Durable: Though soapstone is relatively soft compared to other stone countertops, it remains durable. Soapstone typically lasts for more than 20 years.
Soapstone can be used to create molds for casting objects from soft metals, such as pewter or silver. The soft stone is easily carved and is not degraded by heating.
When it comes to natural stone countertops, there are more options out there than just marble and granite. If you love the dark beauty of granite and the light veining of marble, consider soapstone instead. It's durable, relatively low-maintenance, and has a lovely, old-world feel.
Yes, Soapstone Will Scratch—But Maintenance Is Simple
Its nonporous nature means that caring for soapstone is simple: little more than water and a gentle cleanser is needed for regular maintenance.
Since soapstone countertops do not crack easily, they are more durable than other countertops made of natural stone. Its non-porosity feature also means that your soapstone countertops can serve you for a long period without requiring sealing.
Soapstone, being softer than granite and marble, is also more prone to scratches. The great advantage is that any scratches can be easily removed with a light sanding and/or mineral oil. Light scratches can be hidden by lightly applying some mineral oil.
Mineral Oil is Your Friend
Having a dedicated routine to clean and maintain your soapstone can help minimize the chance for your countertops to get scratched over time. The most essential cleaning tool in your arsenal to help reduce any scratches or scuffing is finding and using the right mineral oil.
Stains are easily cleaned by scrubbing or even sanding the stains away. However soapstone is a very soft stone and is prone to scratches. Minor scratches are easily repaired with an FDA approved food grade mineral oil or enhancer.
When you've got a brand new soapstone countertop, it's worth rubbing it down a day after installation. Before doing so, allow your counter to settle for a day so the silicon can set and dry. After that, you should plan to oil your stone once every month or when your counters start to get too light.
Using a soft cloth, wipe on a light coat of boiled linseed oil. Tung oil or Danish oil can also be used. Do not apply heavy coats or the oil will become gummy and hard to polish. Wipe off the excess oil and allow to dry.
Believe it or not, bleach will not harm it either. However, Bleach is not needed, since the soapstone's natural high density will not harbor bacteria of any kind. Simple soapstone and water or vinegar and water. Will work wonderfully well and clean any surface bacteria just as well as bleach or harsh cleaners.
Soapstone is both chemical resistant and heat resistant, so you can set hot pots and pans directly on soapstone without risk of cracking or scorching. Soapstone is much softer and more prone to scratching than granite or quartz however, so preparing food directly on your soapstone counters could easily scratch it.
While hardness is desirable in a countertop for structural stability, what soapstone lacks in hardness, it makes up in density. Soapstone particles are extremely compact—more so than those of quartz, marble, or granite—which makes it more sanitary and easier to wipe clean.
Scratch the surface of the stone with your fingernail. Soapstone is very soft; it is assigned a rating of 2 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. This means that simply by drawing your fingernail across the surface of the stone you should be able to mark it.
Soapstone when first mined is typically bluish/gray.
Serpentine, soapstone, and greenstone may contain asbestos, which can cause asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and stomach and intestinal cancers. During chipping and other carving, flying chips and pieces of rock may cause eye injury.
Walnut oil is one of these. Despite increased popularity, it does not optimize the look and feel of soapstone, and it's allergenic. Additionally, do not use the common household olive oils: they will go rancid and start to smell.
Soapstone countertops are naturally beautiful, durable and easy to clean and maintain.
Mineral oil is recommended for coating Soapstone sinks and counter-tops.
It definitely does not stain. Soapstone is non porous. It is also inert.
Soapstone costs roughly $70 to $120 per square foot installed, making it pricier than many other natural stone countertop materials. Also a high-quality natural stone, granite will not cost you as much soapstone. The material typically costs in the range of $40 to $100 per square foot installed.
Soapstone is functional, durable and beautiful. Even after 100 years of hard use, soapstone can be refinished to a looks-like-it-was-just-installed state.
Oil and grease can discolor new soapstone, so wipe up spills promptly and, if necessary, rub a bit of acetone (nail polish remover will suffice) on an oil stain to lighten it. Once your countertop reaches its full patina, oil discoloration won't be a problem.
With that being said, if we take something that we already know it's hardness and try to scratch a soapstone, and it does, we will know that the soapstone is at least softer than what scratched it. So if a fingernail scratches it, it can be assumed that, that soapstone is a 2.5 or less on the Moh's scale of hardness.