When it comes to taking care of your granite, marble, or quartz countertops, there is quite a bit of conjecture about what you should or shouldn’t do to keep your countertops looking their very best. Often times, stone countertops are one of the biggest, and most expensive, additions you can make during a kitchen remodel, so it makes sense to take excellent care of your countertops to keep them looking fabulous for decades to come. By taking the proper precautions and following these easy care instructions, you can keep your countertops looking as good as they did on installation day.
Here are several easy steps for taking care of your stone countertops:
- Apply a high-quality granite sealer to your countertops semi-annually, some stones may not need it that often, but it won’t hurt to re-seal it a little early. This will increase your countertop’s shine, and also protect it from stains.
- Make sure to wipe up any spills immediately. The longer they sit on your countertop the higher the chance for a stain. Granite is porous and once a stain seeps into the stone, it’s incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to remove it.
- Never use regular cleaning solutions on your granite countertops. Most of them have harsh chemicals that will strip the seal right off, leaving your countertop exposed to stains and bacteria.
- Keep anything acidic off of your granite countertops, as it can eat away at the surface of your countertop.
- Use a cutting board when preparing food. Cutting directly on your countertop will damage and dull your knife blades incredibly quickly, and could also damage your countertop.
- Don’t put meat directly on your countertop. It can leave a stain behind, and also cause bacteria to seep into the porous surface of your countertop.
- Put any wet containers, or bottles that might leak or have residue (bottles with cooking oil are a regular culprit) in a shelf or on a tray. Any moisture that sits on your countertops can cause a ring or stain if left long enough.
- It’s always a good idea to use a trivet for hot pots or pans. While you can place a hot pan directly on a granite countertop, grit can get between the pan and the counter and scratch the surface of your countertop. It also creates a hot spot on your countertops that can burn you or others.
- Take off diamond rings before cooking or preparing food on your countertops. Granite and quartz are pretty hard, but not as hard as a diamond. If you slip while cutting something you can permanently gouge your countertops.
- Try to avoid sprinkling oil on the countertops, and make sure to wipe around the stove top after making bacon or other greasy food that might cause oil to spatter.
By following these easy steps, you can keep your countertops looking brand new. With the proper care, granite countertops can easily last as long as the house they are installed in, and raise property values tremendously. For any further questions about granite, marble, or quartz care you can always call the friendly team at NEKA Granite Marble Quartz.
