Tips, Tricks, and Answers

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Clean Marble and Slate with Ease. Marble and slate get dirty easily, picking up marks and dirt in their tiny crevices. Instead of using commercial marble cleaners, make your own paste out of water, lemon, and baking soda. Simply rub the paste onto your marble or slate, rinse it clean, and dry it with a clean cloth.

Clean Up Soot and Your Fireplace. These neat tricks allow you to easily remove soot and ash from the inner surfaces of your fireplace. If you add salt to your next fire, it will take the soot right off of your fireplace stone or bricks. A mixture of vinegar, ammonia, and water will make a great cleaner for your fireplace door, and if you place foil in the bottom of your fireplace, it will allow you to pick up your ashes with ease.

Cleaning Brick and Stone. Outdoor bricks naturally build up grime and dull over time. Use these easy methods to renew the look of your masonry. There are various methods of cleaning bricks, from scraping and power washing to chemical methods.

Cleaning Granite Countertops. While granite is a natural, tough non-porous stone, you still need to follow specific guidelines when cleaning your granite countertops. Make sure that your granite countertops are properly sealed, cleaned often, and not abused, and they will serve you well for many years.

Removing Stains from Marble. Marble is a porous stone that attracts stains from all manner of liquids, including water. Make sure while cleaning marble to use neutral cleaning agents to not damage it. Examples of neutral agents to use are baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and cornstarch. Always blot at the stain rather than wiping it. If you want to make life easier in the future, use a sealant to keep the marble clean.