Ask Restoration Master

Honed granite is typically chosen for kitchens because the matte appearance is a nice, classy change from the high gloss appearance of polished granite.  This type of granite is produced by stopping the finishing process early which prevents the stone from becoming shiny.  The one major drawback of this is that it leaves the pores on the surface of the stone wide open which makes it vulnerable to stains.  This is why the upkeep for honed granite is much more involved than polished granite.

Honed granite surfaces can become discolored from dust, grease, handprints, and food and drink, especially acidic beverages like fruit juice and alcohol which can also etch the granite surface.  The best way to protect your honed granite surface from stains is to seal it with a natural stone sealer.  You should use a penetrating sealer that will get into the open pores to help fight against dirt buildup and stains.  While stone sealers can be effective in protecting honed granite, these surfaces still need to be cleaned regularly and the sealer needs to be reapplied every 3 months or so.

Regularly cleaning and sealing honed granite surfaces is the best you can do to keep them in good condition.  There is no real shortcut you can take to reduce the upkeep of honed granite, unless you apply a new finish to the surface which would give it a whole new appearance.

In this case, you should consider if the look of honed granite is worth the upkeep.  Polished granite is much easier to maintain because the surface is less porous, stain resistant, and it does not require sealing nearly as often.  If you are still deciding between keeping your honed granite counters or switching to polished granite, this blog can help: https://restorationmasterfinder.com/restoration/honed-granite-vs-polished-granite/.

It sounds like the stains on your marble hearth are one of two types of stain; either a water stain or an etch mark.  Both types of stains look similar, but they are different and have different causes.  Even if you spilled nothing on the marble, it is possible for a water stain to have occurred from condensation or humidity, and for etching to have occurred from any contact with something acidic, such as cleaners.  If you placed an aerosol can of a cleaner on the marble surface and the can had any type of residue on the outside, this could cause etching.

Water spots are actually water deposits as they occur when water on the surface of the marble evaporates and leaves behind deposits such as calcium and magnesium.  These hard water stains appear as white or gray stains on the surface.  You can identify a water stain by touching it with your fingers and if the stain feels like it is raised off the surface, it is likely a water stain.

Etch marks are not stains on the surface, they are more like indentations that can have the same appearance as a water stain.  These occur when an acidic material makes contact with the surface and dissolves away some of the marble.  Etch marks are rough to the touch and the indentations go below the surface.  If the affected area feels like it has indentations that go below the surface, then you likely have etch marks.

If you believe you have a water stain, use one of these methods to remove the stain:

• Marble Cleaner: There are marble cleaning products available that you can use to remove water stains. Make sure you get the right type of cleaner for your bianca venatino marble.  If you are unsure which cleaner will work best, you can contact the manufacturer to ask.  Follow the directions on the cleaner and use a clean towel to rub away the stain.
• Fine Steel Wool: For this method, make sure you use fine steel wool grade #0000 to avoid scratching the surface. Rub the steel wool over the stain in a circular pattern until it is removed.

If the affected area is most likely covered in etch marks, treat them with these steps:

• Clean the area surrounding the etch marks to remove moisture or dirt.
• Add a polishing powder over the stain, make sure you get the right type of polishing powder for your marble.
• Spray the powder with water 2-3 times until the powder is damp.
• Spray a towel with water 2-3 times and use the towel to rub the powder over the etch marks. Rub quickly for between 30 and 60 seconds and be careful not to apply too much pressure to avoid scratching the marble.  This should rub the marks away.
• After rubbing out the etch marks, clean the area with a marble cleaner and wipe the surface with a clean towel. Make sure you dry the area after the powder and other debris is removed.

If you are not sure which type of stain you are dealing with, you can try both of these cleaning methods and see which one works, or contact a professional for an opinion.

It is tough to give even a basic estimate for clutter cleaning in a home because there are so many factors that affect the cost.  These factors include the following:

• Type and size of the home
• Location of the home
• Amount of materials that need to be disposed
• Presence of biohazard materials
• Functionality of systems including plumbing, heat, electricity etc.
• Method of disposal
• Supplies needed to clean and sanitize the home
• Number of workers needed
• Amount of time needed to finish the project

Providing an estimate for clutter cleaning just on size is tricky because two houses of the same size may have different levels and types of clutter.  You can at least expect the cleaning cost of a house to be in the thousands, an average sized home can cost as much as $10,000 to clean.  The most accurate way to get an estimate is to have someone assess the condition of the property in person.  Contact local professionals to inspect the property and provide you with an estimate so you know how much money you need to save.

When it comes to treating a wood gym floor, you have a couple of options.  You can have the gym floor recoated, or fully sanded and refinished for a resurfacing.  A gym floor recoating is usually done once per year and costs about $0.75 per square foot for two coats of new finish.  A full sanding and refinishing of the gym floor typically costs about $3.00 per square foot.  The labor, materials, artwork, and game line painting are included in this price.

These prices are the average prices for each service and the overall cost will still depend on the following factors:

• Total size of the gym (square footage)
• The current condition of the floor and finish
• What specific repair services if any are needed
• The products and materials used for the sanding and finishing
• The amount of painting needed for logos and game lines

It is important to find a reputable professional to provide quality recoating or resurfacing services for the gym floor.  Check out each company’s credentials and ask for references to view their previous work.  You should also take measurements of the gym floor and note the floor’s condition to get a better idea of what you can expect for an overall price.

If you have experienced any flooding in your home that contains sewage, you need the help of a professional water damage restoration service provider immediately.  Your home is vulnerable to significant damage from contaminated water, and your health is also at risk because of the dangerous toxins and bacteria present in sewage water.

It is very important that you and everyone in your household avoids all contact with the contaminated water.  You need to immediately begin looking for a reputable water damage restoration service provider because the damage will only get worse until it can be addressed.  When looking for a professional to clean up the sewage, follow these tips to ensure that they are a trustworthy service provider:

• Make sure they are licensed and insured: There may be some water damage restoration companies out there who have the equipment, but don’t have the certification or insurance to back up their work. A reputable restoration company will not only be insured, but also certified through the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).  A company that is IICRC certified will use the proper equipment and techniques to effectively remove sewage water as well as clean and disinfect your home.
• Get referrals: It helps to get some referrals for a company before you decide to hire them to ensure that they provide quality services. The best referrals are through word of mouth, but in a situation such as this there may not be time to go around asking for word of mouth referrals.  You can look at review websites such as Yelp, Google My Business listings, and Facebook to read online reviews of the company.
• Make sure they respond quickly: As mentioned above, the damage from flooding that contains sewage will continue to get worse until the restoration begins. When you are looking for a restoration company, make sure they respond quickly to emergencies.  Any delay in their response allows the damage to get worse which can end up costing you more in the restoration.  A reputable restoration company will arrive immediately and offer 24-hour emergency services to react at all hours of the day.
• Get all costs itemized up front: Before beginning the work, a reputable restoration company will do an inspection of your property and create a thorough restoration plan that includes each step of the process, methods used, and a timetable for completion. They should also be able to give you an estimate of the costs up front before you decide to do business with them.  It is important to know the complete costs of the services before agreeing to let the restoration company proceed.
• Ask about insurance: A reputable restoration service provider should be willing to work with your insurance company to cover the cost. Be sure to ask the company how they deal with insurance.  If they help file the claim with your insurance company, it will make this aspect of the scenario so much easier.

These are the basics of what makes up a reputable water damage restoration company.  However, you must remember that you need to hire a professional as soon as possible to limit the damage to your home.