Care & Maintenance

With care, your new marble, granite or engineered stone benchtops will last a lifetime.  Simply follow some easy tips and protecting surfaces from heat and spills, your benchtops will look as good as the day they were installed.

For Natural & Manufactured Stone (under 1% CS)

• Normal cleaning involves only periodic washing with clean, tap water and neutral cleaners. Accent Benchtops recommends soapfree cleaners because they minimize sticking and filming. However, mild phosphate-free, biodegradable liquid dish-soaps, soap flake or powders which contain no aromatics are acceptable if able to be thoroughly rinsed - removing all residues.
  
• Please refer to your stone brand website for care information Brands.
• Stone surface should firstly be wet with clean, mild hot water. Then, using the cleaner solution, rub in small overlapping motions, from bottom-up if a vertical surface. Rinse thoroughly with clean tap water to remove all traces of soap or cleaners. Change the water in the rinse pail frequently to assist in removing any residues. Dry with soft cloth or cotton flannel or micro fibre, and allow to thoroughly air-dry. Chamois skin may be used in lieu of a cotton cloth to remove any spots.
• Spills of any type should be immediately removed and water rinsed. Coasters should be placed under all glasses, particularly those containing liquors or citrus juices.
• Place mats, wooden cutting boards or trivets should be used under hot dishes.
• Generally, prevention will save a great deal of time spent on cures and remedies, especially since damages to stone, are often irreparable. Polished stone should receive the same care and consideration that is given to a fine wooden finish.

LONGEVITY OF YOUR NEW BENCHTOP

To ensure longevity out of your benchtop a little common sense can go a long way, never use your bench top to stand on as this crack your stone. Ensure mild PH neutral products are utilised, harsh chemicals and acids (oven cleaner) can bleach and burn your stone and affect the finish and colour. 

Natural Stone

Manufactured Stone

Don'ts

We do not recommend placing very hot items (such as saucepans and oven pots) or electric frypans directly on any stone based bench top surface, as this can cause extreme thermal shock.  Damage may not be noticed immediately if this is done regularly, however over time hairline cracks may appear reducing the strength of the product.

• Do not use chemical products for cleaning such as acid like chemicals, on your new bench top as this can cause a build up eventually taking away the high gloss finish of the stone.
• Wiping spills immediately will help avoid most potential staining. Your bench top is sealed with stain-resistant sealer after installation. Timely re-sealing of your benchtops according to the sealer’s instruction may assist in maintaining lustre and maintain enduring 'new look' of the stone.
• Products such as coffee, red wine, cooking oils, butter, lemon juice, tomatoes and anything else acidic should be wiped off the bench top as soon as possible. Take care to use the proper cleaning agents; those that are ammonia based can etch the stone and dull its polish. 
• We do not recommend cutting directly on benchtop surfaces. Repeated use of a knife in the same place on a stone bench top eventually wears down the polish and will blunt your knives. 
• Be careful of the weak part of the kitchen bench tops, these are normally; for example at the front & back of the sink and cook top. Downward pressure to these area’s can cause cracking or breakage.
• Stone benchtops s a solid and strong material but it should not be subject to excessive weight, stress or extreme temperatures. This can cause the stone to fracture or crack when used as a workbench!

The Do's

• Due to its features, manufactured Stone requires very little maintenance to keep the surface looking like new. For everyday routine cleaning we recommend wiping the surface with warm soapy water (a mild detergent) and a damp cloth or alternatively use a quality spray and wipe type cleaner.
• manufactured Stone bench top or surface needing a thorough clean? We recommend using a cream cleaner. Alternatively simply using a damp cloth with very mild detergent can produce excellent results. Refer to your stone brand website for more information.

​The Don'ts

• Engineered Stone will tolerate brief exposures to moderately hot temperatures, however please avoid prolonged contact with very hot pots, pans, electric frying pans and oven trays directly from the hotplate or out of an oven onto the surface of Engineered stone. We always recommend the use of a hot pad, placemat or trivet to place hot items onto.
• As with any surface, Engineered Stone can be permanently damaged through exposure to strong chemicals and solvents that undermine its physical properties. So, do not use products that contain trichlorethane or methylene chloride such as paint removers.
• Avoid any highly aggressive cleaning agents like oven cleaner that have high alkaline/PH levels. Should the surface be accidentally exposed to any of these damaging products, rinse immediately with water to neutralise the effects. 

Porcelain and Sintered Stone

Porcelain and sintered stone although heat and stain proof unfortunately the rigid nature of the product being fired under high heat causes a tension in the slab a glass like hardness.
 
Routine Care

Use the following procedures as a guide to everyday care for your porcelain and sintered stone benchtops:

• Never overload sinks or benchtops 
  
• Never use as a standing platform
  
• A hard hit or obstruction to an edge can crack or chip the benchtop