In today’s housing market, beautiful, durable countertops are more than just a design trend; they’re practically a necessity! But when it comes time to install a new kitchen countertop, you’ve got a lot of options, ranging from traditional natural stones like granite and marble to quartzite, soapstone, concrete, and even wood and laminate. A lot goes into choosing the right countertop surface for your kitchen; besides price and appearance, every surface has different pros and cons, and different cleaning requirements.
Granite remains one of the most popular and most versatile substances for kitchen countertops thanks to its natural durability, heat resistance, and beauty. Granite is also easy to take care of with the proper cleaner. The only downside is that granite has to be properly sealed at installation, and resealed every 12-18 months with granite sealer.
Marble is known for its beauty, and is highly sought after for its luxurious appearance. It is also beloved by bakers for its high thermal mass. When cleaning marble, wipe up spills promptly with our granite cleaning products.
Quartz countertops were once called “engineered stone,” and are made up of around 80% natural quartz mixed with resin to hold it all together. As a “man-made stone,” it has many advantages, but doesn’t have the inherent variation that comes with natural stone. Quartz countertops should be cleaned with products formulated for stone, including Rock Doctor granite cleaner.
Quartzite is a surface that has achieved new popularity in recent years. Nearly as durable as granite, quartzite offers color and appearance closer to marble, and like both, it is fairly easy to take care of so long as it is properly sealed. Rock Doctor’s granite cleaning products are formulated for natural stone and perfect for quartzite.
Soapstone is softer than most other natural stone countertop surfaces, and doesn’t come in a variety of colors and patterns. It is known for its silky texture and heat-resistance. Soapstone doesn’t need to be sealed like most other natural stone countertops do, but a monthly rubdown in mineral oil is recommended. Soapstone countertops can be cleaned with soapy water and Rock Doctor’s line of cleaning products.
Besides these surfaces, there are also concrete, tile, wood, laminate, and even stainless steel countertops available. The trick with any countertop surface is to balance the aesthetic and functional benefits that it brings to your kitchen with the difficulty and frequency of its maintenance. Whatever countertop surface you choose for your kitchen, Rock Doctor granite cleaning products will help you take care of it properly. Find them at fine retail stores like Lowe’s Home Improvement, as well as participating True Value, Home Depot, Do it Best, and Ace Hardware locations.
