How to Clean and Polish Granite
- 1). Granite is a naturally occurring igneous rock that never reaches the surface of the earth it is an intrusion into other rocks. If the same magma reaches the surface of the earth it is called rhyolite. Chemically both rocks are the same the difference is rhyolite has made it to the surface as lava. Granite is used as a decorative stone and rhyolite is rarely used.
Because granite has cooled below the surface of the ground it has a much larger crystal structure and rhyolite. This crystal structure and both stones is primarily caused by three minerals; feldspar, quartz and biotite mica. There are also other accessory minerals.
It is because of its great beauty, chemical resistance and hardness that Granite is often used as a decorative stone in many different products. These include such things as countertops, floors, building stone, curbing and many other uses. Granite is often polished in some of these uses to further enhance its beauty, but it also has to be cleaned and polished occasionally. - 2). It is best to clean granite with plain distilled water and a pH neutral soap like "Simple Green." do not use any abrasive soap, city water, vinegar, or any acidic product because they will eventually dull the surface of the marble. You should also not allow any standing water on the surface of the granite because it will soak into the spaces between the crystals and eventually weaken your granite.
When it is time to wipe your granite off user chamois skin or a piece of microfiber cloth. This should be done every time you wash off the surface of the granite. Microfiber cloth is especially useful for this purpose, but there are some paper products that mimic microfiber or chamois skin in use; they can be used also.
It is okay to put items on to the granite but don't leave them there for a long because granite is a very good heat sink, and for a long time after you have removed the object the granite is still quite hot, and can give you a nasty burn. It's better to place the heated object onto a cutting board or some other device like a trivet. Although granite does not scratch easily it is best not to lay knives directly on the surface of the granite because it will usually dull the knives. - 3). Polishing granite is yet another job that requires the purchase of sometime impregnated pads that for small jobs fit into a hand polisher, and for larger jobs will fit into a floor publisher. These pads are available in different sizes depending on the job. Polishing granite is a job that requires a great deal of patience and time.
There are also products on the market that actually seal Granite from the sorting different kinds of materials that can cause stains. These products can be bought anywhere that sells granite countertops, or other decorative uses for granite.
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