Wednesday | July 25, 2007

Dark stain onto my stone counter from spaghetti sauce

I was preparing spaghetti and meatballs one day. Tomato sauce had ended up getting onto my counter and a dark stain was left behind. How can I get rid of this?

 

Solution:

1. Clean area thoroughly with cold water and a good detergent.

2. If stain is still present clean the area with an alkaline degreaser (Commercial degreasers are available at most janitorial supply houses). Mix with water according to directions and let solution stand on stained area for several minutes. Agitate with a cloth and rinse with clean water.

3. If stain is still not removed than poultice with powder (diatomous earth or similar powder) and an alkaline degreaser. A second poultice may be required using powder and a solvent such as toluene or methylene chloride if there is dye present.

If for some reason this stain was not removed by the solution above, contact the guys at the NSRA for assistance. you may also want to consider picking up some stone care products to prevent this type of damage in the future.

Posted by joh1 at 07:45:58 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Saturday | July 21, 2007

Applying A Poultice On Natural Stone

Once the stain is identified, the following steps can be followed:


1. Identify the stain.

2. Clean the stained area to remove excess from the surface.

3. Wet the stained area with distilled water. Pre-wetting fills the pores of the stone with water -isolating the stain and accelerating the removal by the chemical.

4. Prepare the poultice . If a powder is to be used, pre-mix the powder and the chemical of choice into a thick paste, the consistency of peanut butter. In other words, wet it enough so that it does not run. If a paper poultice is to be used -soak the paper in the chemical. Lift the paper out of the chemical until it stops dripping.
5. Apply the poultice to the stain being careful not to spill any on the non-stained areas. Apply approximately one-quarter-inch thick overlapping the stain area by about one inch.

6. Cover the poultice with plastic (food wrap works great). Tape the plastic down to seal the edges. Allow the poultice to dry thoroughly. This is a very important step. The drying of the poultice is what pulls the stain from the stone into the poultice material. If the poultice is not allowed to dry, the stain may not be removed. Drying usually takes from 24 to 48 hours.

7. After 24 to 48 hours, remove the plastic.

8. Remove the poultice from the stain. Rinse with distilled water and buff dry with a soft cloth. If the stain is not removed, apply the poultice again. It may take up to five applications for difficult stains.

9. Some chemicals may etch the marble surface. If this occurs, then apply polishing powder and buff with a piece of burlap to restore the shine.

A lot of you guys like to mix your own poultice . Well here is a warning about one of the chemicals that you may thing of using, simply because a lot of people would tell you to use it. Before using any chemical are taking someone advice, please do your own research on the dangers of the mixtures. If you all see anyone on this site give advice that is potential dangers, please speak up and let forum know what the dangers are.

DANGERS OF HYDROFLUORIC ACID
In the body, hydrofluoric acid (HF) reacts with calcium and magnesium ions and can disable organs whose proper function depends on these metal ions. Exposure to hydrofluoric acid may not be initially painful, and symptoms may not occur until several hours later, when the acid begins to react with calcium in the bones.
Under most circumstances, hydrofluoric acid exposure results in severe or even lethal damage to the heart, liver, kidneys, and nerves. Initial treatment to hydrofluoric acid exposure usually involves applying calcium gluconate gel to the exposed areas. If exposure is high, or too much time has passed, a calcium solution may be injected directly into a local artery or surrounding tissues.
In all cases, hydrofluoric acid exposure requires immediate professional medical attention. If coming in contact with human skin or bone, the acid can severely burn and then decompose the bone. Exposure to small quantities of this acid on less than 10% of the body can be fatal, even with immediate medical treatment. Highly concentrated solutions may lead to acute hypocalcemia, followed by heart attack and death, and will usually be fatal in as little as 2% body exposure.
This substance is extremely toxic and has the capacity to kill upon exposure rather than simply damage skin and eyes. It should be handled with extreme care, beyond what is given to hydrochloric, sulfuric, or other mineral acids.
Posted by joh1 at 14:11:48 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday | July 19, 2007

NSRA A unique community, seeking to make a difference




Natural stones have been used as building or decorative materials for as long as man started building houses. They are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful gifts of nature to humanity, so that human can satisfy his or her aesthetic urge. Natural stones are available in various colors and veining which enable them to make everything look better and beautiful. They have been prolifically used to enhance the splendor, beauty and artistic appeal of palaces and living spaces. Today, the use of natural stones has greatly widen and most people use them in their kitchens ( countertops), living rooms, bathrooms, floors and many other places. By nature, these natural stones are prone to stains, decay, etching, absorption and many other effects that can ruin the very essence of the stones. So they must be cared properly and restored from time to time. But most homeowners have very little idea of how to care their prized possessions.

So the obvious question is where to learn, find, discuss and know everything about care and restoration of natural stones? Keeping these problems and sentiments of the consumers in mind, some natural stone care specialists have formed a network group named “Natural Stone Restoration Alliance” or NSRA. The NSRA is a professional online stone community; where you can get help from fellow tradesmen and advice from some of the most recognized instructors in the industry.

The goal of the NSRA is to provide orientation, consultation, free lessons to the consumers from all around the world through their NSRA Web Forum. Stone care professionals are always online and ready to answer any problems consumers might have. The NSRA has a directory of all websites related to natural stone restoration industry. Consumers can easily find related websites on Restoration, Publications, Tool Distributors, Landscape, Industry association, Showcase, Installation, Fabrication, Manufactures, Natural stone retailers, Architecture and Stone supply.

The NSRA also has an online store and profits from sales are used to help fund the NSRA in its journey to spread the word that natural stone is serviceable. While most online stores are there to make a profit, the main feature of the NSRA store is basically that of a voluntary store which is working for a noble cause. This is what sets the NSRA Store apart from any other online store. Its store offers quality products to the general public and tradesmen alike such as books, machines, adhesives, abrasives, bonestone chip & fill kit, cleaners These products are proven to be highly useful and effective in the stone industry, and each product has a link that will take you to an area where you can read feedback from others who have used the product. If you have any problems using the products, the manufacturer of said product would be more than happy to assist you.

Within a short time of launching the community forum, NSRA has gained unprecedented popularity and respect from both consumers and experts. When man made materials ruling the market, these natural stone enthusiasts are working hard to regain the lost glory of natural stone.

 “To provide quality natural stone care, restoration and maintenance through a network of qualified natural stone professionals.”
Posted by joh1 at 17:50:37 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |