I think someone just posted some pics of un-oiled year old soapstone. I like it, it looks rustic, uneven and chalk full of character. The downsides I think are that you see moisture rings, you get dark spots from anywhere you've rolled dough or had oil touch the surface and you get your OILEDsoapstone4life!!@ ! membership revoked.

Actually, the green is a bit different than the gray. The reason most people oil is to get that dark, almost black color. You love your color so don't need that. My Finland green is dark and wonderful and doesn't want oiling at all.

Soapstone is oliophilic or some such word, in that it attracts fats. That means you'll probably have to use a little dishsoap to get oil spots up. You might even need to rub back and forth a little with the sponge. It shouldn't take a lot of elbow grease, just a good cleaning.

I've never oiled my soapstone (Beleza, installed about 18 months ago). It's dark gray with some green streaks and I like the color just as it is. I do get spots from oils while I'm cooking but I clean it every night (with some kind of spray cleaner and microfiber cloth) and any spots or marks come right up.

This is my never-oiled soapstone.

Casey

Mine is now 4 years old and I have never oiled. It get no spots of any kind since it is exposed to dough/kneading /rolling out etc all the time. I have GM also, at least that is what they said. It is darker where I use it more and lighter where I don't . I wouldn't oil if I were you, you can always change your mind.

This is mine where I knead bread the most:

A month or two ago someone who didn't want to oil her soapstone because she loved it the lighter gray color, found a way to easily get the oil off from cooking splatters. If I'm not mistaken, it was the jet-dry/finish stuff you put in the dishwasher. Another poster said she tried it and it worked great! Aesthetics is the only reason to oil, so if you like it unoiled, Great! Where are our pictures, by the way, so that we can love it, too?

I oiled mine a few times and then stopped. It got back to its original unoiled state rather quickly. Any "oil" spots from kneading or splatters wash off with regular dish liquid.

I have Julia.

Thanks all!! I was planning on posting pictures when the whole project is done next week (I say with fingers crossed!!)

The darker parts where Trailrunner uses hers most is probably where fats have migrated from dough, hands, and whatever.

Here's the jet dry thread. Jet Dry is a surfactant (basically, soap). A grease cutting dishsoap probably would do the same thing, but the particular kind in Jet Dry might have a smaller molecule or some similarly arcane difference that makes it work better.

The interesting thing is that it seems to have been the jet dry residue on the glasses that was making the rings on the oiled soapstone!

I have Verde Duro soapstone and it is distinctly green. I love it just as it is and have not oiled it. It is 6 months old. It gets a real workout because I cook quite often. It cleans up beautifully with just a damp sponge, and and occasional squirt of Trader Joe's Cedarwood and Sage multi-purpose cleaner. I have had a couple of very minor scratches and a squirt and wipe takes care of them. I have dropped things on it with no dents. The soapstone is soft to the touch and beautiful with our cherry cabinets. I do not ever plan to oil my counters! Also we carried the same stone out to our patio counter and it has weathered very well.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Finished Kitchen