Marvelous Stone Polishing Service in Chicago Left This Kitchen Looking Spotless

October 10, 2017

This homeowner didn't understand why her gorgeous, Venetian gold, granite kitchen countertop had become so dark. Every week, this mother from River North, Chicago devoted time to cleaning her granite countertops using a mix of vinegar and water, as her contractors had advised her to do when the stone was installed years ago. The granite, however, deteriorated over time, and the dark shade that covered most of the slab made the kitchen look discolored and unattractive in her eyes. It needed to be fixed as soon as possible.


She went online to find out what could have contributed to the granite's premature deterioration. Her research enlightened her about the use of vinegar on natural stones. She didn't know that it can do more harm than good on sealed surfaces since acidic products like vinegar can remove the sealer, leaving the stone exposed to liquids that can seep into and stain the surface. To fix this, she needed to hone, polish, and reseal the stone. Fortunately, she already knew the perfect stone polishing company in Chicago that could help.

A few months earlier, her sister had hired Sir Grout Chicago to restore the limestone floor of her living room. The results were astonishing—Her entire family was thrilled with the refinished surface and asked what company had done the work. The homeowner remembered that her sister had given her our number. She then called us to schedule an appointment for an in-home consultation and free quote. We gladly paid her a visit that same week.

On the day of the consultation, we went to River North and checked out the granite slab. From what we could tell, the sealer on the granite had been worn out for a while and hadn't been reapplied, causing the stone to absorb all sorts of liquids and accumulate stains. Although granite is known for its long-lasting characteristics, it is still a porous material, just like any other natural stone. Consequently, periodic sealing is essential for preventing damage.

In a place like a kitchen, where there is a lot of chopping, cutting, stirring, spilling, and boiling, who wouldn't want a durable surface that doesn't easily scratch, crack, or stain? Granite is often chosen for kitchens because of its versatility, durability, and low porosity, not to mention that its variety of colors makes it a natural fit in many different styles of rooms. This stone makes for the perfect choice in kitchens, especially for homeowners like this River North resident, who enjoy spending their free time cooking new dishes for the family.

The stains on this granite weren't impossible to remove and were no match for Sir Grout Chicago. Our team knew exactly what to do and presented the homeowner with a course of action to restore the surface: a deep cleaning, a honing and polishing to give it a new finish, and a sealing procedure to protect the stone from future wear and tear—all using Sir Grout's best cleaning and sealing products. We then agreed to schedule another appointment that same week to get started.

Our team of hard surface restoration experts started the procedure using Sir Grout's non-toxic, soap-less cleaner to remove any debris or dust that could jeopardize the honing. Once the slab was dry, clean, and free of former coatings, we protected all the elements around the stone (the stove, cabinets, etc.) from our machinery and started the stone restoration job. Our honing tools removed the scratches and brought out a brand-new layer of stone. To give the granite the semi-gloss finish that the homeowner wanted, we polished the stone using a series of abrasive materials and powders. Finally, we applied Sir Grout's Stone Armor with a clean cloth to seal the stone, a clear-seal that provides a natural look while protecting against water, stains, spills, and other external agents.

As you can see in the above pictures, the dark stains on the slab disappeared after the procedure, revealing the true, brownish shine of the granite. The homeowner was ecstatic! Her surface had regained its former beauty, and the entire kitchen looked new and pristine. We advised the homeowner not to place any items on the counter for the next four hours to allow the sealer to set in properly.

We gave the client some recommendations to prevent dark stains from deteriorating the granite again: First, we advised her to stop using vinegar as a cleaning agent and swap it for a pH-neutral, soap-less cleaner that won't remove the sealer or etch the stone. Even if the sealant keeps liquids above the surface, spills should be cleaned as soon as they happen as a precaution. While it is true that knives cannot scratch granite, certain silver, ceramic, or diamond tools can, so we suggested using a soft terry cloth to clean the surface every day, instead of steel wool or any other abrasive cleaning tools. The homeowner, happy with the results and the customer service, listened carefully to each tip and thanked us for our work.

If you are also looking for a company in Chicago that can help you bring back the beauty to your stone surfaces, Sir Grout Chicago will come to your rescue! We're experts in restoring any kind of stone, from granite to marble. Also, we're specialists in grout cleaning and sealing services. Call us at (773) 923-2084 or fill out the "Request a Quote" form on this website to schedule a free, in-home consultation today! If you want to receive information about our offerings in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

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