Your Granite Countertops Are Going to Get Dirty and Smudgy
Everybody loves the kitchen. It’s the heart of the house, and for good reason. After all, it’s where the food comes from, and that means it’s a place filled with smiles, delicious smells, and lots of tasty snacks and beverages. No wonder people tend to congregate there whenever you’re entertaining, whether it’s a holiday, a family meal, or a party. All that traffic (and all that food) means that kitchens take a lot of abuse, though, and this means that your kitchen can get pretty messy just from everyday use, let alone when you’re entertaining or preparing a big meal for a special occasion.
Spills and splatters can carry over from anything that’s bubbling, boiling, or sautéing on the stovetop, drinking glasses and wine glasses can leave rings on your kitchen counter, and, let’s face it, most of us sample while we’re cooking, right? That means crumbs, spills, and dribbles on the countertop. Flour sacks and coffee grounds can leave dust and debris behind, cooking can throw oil and grease into the air, and of course, you may not always get every drop of that soy sauce or barbecue sauce into the pan.
Like any other surface in your home, your granite countertops also attract a layer of dust that settles naturally over everything over time. You may not notice it on the surfaces where you work every day, but it can collect behind countertop appliances like toasters, blenders, and more. Cleaning all that up can seem like a Herculean task, but fortunately, cleaning granite countertops and keeping them clean can be simple with a little know how… and the right tools for the job!
Knowing How to Clean Your Granite Countertops is Helpful
Wiping up spills as they happen is one thing—and it’s always a good idea—but when it comes to really cleaning granite countertops and getting them looking as good as new, it takes more than just wiping up spills or wiping off dust. Those who’re confronted with the task of trying to keep their kitchen countertops looking shiny and new may be tempted to turn to advice on the internet for pointers, but unfortunately, the wrong advice may do more harm than good. Granite is a durable, versatile material that’s easy to care for, but when it comes to cleaning granite countertops, using abrasive or acidic cleaners can damage the finish and actually make your countertop look worse than it did before.
That’s where having the right tools for the job comes in. With the right cleaning products—those that are formulated especially for cleaning granite countertops—keeping your kitchen looking as good as new is a breeze!
Making Your Granite Countertops Look New Isn’t Difficult
The right product for cleaning your granite countertops is one that is specially developed, formulated, and tested for use on granite and other natural stone substances. That’s because natural stone is a porous material that requires specific care in order to stay looking its best. When it’s properly cared for, natural granite is beautiful, durable, and difficult to beat when it comes to timeless, versatile kitchen countertops. But keeping it clean means using the right tools for the job.
Cleaning granite countertops is just one part of keeping them looking like new, however. While it’s important to clean up spills as they occur, for the best performance you should also clean, polish, and seal your countertops regularly. Applied once a week, granite polish helps to protect the natural finish of your granite by filling in imperceptible cracks and imperfections and protecting your countertops with a water-resistant outer coating that helps to repel stains, spills, and etching. When your countertops were installed, they probably came sealed, but they also need to be re-sealed every 12 to 18 months. If you’re not sure, you can check by doing a “water test.” Just sprinkle a few drops of water on your countertop. If the water beads up, then your seal is doing just fine. If it soaks in and darkens the granite, it’s time to re-seal.
But Ruining Your Granite Countertops is Easy
Go online, and you can find advice about almost anything, including cleaning granite countertops. But like anything else, there’s good advice and then there’s bad advice, and while it’s easy to keep your granite countertops clean with the right tools and techniques, it’s also easy to ruin them with the wrong ones, so beware of following the tips and tricks that you find on YouTube, social media, or DIY websites. Some household cleaners may be safe to use on your granite countertops, but others—especially those containing common ingredients like vinegar, ammonia, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, oil, or commercial disinfectants—can actually damage the finish of your countertop and make it more susceptible to spills, stains, and scuffs.
Even soap and water can leave behind a thin film that can leave your granite countertops looking dull and worn over time. When cleaning your granite countertops, it’s important to avoid anything abrasive or acidic. Also, beware of online articles that offer homemade “recipes” for granite cleaners, or that advise you to use burlap, scouring pads, and other unusual items to clean or buff your granite countertops. At the end of the day, your best bet is to clean your countertops with a product that’s specially formulated for use on granite and other natural stone and leave all that well-meaning advice on the internet behind.
Take it Easy on Yourself and Your Granite Countertops
Because granite is so durable, it’s easy to take its beauty for granted, but even a Porsche needs a tune-up every now and then. And when it comes to cleaning granite countertops, you’ll get your best results if you use cleaning solutions that are specially formulated, tried and tested, and approved by the granite industry. Additionally, granite polishing and granite sealing solutions are usually available at home improvement and hardware stores near you, so if you want to keep your granite countertops looking great, the solution is never far away.
For the best in granite cleaning and granite care products, look no further than Rock Doctor. We make keeping your granite countertops looking good as new a breeze, and you can find our entire line of granite cleaning, polishing, and sealing products at Lowe’s Home Improvement and participating Ace Hardware, Do it Best, Home Depot, and True Value locations.
