Keep your granite countertops looking good as new
Your granite countertops sure do look nice, don’t they? Hopefully you can keep them looking nice forever. If they don’t look nice then somewhere along the line they were not treated with the
necessary care. Maintaining the great look of granite does not require any gigantic effort. In fact, there’s not even two handfuls worth of maintenance tips for the lovely countertop material.
Here are your 8 maintenance tips:
#1 Wash daily
Washing=Clean
Running a wet sponge over your granite daily or nightly is a great habit to get into. Mixing in a couple drops of dish detergent will help as well. That’s really all it takes to wash a granite countertop – water and soap. It doesn’t get much simpler.
#2 Avoid abrasive cleaners
If granite has a weakness, it is proneness to scratching. While it is not easy to scratch granite, constant exposure to cleaning brushes will eventually wear the surface. It’s easier to use a sponge or a rag anyway.
#3 Avoid acidic cleaning substances
Chemical cleaners can react adversely with granite, and vise versa. Substances such as vinegar, bleach, ammonia and lemon can result in staining to your precious granite countertops. Thus, stick with the water/soap combination, or try cleaners specific to granite (we’ll get to those in a moment).
#4 Clean spills right away
Parallel to maintenance tip #3, acidic drinks can also spell doom to your granite. Sodas, wines, coffee…if any acidic liquid falls to granite, clean it IMMEDIATELY. Even water can cause problems if able to sink into the surface.
#5 Seal and reseal when necessary
To protect granite from random liquids, it is very important for the countertop material be sealed. Almost all professional installers will place a sealant over granite upon installation; however, the sealant can wear away after a year or two. We’ll discuss when it’s time to reseal granite soon.
#6 Keep sharp objects away from granite
During your intense cooking sessions, try your best to keep knifes away from granite. It takes a considerable effort, but a knife does have the capability of scratching the natural stone material.
#7 Make use of specialized granite cleaners
There are all sorts of
granite-specific cleaners available to consumers. Wander over to your local department store and a friendly helper should be able to point you to a few. You can also research online or call a
trusted granite supplier.
#8 Make use trivets, coasters, and cutting boards
Granite is well-known for being heat-resistant. It can withstand typical kitchen heat with no problem. With that said, it’s best not to test granite’s heat-resistant limits. Using trivets to place hot items, coasters to place slippery drinks and cutting boards to place sharp knives will ultimately prevent mishaps with granite countertops.
***Water Test***
You can determine whether or not your granite countertop needs to be resealed by executing the “Water Test”. Don’t worry, it is not at all complicated. All you have to do is sprinkle a few drops of water onto a commonly used part of the granite countertop. If the water drops bead together, the granite seal is still in good shape. If they bleeds away, it’s time for a reseal.
All things granite can be addressed by Galaxy Granite & Stone. We offer all sorts of granite designs. We also offer marble, slate,
travertine, limestone and silestone. Give us a call at (972) 525-4989 and please visit our website—
galaxygranitetx.com—and our blog for additional granite input.
