· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Countertops
Stone maintenance is simple and the common mistakes are consistent — sealing what does not need it, not sealing what does, and using acidic cleaners on stone that cannot take them.
What needs sealing
Granite, marble, limestone and travertine are porous to varying degrees and benefit from a penetrating sealer. Quartz does not, because the resin binder makes it non-porous.
Test rather than schedule: leave a few drops of water for fifteen minutes. If it darkens the stone, it needs sealing; if it beads, it does not.
What damages stone
Acid. Vinegar, lemon, wine and many general cleaners etch marble, limestone and travertine permanently — a dull mark that is physical damage rather than a stain.
Granite is more resistant but not immune, and repeated acid exposure degrades the sealer.
- Water test rather than a sealing schedule
- pH-neutral cleaner only on natural stone
- Never vinegar or lemon on marble or limestone
- Trivets on quartz — the resin scorches
- Blot spills, do not wipe them across the surface
Quartz has different rules
No sealing needed and it resists staining well, but the resin scorches with heat. A hot pan straight from the hob leaves a permanent mark.
It also fades in prolonged direct sunlight, which matters near a large south-facing window in a Nashville kitchen.
Dealing with damage
Stains in natural stone often lift with a poultice — an absorbent paste that draws the stain back out over a day or two, matched to the type of stain.
Etching is physical and needs polishing rather than cleaning. Deep damage needs a stone restoration specialist.