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Making A Home Your Family Will Love

When it comes to creating a gorgeous interior space, your home will only be as beautiful as your family allows it to be. If your children don't respect the space, your home will quickly fall back into disrepair, which is why I started focusing more and more on home and garden a few years ago. I was committed to creating a great space that was just as clean and gorgeous as it was functional, and I was really surprised to see how much of a difference my efforts made. Within a few short years, my place really seemed a lot more open, airy, and inviting. Check out this blog for great ideas on making a family-oriented home.

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Making A Home Your Family Will Love

How To Know If Your Stone Needs To Be Sealed?

by Alice Howard

If you have natural stone in your home such as marble or granite, it is going to need to be sealed. Whether your stone is a floor or a counter, it needs to be sealed. The sealer helps protect your stone and prevents discoloring or stains caused by spills, water or other things. If you aren't sure if your stone needs to be sealed, there are ways to tell. Read on for tips to help you know if your stone needs to be sealed as well as instructions to seal your stone.

How To Tell If You Need To Seal Your Stone

If you aren't the original owner of your home, you may not know when the stone was last sealed. It may have been done when it was installed, but it should be done after that first initial time as well. To tell if it needs to be sealed:

  1. Pour a small amount of water onto your stone.
  2. Leave the water on your stone for about 5 minutes, then wipe it down with a clean cloth.
  3. Take a look at the area and see if it's the same color and if you can see where the water had been or it's slightly darker, it's time to re-seal your stone.
  4. If the water soaked into your stone in that small amount of time, it's definitely time to seal your stone.

Sealing your stone is not too difficult to do, but you need to be sure you take the proper steps before sealing your stone.

How To Seal Your Stone

Be sure to use products that are made specifically for natural stone. Don't use products that aren't going to be safe for use on stone.

First, remove everything from your stone so you have a clear area to work with. Next, take a stone cleaner and thoroughly clean the stone. This is going to give your stone a deep clean. If you feel anything on the stone that is stuck on, take a razor blade to gently remove it from your stone.

Once your stone is cleaned thoroughly you can begin applying the sealer. If your stone isn't clean, the sealer can hold in the dirt and anything that is stuck-on, which can soak into your stone and stain or discolor it.

Then, apply a stone sealer to the stone working in small areas. Follow the manufacturer's instructions when applying the sealer, wipe it into the stone and allow it to dry thoroughly before replacing anything on the stone's surface.

Your stone should be sealed every other year for darker stones and every year for lighter stones. Lighter stones are more porous and will absorb more than darker colors.

Talk to a natural stone specialist about your stone and about other care tips to keep your stone looking beautiful.

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