–2 years. Engineered quartz never needs sealing. Blot spills, don’t wipe.
Per-material guide
Granite
- Daily clean
- Warm water + mild dish soap. Rinse and dry.
- Avoid
- Acidic cleaners (lemon, vinegar, bathroom cleaner). Sitting water around the sink.
- Reseal cadence
- Every 1–3 years depending on use. Water beads on the surface? Good. Water absorbs into a dark spot that fades? Time to reseal.
Marble
- Daily clean
- Warm water + stone-safe pH-neutral cleaner. Blot, don't scrub.
- Avoid
- All acids (citrus, wine, vinegar, tomato). Knives directly on the surface. Sitting water.
- Reseal cadence
- Every 6–12 months for kitchen use. Bath countertops can stretch to 18 months. The Vermont quarry stones we sell are denser than imported marbles — they hold the seal longer.
Quartz (engineered)
- Daily clean
- Warm water + dish soap. Glass cleaner is fine.
- Avoid
- High heat — never set a hot pan directly. Solvents (acetone, paint thinner). Steel wool.
- Reseal cadence
- Never. Quartz is non-porous; sealing isn't possible or needed.
Quartzite
- Daily clean
- Warm water + stone-safe pH-neutral cleaner.
- Avoid
- Acids. Sitting water on softer quartzites.
- Reseal cadence
- Every 1–2 years. Most quartzites are denser than marble but vary by stone — your project manager will tell you which end of the range yours falls in.
Care questions we get a lot
Water test. Pour a few drops of water on a clean dry spot. If the water beads up and sits there for 5+ minutes, the seal is still good. If the water absorbs and leaves a dark patch (which fades as it dries), it's time to reseal.
Stain, scratch, or something off?
Send us a photo. We’ll tell you whether it’s a 5-minute fix at the sink or a job for our restoration partner.