Caring for Soapstone
Soapstone Care
CLEANING
-
It’s non-porous, which makes it completely stain resistant. Soapstone is an inert material and impervious to chemicals, acids and heat — so there are no household products that will harm it.
-
You can clean your soapstone using any household cleanser such as Ajax or Comet. For most applications, wiping the soapstone with soap and water works fine. A soapstone sink will stand up to any mild cleaner. Sink corners can be easily kept clean with the use of a small vegetable brush when needed.
OILING OR WAXING
-
Oiling or waxing the stone is not necessary, but it does even out the natural darkening process of the stone and enrich the colors.
-
Clean the stone thouroughly prior to treatement.
-
The treatment process is easy, just apply the oil or wax and wipe away the excess.
-
The oil is not sealing or protecting the stone, it is only “speeding up” the natural darkening process. Soapstone is non-porous and, unlike marble and granite, does not need to be sealed.
WHAT NOT TO USE
-
You don't want to use anything abrasive to clean soapstone. It is a softer material and will scratch, however, with fine sandpaper and buffing, the stone can be renewed to original shape.
REPAIR
-
Soapstone, being softer than granite and marble, is also more prone to scratches. The advantage is that any scratches can be easily removed with a light sanding and mineral oil. Light scratches can be hidden by lightly applying some oil or wax. With deeper scratches you will need to sand the area in order to remove the scratch.
-
With a small piece of coarse sandpaper, sand the scratch area in a circular motion until the scratch is almost gone
-
Using a finer sandpaper do the same thing but this time using water.
-
Sanding will remove the mineral oil, so you will have to apply oil or wax.
-
Keep in mind the stone will take several coats to reach the final color. You may notice a slight color difference on that spot. Apply additional applications of oil or wax until the color is even.