General Questions
General Questions
What are Stone Preserve Products?
Stone Preserve is Arizona Tile's line of stone care and maintenance products sold exclusively at Arizona Tile. The selection of products includes:
- Stone Sealer in two sizes: 32 oz. spray bottle and 1 gallon jug
- Stone Countertop Cleaner in a 32 oz. spray bottle
- Stone Countertop Polish in an 8 oz. bottle
- Oil Stain Remover in a 3 oz. jar
- Food Stain Remover in a 2.9 oz. jar
Can Stone Preserve products be used over other brands and types of sealer and care products that may already be on existing countertops?
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Yes. However, the sealer will only be effective if it can penetrate into the surface of the stone. Therefore, if the stone has a different brand or type of sealer already on it, the Stone Preserve sealer may or may not be able to penetrate into the stone depending on how much of the previous product remains. As for the care products, they can be used effectively over other brands or types of sealer.
Is a special remover required to remove sealer haze from the countertop?
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No. The Stone Preserve Stone Sealer will remove itself. It was purposely designed to do that and not require a special remover. Just reapply the sealer and the sealer forming the haze will reactivate and can be removed. However, in a situation where the sealer is allowed to sit on the countertop for several days and form a haze, it will require a vigorous effort to remove that haze. Using a stripper is not recommended because it will start to break down the sealer that is already in the stone.
After the countertop is sealed and the polish used, can the sealer be reapplied over the polish?
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Yes. However, when first treating a new countertop, the sealer needs to be applied first, before any polish is applied. Afterward, the sealer can be reapplied periodically even after polish has been used on the countertop. For reapplying the sealer, the countertop should first be cleaned using the Stone Preserve Stone Countertop Cleaner.
Is the Stone Preserve Stone Countertop Cleaner pH neutral?
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The difference between "pH neutral" and "pH balanced" is often confused. Stone itself is not pH neutral. Stone Preserve Stone Countertop Cleaner is formulated to be pH balanced so that its properties are balanced with the properties of the stone, and therefore will not harm the stone.
Is the Stone Countertop Polish safe for use in food preparation areas?
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Yes. The Stone Preserve Stone Polish is safe for kitchen use and this is explicitly stated on the product packaging.
Is the Stone Sealer antibacterial (antimicrobial)?
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No. Some sealing products claim to contain antibacterial or antimicrobial elements, but it is important to really understand the facts about those claims:
- Antimicrobials do nothing to kill food-borne bacteria.
- Antimicrobials only work on odor-causing bacteria.
- Antimicrobials mixed into the product only keep bacteria from forming within the sealer product itself, they do nothing to keep bacteria from forming within the countertop.
- Disinfectants decontaminate countertops, not antimicrobials.
- It is very difficult for food-borne bacteria to grow on sealed granite.
Is the Stone Cleaner considered an antibacterial spray?
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No. As stated above, it is important to understand that products containing an antimicrobial additive have no proven advantage when it comes to protecting against food-borne bacteria. The antimicrobials do prevent the growth of bacteria in the product while it is in the container. Antibacterial products, such as disinfectants, must pass extensive testing in order to be labeled as an antibacterial product. Antimicrobial additives can not be labeled as antibacterial.
Is the Stone Preserve Stone Sealer water-based?
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Yes. The Stone Preserve Stone Sealer is a water-based product.
Are all Stone Preserve products solvent-free?
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Yes. Arizona Tile's Stone Preserve products are all water-based with very low or no odor.
Can the Stone Preserve products be used on onyx?
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Stone Preserve products can be used on all varieties of stone including onyx. Some more porous or veined stones will naturally be more absorbent and therefore be more susceptible to staining even after sealing. Sealing these stones will help to slow their natural absorption.
Will the Stone Preserve Countertop Cleaner get rid of calcification?
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No. The cleaner is not formulated to be a decalcifier. It will remove light water deposits, but heavier decalcification will require a product formulated specifically for this purpose.