Natural soapstone is an environmentally friendly choice for kitchen countertops. The slabs are simply taken from the earth and cut to custom specifications to fit perfectly into your kitchen. No sealers or toxic chemicals will be introduced into your home with soapstone, as it is all natural and completely recyclable.
It's eco-friendly: Soapstone is naturally found and can be recycled. Plus, it's chemical-free and you can often find salvaged soapstone online.
Nothing about your soapstone countertops will introduce any foreign chemicals to your home or the environment. Because soapstone countertops are non-porous, they are naturally cleaner and safer than other types of countertops.
Soapstone is valued for it the way it helps one prepare for changes in life. It is also thought to promote truth, logic as well as rational and creative thinking. Soapstone's physical benefits are said to be balancing the digestive system, reducing irritation and skin rashes, sun burns and allergies.
Soapstone is a peaceful and calming stone. It is said to help release outdated patterns and negative habits - helping you in tread a more empowered and happy path.
Soapstone is the common name for the mineral steatite. Steatite is at least 50% talc combined with other minerals, mostly magnesite, that have been geologically metamorphosed into stone through a combination of heat, pressure and time. It is called soapstone because the talc gives the stone a soapy feel.
Limestone, soapstone, and marble countertops do not pose a radon concern, according to Kitto. If you have granite countertops and want to test them for radon, place a short-term home radon test kit near the granite and another kit in the basement or lowest usable level of the home.
Topping the list for healthier countertop materials is lead-free (US-made) ceramic tile, followed by solid surface products such as Corian, then engineered quartz and cultured marble.
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.
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.
Unless you choose one of the more exotic varieties of marble, you can expect to pay between $60 and $85 per square foot for marble countertops. Soapstone countertops cost between $70 and $120.
The case for soapstone countertops
Because it is chemically inert acids like tomatoes or lemon juice won't stain or etch its surface. And because it's so dense it's completely impenetrable, (not even bacteria can penetrate its surface!) it will never stain... ever!
The other big benefit to soapstone countertops in a laundry room is that this stone absorbs heat well. You could do your clothes ironing directly on soapstone if you choose. Just keep in mind that soapstone absorbs and retains heat, so you'll need to be watchful otherwise more delicate fabrics could burn.
Patina is how your soapstone naturally ages. It's why quarried traditional soapstone, in its natural state, is light blue gray or darker grey. Typically the darker soapstone is harder, with less talc. Soapstone countertops will age (patina) or darken naturally.
The Soapstone Hill Mine was closed at the time of data entry with no known plans to re-open. Production size when active was considered to be small. The ore mined is composed of gold with waste material consisting primarily of quartz. The host rock in this area is granite.
Quartz Counters (Engineered Stone)
Quartz is made of ground quartz (real stone), pigment and a binder, usually polyester resin. They claim that the final product is fully cured (no VOCs), but it did have a very minor offgassing odor for the first few days. After that, I found it completely safe.
Quartz is inherently eco-friendly because the natural quartz material that composes much of it comes directly from the earth. When compared to other countertops, it features a longer replacement life, and is even recyclable.
Quartz is more eco-friendly than granite
Granite is a natural stone, but is porous and requires sealing with chemicals to minimize staining and etching. According to the EPA, granite may also off gas radioactive materials called radon.
Soapstone is recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a suitable surface material for contact with food.
Another benefit of cooking in soapstone is the capacity to retain nutrients is higher than in modern utensils, says Harini Balasubramanian, a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator. “It retains 98% nutrients of the food cooked in it. It cooks food in 15% less time than modern cookware.
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 is dense, without pores, does not stain, and repels water.
Soapstone is a metamorphic rock. There are two different materials popularly called soapstone. The first being Talc, the softest mineral on earth, mostly used in the manufacturing of cosmetics, refractory materials, sculptures, and everyday items such as toothpaste, baby powder and even chewing gum.
Today heat it to 105-110 degrees in the oven or even place on a sunny window sill for the day. The only thing we don't recommend is a microwave. The correct temperature is that you want to be able to handle it, but not hold it.