No idea. Never heard anyone say that, so who are the ”soapstone owners” you referred to? What is important to know is that there are numerous varieties of soapstone, and some are softer and more scratch-prone and chip-prone than others, while others are harder and less scratch-prone and chip-prone. So you must shop for soapstone with that in mind. Furthermore, you must get your soapstone from an experienced soapstone fabricator. Not someone who only deals in granite and marble, and has a few slabs of soapstone on hand, and no experience with it. Soapstone is finished and fabricated differently than granite or marble.

After reading through posts and comments that are thousands on here, I’m seeing the importance of that. Thanks for the advice

I had soapstone counters for twelve years in a previous house and four years in this house. I have never, never said they always looked dirty.

I’m wondering if what they mean by dirty is what they see when after freshly oiling , a day later when it starts dissipating and looks blotchy?? I don’t know

We had soapstone in our kitchen and had young children/dogs etc and it was the absolute best surface. I didn't feel it was dirty looking and it was so pleasant to touch, wipe down, and look at. If I ever get to choose in another kitchen I will always choose soapstone for counters without question. :)

@ewinslow those are absolutely gorgeous!!! Love!! Which variety is this??

Thanks. I don't the exact variety but it is one of the harder ones and we got just from a local stoneyard in Wisconsin. We initially picked a grayer softer one but the fabricator was kind enough to talk us out of that and this one ended up being just perfect for what we wanted. The veins had some white but it has a barely perceptible green undertone.

Do a board search for soapstone patina and read this thread:

Life with soapstone--patina pictures galore