Download PaperStone® Care & Maintenance information
PaperStone® is a beautiful, sustainable composite material that is dense, durable and easy to care for. Due to its low porosity it is resistant to staining from food products or household cleaning products.
Refer to the PaperStone® Finishing Guide for more information on finish choices and application techniques.
How to care for your PaperStone® countertops on a daily basis
Do —
- Do use a cutting board rather than cutting directly on the PaperStone® surface.
- Do use a hot pad or trivet to protect the countertop and finish from excessive heat.
- Do wipe up spills immediately.
- Do wash with hot, soapy water; mild, non-abrasive, eco-friendly kitchen cleaner or bleach/water solution (read section “Using a mild bleach/water cleaning solution” more information).
- Do dry counter with a soft towel after washing to eliminate water spotting.
- Do use The Original Bee’s Wax® spray wax or apply a coat of paste wax after cleaning with a bleach/ water solution or when water doesn’t seem to bead up anymore or the luster seems to have diminished. Generally, it is not necessary to reapply The Original Bee’s Wax® after every cleaning.
Don’t —
- Don’t cut on countertops, always use a cutting board.
- Don’t put hot items directly on the countertops. If the object is too hot to handle with your bare hands, use a trivet or hot pad. PaperStone® will withstand temperatures up to 350°F without warping, de-lamination, or discoloration. However, wax-based finishes and other types of finishes will not tolerate that much heat. The wax will melt and need to be reapplied. Oil-based or polyurethane finishes may also need to be reapplied if damaged by excessive heat.
- Don’t use cleansers that contain bleach. See note above concerning mild bleach and water solutions.
- Don’t use abrasive cleaners or abrasive cleaning tools (such as sponges with scouring pads on one side or steel wool). There are many disinfecting cleaners on the market today that are clearly marked as being not abrasive. If swirl marks or scratches appear after cleaning, switch to a different cleaning product. Scratch marks or swirls may be removed by reapplying The Original Bee’s Wax® spray wax. However, it is better to use non-abrasive cleaners and avoid scratches and swirls altogether.
- Don’t slide heavy objects, or objects with sharp edges, across the counter- top surface.
- Don’t use chemicals to clean or refinish PaperStone® surfaces unless you intend to remove the existing finish entirely and completely refinish the panel.
Using a mild bleach/water cleaning solution
A cleaning solution made from standard bleach diluted down at least 10 times with water is also an effective cleaner and disinfectant for PaperStone® counters. It is used in the restaurant industry to wipe down food service areas and kill any food bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a 1:10 bleach to water solution.