C.RESTORATION

c. Restoration:
Resurfacing the stone with a diamond abrasive program to remove scratches and abrasions;
Deep cleaning of pores of textured surface.
STAIN MANAGEMENT:
As we are talking about stain management; the first thing comes to mind is “Why stones are stained ?? The answer is stones are natural alkalis (Hydroxides i.e., OH) and so are dirt & soil. So, stones and dirt get attracted to each other, often making cleaning very difficult.
The other question, which arises in our mind, is “ Can we clean our natural stone floors with chemicals?” The answer is a strict NO. We should use these cleaners after an expert’s advice only. Natural stones should be treated carefully and gently.
First one should understand the Basic facts about stones and their classification. Secondly, one should understand the chemicals with which you should clean or treat your stone tops. Most stones used today are sensitive to both acidic and alkali cleaners. The reason is the composition of stones, as the stones are alkalies. Acidic chemicals burn them by dissolving the bonding agents that keep them together. Use of alkalic chemicals will deteriorate the stone gradually. So, Neutral cleaners having pH value near 7 are the best choice for cleaning stones. We will talk about it in details under the heading
STAIN MANAGEMENT.
STAIN REMOVAL:
To restore the glass & shine of stone surface an effective stain removal programme should be followed.
STAIN REMOVAL GUIDE:
Natural stones are generally porous materials. This porosity is the main reason of Stain on the surface of stones. Surprisingly, this very porosity helps in the removal of stains.
Understanding the Stain is important. As we know that everything in this world exist because of chemical reactions. (Existence of U & I is also because of some chemical reactions). Staining of stone is nothing but patch because of chemical reaction & reversal of this chemical reaction is removal of the stain. This is the basic concept of stain and stain removal. So, if a stone has absorbed a stain we have to reabsorb it into some other material. This different material is what we call as POULTICE. A poultice can be made with powdered whiting & hydrogen peroxide or a chemical reducing agent; depending on nature of stain.
TYPES OF STAINS:
Oil based Stains: Greece, tar, food stains & cooking oil.
Organic Stains: Fruit juices, tobacco, cosmetic, coffee & tea.
Ink Stain: Magic marker or Pen Ink.
Metal Stains: Iron (rusty), copper, bronze or Aluminium.
Biological Stains: Algae, Lichens etc.