Q. Our house was built in 1967 and has black slate flooring inside and on the porch and terrace. We've had some restoration work done, but we're not happy with how it looks. Even after sealing, it doesn't have the polished or wet look... Read More

Q. Stain on white granite is plant food for flowers. Color of stain is blue. Have tried stone cleaner at least 3 time with no success. A. Blue stains from water-soluble fertilizer can be surprisingly stubborn on light granite. The color usually comes... Read More

Q. Is it possible to remove a bleach stain from a green slate worktop? This is a Cumbrian slate from the north of England. A. Yes, it is possible to remove a discoloration on slate that was caused by bleach. To be clear, bleach doesn’t actually... Read More

Q. I used vinegar to clean my mosaic shower tile, black and white pebbles of tumbled marble. I didn’t know I shouldn’t use vinegar. Now they are discolored. Do I just need to re-seal it? A. We understand your concern about the... Read More

Q. Grey grout stain has penetrated the surface of some of the ceramic wall tiles in our bathroom. It’s been a few weeks now, and I’ve tried scrubbing with water and a mild cleaner, but the stain is still there. Is it possible to remove... Read More

Q. We recently placed travertine on our fireplace surround and applied a sealer. We are not happy with the color. It is dull. Can we use a color enhancer sealer and get results? How long do we need to wait? A. It’s understandably disappointing... 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. I cleaned soot off my fireplace stone, but it won't come out where it has seeped into the stone. A. Smoke and soot are made up of very fine carbon and oily particles that can become absorbed into the surface of porous stone. Once that happens... Read More

Q. Water feature has chlorine residue buildup causing a white stain on natural rock waterfall. How can I remove the chlorine residue from the rock? A. What you are seeing is likely mineral deposits. Chlorinated water doesn’t cause the deposits,... Read More

Q. I have tried removing rust stains on these stone columns (on testing the base is limestone), and I believe the columns are the same? I've used a number of different branded products and oxalic acid but none of these have removed/lessened the... Read More