Granite is a stone, which has a granular and not too smooth a texture. They come in various colors such as pink, black, grey or white. It is used for various purposes such as kitchen platform, sculptures, memorials, tombstones, buildings and the like. Of course, depending on where it is used it is customized to suit that purpose. It has been in existence since many years and craftsmen and artisans have created granite monuments and they have been taught and trained to be skilled in this. They come in many beautiful designs and shapes and can be custom made as per your requirements.
Maintaining Granite Monuments
One might wonder about cleaning and maintaining granite monuments- whether it is easy or a difficult task. Dust will gather easily on granite surfaces and if left in that state for a period of time it settles and might become a tough job to get rid of it. However, below are some tips for maintaining granite monuments: –
- It is highly recommended that a non-ionic solution be used for cleaning these kinds of monuments as they do not cause corrosion and also do not leave any stains behind. The best way to test a solution is use it on a small surface and see how it reacts with the monument. If all is well then you can go ahead and use it on the rest. Normal household cleaners should never be used Buckets of water are needed to clean granite monuments. The non-ionic solution has to be mixed in the water. Sponges and brushes are required to clean the structures.
- It is advisable that you start working from the bottom of the monument in order to avoid streaking. When you start from the top there is always the risk of water dripping down and leaving stains.
- For heavier marks and stains, glycerin mixed in water can be used to rub it away. Glycerin has the ability to soften marks and thus makes it easier to wipe them away.
- Always look out for cracks or any kind of damage on the granite monuments before you start cleaning. If you do notice some weak areas be gentle on them and do not apply too much force on them for fear of breaking it.
- A water hose with pressure works well but make sure the pressure is not excessive so much so that it damages the monument.
- Poultice is another effective cleaning method. It is clay mixed with glycerin and then applied to the surface where the dirt has accumulated. A plastic is then wrapped over it and allowed to set overnight or alteast a couple of hours. After removing the plastic, the dirt must be gently scraped off with a wooden spatula or a scrubber, which is nonmetallic in nature.
- Sometimes people may use professional help if the dirt is very stubborn in that case, it is the best option to get an expert to do it for you. After all you would not want to destroy your granite monuments.
There are a lot of new methods and techniques to clean granite monuments now but one thing that has to be kept in mind is that some of these new methods, especially those using new type of cleaning solutions, may not be suitable for granite, which had been erected many years back.
