Soapstone is a nonporous, metamorphic rock composed mainly of talc, magnesium, silicate and chlorate. It is one of the most stain-resistant and easy to maintain surfaces you can have in your home. Soapstone is so impervious to heat that is used to make pizza stones, oven interiors, cooking pots, and masonry heaters. The heat resistant qualities coupled with its stain resistant qualities make soapstone a highly desirable addition to any home.
Daily Cleaning
You Will Need:
- Soft cloth or sponge
- Bucket
- Dishwashing liquid
- Warm water
- Dry towel
The Cleaning Process:
- Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to a bucket (or sink full) of warm water, working it until suds form.
- Wet your sponge or cloth with the soapy water and wipe the soapstone surface thoroughly.
- Rinse out your sponge or cloth with plain water and wipe away any sudsy residue from the soapstone surface.
- Surface can either be allowed to air dry or can be wiped dry with a soft towel.
- If you prefer, you can use a general all-purpose cleaner (such as 409® or Fantastik) on your soapstone. Soapstone is impervious to chemicals, so those types of cleaners will not harm it.
Periodic Maintenance
You Will Need:
- Mineral oil
- Soft cloth
- Soft towel
The Cleaning Process:
- Pour a small amount of mineral oil onto your cloth.
- Rub the mineral oil onto the soapstone surface.
- After the oiling, you can wipe away the excess so that the surface will not feel slick. (The oil will not soak in—soapstone is impermeable)
- During the first year of using your soapstone surface, this should be done about every two weeks to help the stone oxidize (darken) evenly. Thereafter, it should be done about every two months.
Repairing Scratches
You Will Need:
- Fine sandpaper
- Warm water
- Sponge
- Soft cloth
- Mineral Oil
The Repairing Process:
- Soapstone is prone to scratches. If the surface of your soapstone gets scratched, gently go over the scratch with a piece of fine sandpaper, using a smooth, circular motion.
- Wet the sandpaper, and sand the scratch again, using a smooth, circular motion.
- Wet a sponge with warm water, and wipe away any residual dust.
- Pour a small amount of mineral oil onto a soft cloth and rub it into the area that was sanded to help restore its luster and natural dark color. The sanding will remove the mineral oil and make the color lighter, so you may need to apply the mineral oil several times to even out the color of the scratched and sanded area.
Additional Tips and Advice
- If your soapstone is new, you can expect that it will darken over time. This is a natural occurrence as the stone oxidizes and actually adds to the beauty of the surface. Most soapstone will darken to a charcoal gray, although some may remain lighter and retain a greenish hue.
- Unlike marble or granite, soapstone is not porous in nature (thus its natural stain resistance) and does not need to be sealed.
- To make oiling even easier, keep your oiled cloth in a ziplock baggie. Over time, the cloth will absorb the oil and will therefore spread more easily and evenly on the soapstone surface.
- Since soapstone is prone to scratches, it is not recommended that you use any type of abrasive cleanser or steel wool products on your soapstone surfaces.
I just installed soapstone countertops. This stuff really is amazing. True soapstone is impenetrable. But if you want to freshen up the sink, you can vacuum it out and sand the surface with a random orbital sander using 120 grit paper followed by 220 grit paper. After sanding, vacuum again, then clean with denatured alcohol. Your sink is good as new and ready to go!
If you would like it to stay dark like it is when it is wet, you can apply mineral oil after the denatured alcohol dries. Just wipe the oil on the sink with a clean cotton cloth and then wipe off the excess. I find it is best to do this in the evening before going to bed so the oil has a chance to evaporate and the surface doesn’t feel oily to the touch.
Mike,
It sounds like your soapstone is on the floor, maybe tiles? In that case, I believe the soapstone is rougher (un-sanded). When we clean our countertop soapstone, I first wipe the surface down with denatured alcohol. If there are any surface stains remaining, I come back with water and wipe again. (It seems like the alcohol doesn’t dissolve certain stains. The stain is on the surface and just needs to be addressed with a different solution, normally happens with coffee.) Next, I wipe mineral oil on the surface to give it that rich dark look. Have you tried a soapy solution and a stiff bristled brush? Hopefully it is just the issue of a different solution and agitating the stain.
My wife set a bottle of bleach on the our soapstone kitchen island, and apparently the bleach container had a pinhole leak. The area is now lighter in color, and circular. What is the best way to get rid of the stain?
The bleach just removed the oil. Clean and re-oil.
My soapstone counter has a stickiness on the surface. It seems to be where I have canisters, etc. on top of the surface, and underneath a stickiness on the surface. It is not dirty, as I have used soap to clean. How do I get rid of this stickiness?
It’s great to find an expert who can explain things so well.
We have a wood burning soapstone stove and the top often gets stained. Is there a secret that I should know about cleaning these stains. The top and sides get hot during use and this may contribute to the problem.
Great article.
Sandra, soapstone does not get stained easily. Have you tried mineral oiling the stains? It should make the entire stone darker, hiding the stains. If it does not work, you can try covering the area with some paper towels, and placing some hydrogen peroxide on it. Cover it with plastic overnight and see what it does to it.
Davision, you can clean the stickiness on your soapstone countertops with denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner.
I have a wood-burning stove that has soapstone on the sides and top. I would like to oil the soapstone to darken it, but am afraid the oil will smoke or emit an odor when it gets hot. The outside of the stone can reach 200 degrees.
