FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Have questions about natural stone care? Our services? Here are the questions we are most often asked. Of course, if you don't see your answer here, feel free to contact us.

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Care & Maintenance

What is this infamous "lemon juice" test I hear of for selecting stone for kitchen countertops.

Take a piece of the scrap "granite" you wish to test and spill a few drops of lemon juice onto it. If you see that under the drops of lemon it develops very quickly dark spots, it means that it's a very absorbent stone and I would advise you (and anybody else, for that matter) against it. If it takes, say, a minute or so to be absorbed, then you're dealing with a degree of absorbency that's easily manageable with the application of a good-quality impregnator-type sealer. If it doesn't absorb at all, then you have a winner right there!
Why lemon juice and not simply water?
Because lemon juice is highly acidic, and, if for any chance, the "granite" you're considering is a mixed stone (with some calcite in it), it would etch. That is, it would have a permanent dull spot where the lemon was sitting, after you clean it up. If that's the case, you do NOT want that stone in your kitchen.

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