How to Make the Granite in Your Home Shine

Thanks to its high quartz content, granite is a stone that can naturally shine after it’s cut with a giant saw with diamond blades and polished with diamond polishing heads that apply thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch. The type of luster you can get from granite slabs and tiles depends on the surface finish, the products you use, and the level of maintenance you give to your floors and counters. When it comes to getting maximum gloss, honed and polished granite surfaces are your best bet, but even sandblasted finishes that feature a textured look can shine under the right circumstances. Here are some recommendations to keep your granite shiny. Never Use Common Household Cleaning Products Most of the cleaners sold at your local supermarket aren’t ideal for granite. In fact, many of them have pH levels that can damage the protective seal and even cause etching on the stone. In some cases, the soapy residue left by common cleaners will leave your granite looking dull even if it has a polished finish. You should only use a granite cleaner such as Granite Gold Daily Cleaner® to clean natural-stone surfaces. Here's a quick video explaining how to enhance the shine and luster on stone using Granite Gold Polish®: Use the Right Polishing Products It’s important to use a specially formulated granite polish when polishing granite and other types of natural stone. Granite Gold® offers four products specifically designed to make your natural-stone surfaces shine:

• Granite Gold Polish®
• Granite Gold Polish Buffing Cloth®
• Granite Gold Polish Wipes®
• Granite Gold Clean & Shine®

All of the above products are convenient to use and can provide ongoing protection against water spots and fingerprints while maintaining the shine and luster of your stone. Keep Your Granite Properly Sealed Though we recommend polishing granite countertops after sealing, waiting 24 hours for the sealer to cure before polishing, you shouldn’t use a spray polish on your stone flooring because it will become slippery and risk injury. To polish stone floors, seek a professional stone restoration specialist in your area with the proper tools and training. Keeping your granite floors shiny can be accomplished with regular applications of Granite Gold Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner® and Granite Gold Sealer®. The advantage of using a granite sealer is that it will protect granite surfaces from substances and particles that diminish their luster. How to Use Granite Gold® Polishing Products If you’re using Granite Gold Polish®, simply spray from a distance of about eight inches from the surface. Use the Granite Gold Buffing Cloth® or a paper towel to buff, then wipe dry. Granite Gold Polish Wipes® are even easier to use, but don't forget to buff the surface dry with a paper towel or lint-free cloth until it glistens. With Granite Gold Clean & Shine®, you can choose between the stream or spray nozzle settings. Make sure to buff the surface dry using a paper towel or a microfiber cloth. You shouldn’t use Granite Gold® polishing products immediately after sealing. First clean the surface, then apply sealant, and wait 24 hours before polishing. Whether you have granite, marble, travertine, or another type of natural stone in your home, all of the cleaning, sealing, and polishing products from Granite Gold® are safe to use. To learn more about caring for natural stone, give us a call today at 1-800-475-STONE (7866), and make sure to like our Facebook page as well.