Soapstone Makeover: See How This Bathroom Changed After a Stone Polishing Service in Stamford, Connecticut

July 25, 2017

The elegant and antique touch soapstone gives to any room isn't easily matched. It's a silky and soft natural rock that is durable, non-porous, chemically neutral—resistant to acid substances—, and makes for a great choice to use in kitchens or bathrooms. However, as any natural stone such as marble or travertine, soapstone still needs proper care to maintain its beauty and natural colors. This homeowner from Stamford, Connecticut, had a wonderfully designed bathroom in her house near downtown, where she had a double sink vanity top made with black, veined soapstone.


The resident loved her soapstone countertop, especially how it combined perfectly with the rest of the room. Nonetheless, after many years living in the Stamford residence, the homeowner noticed that the soapstone had scratches and dings. Besides, the rock looked dull and white stains had appeared between the two sinks. She wanted to fix it as soon as she could since she had invested a lot of money over the years to have a beautiful, spacious bathroom to relax and to let go of the stress of busy work days. Following her father's advice, she went online to look for a reliable stone polishing company in Stamford that could provide quality soapstone restoration services. She found Sir Grout of Greater Fairfield County among the first search results.

On our website, the Stamford resident found out more information about Sir Grout's work in Fairfield County. Surfing through our before and after stories, she found pictures of previous natural stone restoration services we had done in the area—it was exactly the kind of service she was looking for to restore her bathroom. Immediately, she reached out to us by filling in the "Request a Quote" form on our website to set up a date for a free, in-home consultation at her earliest convenience. We confirmed the appointment as soon as we received it.

Our team of experts visited the residence on the agreed day to inspect the room. Our first impression was that the bathroom was indeed very stylish. It was large and had gray brick walls and a comfortable bathtub; the resident even had plants around the tub to make it more relaxing. However, upon looking at the countertop, we noticed the chemical damage and the hardwater buildup that covered the soapstone surface and ruined the whole appearance of the room. The Stamford resident told us she tried reoiling the stone several times, which seemed to work at first, but eventually the marks came back again. She wanted the stone to look as black as it did when she had it installed years ago, so she asked us if there was something that could be done to fix it.

Even though soapstone is a naturally resistant rock, it still needs cleaning products that are stone safe and won't damage the surface. What's more, soapstone is very soft, which makes it prone to getting scratched and chipped easily; some people like the finish the dings give to the rock, while others, like this homeowner, prefer to hone them off.

Fortunately, we had the perfect solution to bring back the vanity top's former appearance: a stone cleaning, honing, and enhancing service. We explained the client what we wanted to do, and she accepted straight away. We then settled on the most convenient day for her to perform the procedure.

Our team of hard surface restoration experts came back a few days later to begin the restoration procedure in the bathroom. To start, we used Sir Grout's pH-neutral cleaner to remove the dirt from the surface—we do this to ensure that the enhancer will adhere and absorb properly. Once we made sure the stone was completely clean, we started the restoration process.

Before using our special stone restoration machinery, we masked off and protected the areas near the counter to prevent damaging the cabinets or the walls. We started the honing procedure using our special machinery and professional techniques to remove the damage that the soapstone had suffered throughout the years. Then, we applied Sir Grout's proprietary enhancer for stone surfaces; this product is a solvent-based, penetrating sealer specially designed to bring out natural rocks like soapstone, while also giving it a glossy appearance.

The client was over the moon when she saw the results. No white stains or spots covered the counter, and the soapstone regained its uniform, strong black color it had when first installed. Our enhancer really brought back the stone's glorious look while also protecting the surface against future deterioration.

Before leaving, we gave the customer a few tips to maintain and preserve the appearance of the renewed countertop. As we stated before, soapstone makes for an excellent choice for any surface thanks to its durability—it's non-porous, so it doesn't absorb any liquids or chemicals. The white stains that covered the soapstone of this homeowner were formed by substances evaporating on top of the surface, creating an unappealing discoloration. We advised her to clean up spills as soon as they occur to prevent these stains. Also, given that soapstone is a really soft stone, our team recommended not to use steel wool or any other abrasive tool to clean the surface since they can scratch and dull the surface. Finally, we told her that regular professional maintenance is key to maintain the stone free of scratches; a stone cleaning and enhancing procedure at least once a year will considerably help maintain a beautiful bathroom.

Does your bathroom need a touch-up? Are your vanity, shower, or floor surfaces looking dulled, damaged, and unappealing? At Sir Grout of Greater Fairfield County, we know how to restore them! We are well-known in the hard surface restoration industry for our quality services; we can clean, restore, and seal any type of natural stone or ceramic. Call us at (203) 702-4896 or fill out the "Request a Quote" form on this page to set up a free, in-home consultation today! If you want more information about our services or you want to keep up to date with our promotions subscribe to our newsletter.

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