Window Sill Eternit Maintenance

[Samsamuelsson]

Hello
I have a black windowsill made of Eternit that has become ugly and worn. Is there anything that can be done to clean and/or "polish" it up? Household tips or products to buy.
Any help is gladly accepted.
/Martin

 

[BirgitS]

Since you don't want to wear down the eterniten, you could try rubbing in some oil, perhaps paraffin oil. Try it on the underside first.

 

[Samsamuelsson]

Since you don't want to wear down the eternite, you could try rubbing in some oil, maybe paraffin oil. Try it on the underside first.

Thanks for the tip, but unfortunately the underside doesn't have the same surface and appearance as the top. Why oil, just curious.

 

[BirgitS]

Oil usually makes the surface shiny and reflective, which often makes it look more even in color.

If there are lime deposits after water has evaporated, you can try something acidic, such as lemon or vinegar. If it's more common dirt, dish soap or all-purpose cleaner should remove it.

 

[Edlunn]

Hi
I have a black windowsill in eternit that has become unsightly and worn. Is there anything that can be done to clean and/or "polish" it up? Household tips or products to buy.
Any help is gladly received.
/Martin

Is it really eternit? Looks more like black stone.

 

[Dsl]

I wet sand mine with 800->2000 grit paper. Then the polishing machine with coarse polishing paste and lambswool pad, and finally wax.

They don't become quite as shiny as new since I can't keep going for more than an hour, but much better than before.

 

[Magnus E K]

Is it really eternit? Looks more like black stone.

It is eternit made to resemble black stone.

 

[Samsamuelsson]

Is it really eternit? Looks more like black stone.

Yes, unfortunately it's eternit.

 

[Bitterhetsakademin]

Oil usually makes the surface shiny and reflective, which often makes it appear more even in color.

If it's lime deposits left by evaporated water, you can try something acidic, such as lemon or vinegar. If it's more common dirt, dish soap or all-purpose cleaner should remove it.

Lemon or vinegar can make the stains worse if the surface is sensitive to acids. I have personally removed similar stains by polishing with Autosol, but that was on limestone.

 

[Samsamuelsson]

Is it really eternit? Looks more like black stone.

Unfortunately eternit.

 

[BirgitS]

I wet sand mine with 800->2000 paper. Then the polishing machine with coarse polishing paste and lambswool pad and finally wax.

They don't become as shiny as new since I don't have the energy to continue for more than an hour, but much better than before.

Doesn't sound very healthy to do that with asbestos-containing material.

 

[Dr Benz]

I wet sand mine with 800->2000 paper. Then the polishing machine with coarse polishing paste and lambswool pad, and finally wax.

They don't become as shiny as new because I can't keep going for more than an hour, but much

Doesn't sound very healthy to do it with asbestos-containing material.

I felt the same way spontaneously, even though I advocate a calmer attitude toward asbestos hysteria. But wet sanding is by no means more dangerous. So I think one shouldn't make too big a deal out of it.

 

[Marlen Eskilsson]

We have the same windowsills and the same stains. On the underside, the board is gray/beige. I strongly suspect that the black surface will completely disappear if you start sanding it?

 

[Magnus E K]

Don't even think about sanding it in place indoors. If that's the case, it must be dismantled and the work done outside, but it's quite pointless because it's not allowed to reassemble asbestos-containing material. (Once it's gone, there's no other option than to wrap it in double layers of construction plastic and take it to the recycling center, unless you live close enough to walk with it to the recycling center.)

 

[Bitterhetsakademin]

Don't even think about sanding it in place indoors. In that case, it must be dismantled and the work performed outside, but it's quite pointless since it's not allowed to re-install asbestos-containing material. (So if it's ultimately gone, there's no alternative but to wrap it in double layers of construction plastic and drive it to the recycling center, unless you live close enough to walk it there.)

What a homeowner does is really their own business; whether or not they wish to reinstall it is something the state can hardly control. The most sensible thing to do if one wants to keep it is to polish away the stain with any polishing agent, like Autosol or similar.