Q. I hired a cleaner and she used a limescale remover with mold control. It appears to have left white stains on my bathroom stone tiles. These don’t wash away with water. What should I do? A. What you’re seeing is likely etching, not... Read More

Q. 25 years ago, our painter applied a sealant, possibly epoxy, polyurethane, or acrylic, to a new flagstone interior entry. It‘s held up beautifully. We are about to install flagstone in a small breakfast room. We want to retain the color of... Read More

Q. How do you remove rust stains from a terrazzo floor? A. Rust stains, or iron oxidation, on terrazzo can be frustrating, and sometimes, surprisingly complicated to remove. While Iron-Out or similar products can be used in a poultice to draw out the... Read More

Q. How do I remove pet discolorations on my bluestone hearth that did not come clean with mild soap / water/ scrubbing? A. The answer to this question depends on what caused the discolorations. Bluestone can becomes discolored by pets in various ways... Read More

Q. How do I clean a yellow marble figurine to make it white again? I have tried marble cleaner to no avail. A. Your DIY methods will differ depending on how the marble turned yellow. One possibility is that the stone absorbed some sort of staining... Read More

Q. I have an (intentionally) distressed marble seat in my shower. After years of use, there is a build up of white on top of it. How do I get rid of it? Thanks. A. What you're describing is likely soap scum, mineral deposits from hard water, or... Read More

Q. I purchased prefab granite counters after being told it was every bit as good as regular granite slabs. They were installed in January and in March I started noticing the granite was cracking and small pieces popping up. A piece got caught in my... Read More

Q. White Macaubus quartzite was installed yesterday and I noticed this "crack" when I hit gone from work and inspected it. Question is, is it a crack or fissure? When I run my nail over it, it does get caught. Just want to make sure I handle this... Read More

Q. What is the best way to remove a blue stain on flagstone caused by plant fertilizer? It is several days old. The flagstone is an outside border on a raised planter bed. A. Blue fertilizer stains can be challenging on flagstone, especially outdoors... Read More

Q. How can I remove a boiled linseed oil stain from natural stone? A. Boiled linseed oil can leave a dark, sticky, and persistent stain on natural stone that doesn’t respond to simple cleaning. It penetrates the pores of stone and resists water... Read More