We are frequently asked how to clean granite hearths. Whether its honed or polished our advise is the same when it comes to keeping your granite looking its best.
It is always best to prevent an issue arising rather than fixing it once it happens. To prevent any unnecessary residue, build-ups, such as ash, we advise cleaning your hearth at least once a week with warm, very dilute soapy water.
You will need;
Our recommended weekly cleaning routine is as follows;
This will work for a range of marks that
can appear on your hearth including watermarks.
Your hearth may have some smearing once it's
dry, but this can be polished out.
If you only light your fire once or twice a week then we advise doing this once
a month instead of weekly, so long as you sweep the hearth regularly.
Sometimes you will find that your granite will need a quick clean in between the weekly clean;
You will need;
Our top tips for a quick clean up are:
When
it comes to how often you should do a deep clean on your granite hearth it does
depend on how often you use your fire, those who use it daily will have to do
it more often than those who only light
their fire on occasional evenings.
Do not use any acidic cleaners such as bleach on granite, as this can cause irreparable damage and change the colouring of the hearth.
For those who only use their fire occasionally then we advise deep cleaning every three months.
You
can apply a purpose made sealant to granite, which will provide resistance to
water, spillages and staining. When choosing a sealant, it is important to make
sure it is suitable for granite hearths and check if it is recommended for the
finish you have (usually honed or polished). Always be aware, as, with many purpose-made granite cleaners, the sealant can change the natural effect of the
granite, such as darkening it in colour.
When sealing a granite hearth:
Liquid
Spillages
This is the most common cause of markings on granite hearths. If you spill
water, a drink etc. clean it up as soon as possible. Granite is porous so any
liquid spillages can soak in and cause staining. To clean liquid spillages,
follow the same cleaning instructions as you would for a weekly clean using a
very dilute solution of warm, soapy water.
Food Spillages
If food gets spilt on your granite, clean it off as soon as possible. Due to
granite being porous any oils in your food can soak into the stone. When food
is spilt, follow the same instructions and the weekly clean.
Watermarks
Watermarks are also a common occurrence, vases, glasses and mugs often leave
this mark behind. To clean watermarks away, follow the weekly cleaning
instructions, using very dilute, warm, soapy water solution.
If markings persist after repeated use of a very dilute solution of warm soapy water, then a deep clean will be needed.