For regular cleaning, the best method is: Put a few drops of dish soap into a bucket of warm water. Using a clean sponge, wipe your soapstone countertops completely. Rinse the sponge or use a clean cloth to wipe any excess soap from the countertop.
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 can't be damaged by any cleaners so don't worry. You can really use whatever you want. However, any cleaning solution which degreases will also remove some of the oil so the area may fade more quickly and require more frequent oiling.
Steps to Clean the Sculpture:
Mix a few drops of mild detergent with water in a small dish. Moisten a soft cloth with the cleaning mixture and rub it over the surface. Rinse the cloth and rub it over the surface with clean water to remove any excess soapy residue. Allow the piece to air dry.
Pour mineral oil onto a clean cloth, and rub the cloth over the soapstone surface. Make sure the surface is covered with a thin layer of mineral oil, and let it seep into the surface. Repeat this process every eight weeks to prevent new stains from showing up.
Mineral oil is recommended for coating Soapstone sinks and counter-tops.
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.
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.
General Care
Cleaning soapstone countertops is extremely simple, using mild soap and water. If you decide to use mineral oil on the surface, you'll want to avoid cleaners with harsh chemicals as they tend to undo that process.
First Oiling
With a few clean, dry rags at the ready, simply pour the mineral oil directly from the bottle onto the surface of the soapstone, rubbing it on to the entire surface with one of the rags (a small paint brush can be handy for corners). Once you've covered the stone with oil, let it sit for a half hour or so.
Soapstone countertops do not stain
Porosity is an important factor when choosing your countertop material. Imagine being worried every time some wine spills on the countertop. This is a non-issue with soapstone countertops on any liquids including acidic liquids such as vinegar and coffee.
We recommend oiling the countertops as soon as the previous coat of mineral oil has started fading. Once you oil the countertop for the first time you will see the stone will become much darker. A few days from the first oiling, most soapstone will lighten. You can re-treat your countertops every time this happens.
Sealing soapstone is the best way to protect it long term, especially if it is outdoors. To preserve the color of your soapstone, it should be resealed every three or four years.
Soapstone is a relatively soft material, and it will scratch. Soapstone is primarily composed of the mineral talc, the softest mineral there is. The talc content of a given slab of soapstone dictates just how easily it can be scratched during everyday use.
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.
Alberene Soapstone wax can be applied as frequently as needed depending on the shade of black that you desire. Zajac suggests applying the wax weekly in the beginning to make the soapstone darken faster than normal.
Once your soapstone countertop is installed, follow these simple care tips and maintenance instructions: Vacuum the countertop to remove any dust or dirt. Clean the countertop with a clean cloth and denatured alcohol. Once the alcohol dries apply mineral oil to the countertop with a soft cloth.
After the scratch has been sanded out, apply a light coat of the mineral oil or soapstone enhancer to the sanded area. The mineral oil application should be repeated 2-3 times over a 2-3 day period until the sanded area matches the coloration of the rest of the stone.
Polishing Soapstone with oil
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 drying.
Maintenance: Soapstone doesn't stain, although it will naturally darken with use. Since soapstone is inert and non-porous, it doesn't need to be sealed, although it's sometimes treated with mineral oil to achieve a dark, even appearance.
It definitely does not stain. Soapstone is non porous. It is also inert. Consider: there is a reason that soapstone is often used as counters for science labs!
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.