Care & Maintenance

CARE and MAINTENANCE - cultured stone products

Your cultured marble and cultured granite is a man-made blend of ingredients. 65-75% is natural marble granules mined from the earth.
This is combined with polymer resins, then cast and cured in molds, to produce beautiful and durable material for your home. Cultured
granite uses additional components to add color and internal texture. During the manufacturing process a coat of hard acrylic resin is
bonded to the surface to enhance and protect the finish.

Each piece is individually mixed and cast to order for your home. Because of the natural minerals, which may contain various shading and
specks, and the process of manufacturing; color, pattern and texture WILL vary somewhat from piece to piece. This is part of the character
of the material, which is produced from a variety of materials, including real marble.

Cultured marble and cultured granite and are durable and easy-care bathroom finish
materials, but can be damaged if abused or neglected, as can any vanity top or bath surround material. With proper cleaning and care your
cultured marble or cultured granite will remain
beautiful for years, even for the lifetime of your home.

Care and maintenance of Your Cultured Marble, Cultured Granite is simple.
" Routine cleaning with a soft sponge or cloth and a non-abrasive cleaner is all that is normally needed to maintain its beauty and shine. We
recommend products like Windex and Lysol Tub and Tile Cleaner. Do not use an abrasive cleaner such as Comet, Soft-Scrub, Bon Ami
or the like. Do not use steel wool pads or scrubbing pads such as Scotch Brite. Even if they say, "no scratching", they can and do scratch
many surfaces.
" Hard water build up may be removed with most lime and rust stain removers. Be sure to rinse thoroughly with clean water. Using a
squeegee after you shower and wiping water off the vanity top after use will greatly inhibit the formation of water spots
" To make cleaning easier, especially water spots, periodically apply a wax. We recommend Gel-Gloss, a one step cleaner and polish made
especially for cultured stone products. It is applied like furniture polish and then hand buffed when dry. Fiberglass boat wax or automobile
wax is also good. Gel-Gloss can usually be obtained at your local hardware store or Home Depot. See www.gel-gloss.com for further
information.
" Do not allow any chemical spills to sit on the surface for any length of time. Wipe up spills of any liquid other than water immediately.
" Maintenance of the caulking is very important. At installation, the joints in your tops and surrounds are sealed with a high quality Silicone
caulk (Latex paintable caulk is used on edges adjoining painted walls). Over time this may crack due to the inevitable minor shifting within
any house. This is also true of tile, natural stone or any high quality surround and top material. You should inspect your caulk joints
periodically, and re-caulk if necessary.

Precautions against accidental damage

" As with any vanity and surround materials, the surfaces of cultured stone products can be scratched. Check the undersides of various
holders and objects placed on your bath counters to assure they are smooth. If they are not, put little rubber or soft plastic "dots" on the
bottom. These can be obtained at your hardware store.
" Cultured stone products are highly stain resistant. However, nail polish remover can cause severe damage. Use and store nail polish
remover away from your countertops and sinks. Prolonged contact with bleach, ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners, paint or adhesive solvents
or other harsh chemicals and solvents should be avoided. Be careful about leaving towels or rags (cleaning cloths) that may contain these
materials, even a very small residue, laying on the surfaces for any length of time. Always wipe up spills immediately.
" Do not use abrasive cleaners on cultured stone products. See cleaning section for recommendations.
" The resins in cultured stone products will react to high heat. Lighted cigarettes or matches will cause severe burn discoloration, as can
other high heat generating items (curling irons, etc.).
" When plumbing fixtures are installed or repaired, avoid excessive tightening of the fixtures, which could result in cracking the cultured
stone product.
" When painting in the area, wipe off any paint spots or spills on the surface immediately. They will not harm the surface if wiped off
immediately. If allowed to dry they are very difficult to remove without damaging the finish.

Repairs are possible in all but the most severe cases.
" If a chip, burn or scratch does occur, professionals can usually repair the damage. This requires special tools and materials and is not
recommended for "do-it-yourself".
" If the surface dulls, it can be repolished with polishing compound and a power buffer. Again, this is also best left to the professionals.