Any advice would be appreciated!
Burton has a similar question.
I applied mineral oil to a soapstone fire stove and now there is heavy wax odor during the wood fire burn.
Help! I just had soapstone counters installed and my granddaughter tipped her cup of very light pink Crystal Light over onto the counter. We quickly wiped it up, but you can see exactly where the spill marks are. I cleaned with soap and water several times, but the spill mark remains. I thought this stuff was non-porous?
Kelly,
Soapstone is non-porous, but it can still get surface stains. Crystal Light contains dyes, which is what the pink stain you are describing is probably from. Some things you can try using to remove it are isopropyl alcohol, white vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide. Test each of them on a small hidden area first to look for any adverse reaction before using them to clean the stain. If the stain doesn’t come off by rubbing it with a soft cloth that has the cleaner on it, you may need to let it sit on the stain for a couple minutes to loosen the dye, then you can scrub with a soft bristle brush like a nail brush or an old toothbrush if needed. Good luck!
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Clean Food Dyes from Plastics
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Remove Food Coloring from Walls and Hardwood Floors
Have soapstone counter tops. Used wax instead of oil because we were told wax is better and the installer gave us wax for soapstone. Made a housecleaning DIY and was not aware that baking soda and vinegar doesn’t mix. Thought I had cleaned up well, but noticed the next day there were spots all over. Stripped counter from wax and redid the wax. Now the counter is sticky! Any suggestions to removing wax? Can I switch to mineral oil? I have other counter tops; will it match if I switch to mineral oil? So discouraged…I have spent days trying to correct this.
Lisa,
Every piece of soapstone is unique, so there may be a difference in appearance between one counter that is waxed and another that is oiled. You can try using the oil in a small hidden area first to see how great the difference would be on your specific counter. Good luck!
We spilled a bit of “super glue” on our soapstone counter, leaving a much lighter stain. Will time erase or is there a better approach? Help!! Thanks!
Dick,
Use the guide How to Remove Superglue from Tile. Test each method on a small hidden area first to be sure it is safe for your counter. If the glue cannot be removed with chemicals, you can refinish the area. Good luck!
I have a six-month-old soapstone countertop. A bottle of Windex was left on it and it has stained the stone. Any suggestions on removing the stain?
David,
It is likely the dye in the Windex that has left the stain. Follow the same tips I gave to Kelly a few months ago: put either isopropyl alcohol, white vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide on a cloth then rub the stain. The dye should transfer to the cloth, so rotate the cloth to a clean area as needed until all of the stain is gone. If that doesn’t work, you may need to let the cleaner (alcohol, vinegar, or peroxide) soak on the stain for a few minutes, then try scrubbing off the stain with the cloth again.
Another option is to use a poultice: mix one of those cleaners with some flour to make a thick paste that is about the consistency of toothpaste or peanut butter. Spread the paste over the stain and let it dry – the powder will absorb the stain and then can simply be brushed off when dry.
Alcohol is usually the best bet for dye stains. If you don’t have any alcohol, you can try using either hand sanitizer or hairspray instead as they both often contain high levels of alcohol. Also, you should always test any cleaning solution in a small hidden area first to look for any adverse reaction, just in case. Good luck!
Hi I just had a backsplash installed in my kitchen. When they siliconed it, some of the silicone left a dark area where it met the soapstone. Is there a way to get that out??
Jasen,
Silicone usually requires a special remover (silicone remover). There are a variety of brands available at major hardware stores and some supermarkets. Choose one that is safe to use on natural stone surfaces, such as Motsenbokers Silicone, Latex and Caulk Remover.
Source; HowToCleanStuff – How to Remove Silicone
I have a very old soapstone double sink in my basement which is basically used for laundry. Over the years the surface of the sink has pitted severly. I was told I can use mortar to resurface the pitted sections. What would be the best way to clean the surface before applying mortar? I do not wish to replace the sink.
Richard,
First clean the sink with the General Cleaning method above (using dish liquid), then rinse thoroughly and wipe the sink down with isopropyl alcohol. The goal is to remove any oils on the surface so the mortar adhears well and remove any mineral residue from the water as well. Good luck!
I’m trying to find out how to get rid of water stains on countertops. I have tried “clean and re-oil.” Do you think I may need MORE re-oiling?
Julie,
Water stains usually just need to dry out. If it’s not drying out after a few days, you may want to clean it again, but don’t oil it; the oil might be locking in the water. If that still doesn’t work, you could try a poultice. To make a poultice, mix either isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide with baking soda to make a thick paste about the consistency of peanut butter or toothpaste. Spread the paste over the stain, let it dry, then brush off the powder. Good luck!
Source: How To Clean Stuff – How to Remove Dtains from Granite Countertops
We just put in a soapstone countertop in the bathroom. It is sticky in spots. What can I use to get the stickiness off?
Betty,
Try using the dish liquid first; that should removed most types of general stickiness. If the stickiness is some leftover residue from an instillation product (glue, caulk, adhesive from a sticker, etc.), you will need to look for a more specific product that can work for removal. Acetone nail polish remover can work for many types of glue, but be sure to test it on a small hidden area first to look for any adverse reaction. Isopropyl alcohol is another good bet, especially for sticker adhesive, but again, test it first. Good luck!
Source: HowToCleanStuff – How to Remove Adhesive from Stone and Concrete