How to care for natural stone furniture
Natural stone furniture outlives its owners when treated well, and the treatment is far simpler than most people expect. Here is the complete routine, and the short list of things to avoid.
Seal it, then forget it for a season
Every porous stone, which means marble, travertine, and onyx especially, should be sealed when it arrives and resealed every 6 to 12 months. A quality penetrating stone sealer takes ten minutes to apply: wipe on, wait, buff off. Quartzite is denser and typically happy with an annual sealing.
A simple test tells you when it is time: drip a little water on the surface. If it beads, the seal is working. If it darkens the stone within a few minutes, reseal.
The daily rules
Wipe spills when they happen rather than later, especially wine, coffee, citrus, and anything oily. Use coasters under glasses and trivets under anything hot. Clean with a soft cloth, warm water, and a mild dish soap or a cleaner labeled for natural stone.
What to avoid
Vinegar, bleach, ammonia, and bathroom or glass cleaners are all acidic or harsh enough to dull a stone surface over time. Abrasive pads scratch. Dragging objects across the surface can scratch even hard stones, so lift rather than slide.
If something happens anyway
Etching shows as a dull spot where something acidic sat on polished stone. On honed finishes it is often barely visible, and a stone polishing powder can usually restore the surface. Stains from oils or pigments generally lift with a poultice, which any stone care shop sells. Chips and structural issues are what our one year warranty and your Hudson Stonehouse rep are for.
The honest truth about patina
Stone that is lived with develops character: a slight softening of the surface, a story here and there. Roman travertine has looked wonderful for two thousand years without a sealer in sight. Care for your piece, but do not fear it. It is a rock. It plans to outlast all of us.
Ready to see it in your size?
Build any piece in any stone with a live price for your exact dimensions.
Open the Design Studio