FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Caring for Your Luxury Amenities
Merry Maids^® Experts Offer Tips to Keep Your Natural Stone and Stainless Steel Clean

Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and travertine floors were once associated with luxury homes, but are now staples of new home construction and renovations. These specialty products require special care. With these maintenance suggestions from the professional maids at Merry Maids, your high-end surfaces will retain their natural beauty and functionality for years to come.

Granite Countertops

• Always use coasters and placemats under drinks and food containers to prevent scratches or stains.
• Clean as you go. Natural stone is more porous that synthetic, so clean spills before they penetrate the surface.
• Clean with a neutral cleaner such as stone soap or a mild solution of dishwashing soap and warm water. Rinse after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft, clean cloth.
• Never use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads to clean the surface.
• Reduce streaks by using microfiber cloths or gloves.

Travertine Floors

• Seal all stone surfaces according to dealer specification.
• Travertine is a calcium-based, alkaline stone and is easily damaged by acid substances. Do not use vinegar, lemon juice or cleaners containing acids.
• Immediately wipe up spills and messes before they penetrate the surface. Use mild, neutral cleaners for daily cleaning.
• Rinse the tile and grout thoroughly to remove any remaining cleaner.
• Dry, and polish cleaned areas.
• Frequent sweeping is the easiest way to protect flooring surfaces. Use brooms with soft bristles for smooth floors and medium bristles for textured surfaces.

Stainless Steel Surfaces

• Clean stainless steel with a mild soap solution followed by a clean water rinse.
• Use non-abrasive cleaners to prevent scratching.
• Use club soda to remove streaks and heat stains.
• Stainless steel is stain resistant but occasionally dulls and is easy to show oily finger prints. Use white or cider vinegar to clean and polish stainless steel surfaces. Moisten a cloth and wipe clean.
• Remove fingerprints by gently rubbing with glass cleaner then rinse with warm water. A paste of baking soda and water will work just as well.

 

For more cleaning advice or professional cleaning services, contact the experts at Merry Maids (www.merrymaids.com).

 

©2008 Merry Maids Limited Partnership. All rights reserved.
Founded in 1979, Merry Maids is the largest home cleaning provider in the nation, providing customized residential cleaning services through more than 900 franchises and branches in the United States and 1,400 franchises worldwide. Merry Maids is a part of the ServiceMaster^® Family of Brands, which serves more than 10.5 million customers in the United States and in 39 countries around the world and includes seven market-leading companies that provide a wide range of related home services. For more information on residential cleaning, visit the Merry Maids Web site at www.merrymaids.com or call 1-800-MERRYMAIDS.

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