Granite countertops are often the biggest upgrade you can make to a home’s kitchen. If you take good care of granite countertops, they can last for decades, and still look just as polished and beautiful as the day they were installed. These countertops come in a variety of colors and patterns to suit the decorative tastes of any homeowner. The granite in your countertops may easily be the oldest and most durable substance in your home, but special precautions must still be taken to protect it from damage.
In order to protect granite countertops, please follow the following steps:
1. Apply a high-quality granite sealer to the countertops. This should be done when the granite is completely dry. Buff the sealer with a rough cloth once it dries. Sealer serves not only to enhance the shine of the granite but to give it added protection from stains
2. If a spill should occur, clean up before the stain has a chance to penetrate the surface. Granite is somewhat absorbent and can absorb stains if spills are left any length of time.
3. Generally, you can clean your granite countertop with a soap and water.
4. Using regular cleaning chemicals on your countertop will strip the seal and leave the porous surface of the granite exposed.
5. Avoid using acidic products. Avoid using acids or acidic materials to prepare food on granite countertops.
6. Avoid putting meat directly on the granite countertop.
7. Avoided sprinkling oil on the countertop.
8. Avoid leaving wet containers directly on the granite countertop. Spills are not the only way liquids can seep into the granite. Containers such as olive oil bottles are often hard to keep completely dry, and the layer of olive oil on the bottom of the bottle will discolor the granite with prolonged contact. Leave these types of containers on a shelf or in a cabinet.
9. Use a cutting board when preparing food. Cutting directly on the granite will damage both your knives and the countertop. Bacteria from meats and other ingredients can get into the pores of the granite, while oils or acidic ingredients can cause stains.
10. Place trivets under any hot pots or pans. One of the benefits of granite countertops is that you can place hot pans directly onto them without causing a burn mark or “thermal shock.” However, using a trivet is still a good idea, as grit trapped between the pan and the countertop can cause scratches and pitting.
11. Remove diamond rings before cooking. Although granite is incredibly hard and durable, diamonds are more so. Slip just once and your ring may leave a chip in your countertop.
Granite Countertop Maintenance Routine
Daily:
Hot water and a dish rag or sponge are all you need to clean spills and wipe away crumbs to keep your kitchen countertops clean and tidy throughout the day.
At the end of the day, a quick spray and wipe of the main areas of use with a good granite cleaner like this Granite & Marble Spray Cleaner is sufficient to clean, disinfect and protect your countertops, and provide a streak-free shine.
Weekly:
Remove (or move aside) all items on the counter and use the granite cleaner over the entire surface and edges to remove all dust and debris that collects around appliances, containers, etc. This also serves to condition the stone and maintain its overall luster.
Monthly:
A temporary granite polish like the Topical Conditioning Stone Polish can be used periodically (weekly to monthly as you like) to enhance the shine for the ultimate in natural stone and granite care.
Such topical dressings are not for maintenance or repair. And such products are not what make the countertop shiny.
This type of product “enhances” the shine (like waxing a car), improves cleaning, helps eliminate fingerprints, and provides a slight bit of protection.
Various stone care products call themselves “polishes”, but will have completely different purposes.
A topical polish may improve the look a bit, but will not correct the problem. And since it’s not meant to be permanent, it will wear off with use and cleaning.
Yearly:
Testing for sealing granite countertops (the Lemon Juice & Water Drop tests) annually is a good idea to determine when you need to reapply a granite sealer. However, that does NOT mean you should be resealing granite every year.
You’ll read and hear that you should be sealing granite every year or every 3 years, but the proper frequency for applying a granite sealer is not set in stone (ohh!) and really depends on a number of variables. Testing will tell you when it’s time.
You will likely know anyway that resealing is needed to when you start to notice that water around the sink darkens the stone… meaning that it is absorbing.
Insider Tip: When shopping for any natural stone you should perform the Lemon Juice Test prior to purchase on a sample of the exact slab to determine the suitability of the stone for its intended use.
For kitchen countertops especially you don’t want a stone that is too absorbent (there are some) or a stone that will etch like marble.
Of course, you should also perform the water test upon installation (if you didn’t do it while shopping) to determine if your natural stone even needs sealing (many do not and cannot be sealed).