When you look for a beautiful addition to your home, granite worktops add the extra touch to provide an elegant design. Maintaining granite countertops, to ensure that they always look as good as new is easy – following some simple tips will guarantee that your kitchen is always stunning.
Before Deep Cleaning
Before you clean your granite worktops to give them that beautiful shine you love, make sure that they are completely clear of any spills. A great way to guarantee that your worktops always keep their wonderful colour is to clean any spill or liquid as soon as it falls on the countertop. If by chance, you happen to not catch it on time, a warm, wet rag will help loosen the residue.
A wet rag will also help you clean up all the crumbs from preparing food. Warm and soapy water will make sure that you catch any leftover debris that could still be on your worktops.
Don’t Use Chemicals
You can easily create your homemade cleaning products with balanced pH – store-bought products can often be too harsh for granite. Fill up your sink with warm, clean water (preferably filtered water) and mix a mild detergent in. Add a bit of rubbing alcohol for antiseptic and cleaning properties – its pH level of 7 won’t harm your worktops. After mixing your cleaning solution, allow it to cool down slightly so it’s not scalding hot.
For optimal cleaning, make sure that you don’t use any vinegar, ammonia, or lemon cleaners on your worktop. Granite is an extremely sturdy material, but acidic substances eat away at its surface; lemon and vinegar, in particular, have more acid than is advisable from granite worktops.
Sealant
You should also remember to reseal your granite worktop periodically. Granite is a porous material and can soak up liquids and other substances quite easily, so it’s important to protect the surface from staining by applying a sealant every 1-2 years. This will help keep moisture out and prevent oil, food or drinks from penetrating the stone. To apply a sealant, simply follow the instructions on the product packaging. Make sure you cover all surfaces of your granite worktop with an even layer of sealer and allow it to dry before use.
Finally, store any cleaning products in a safe place away from children and pets. With proper care and maintenance, your beautiful granite worktops will last for many years!
Stain Removal
If your granite worktop has become stained or scratched over time, you may need to take a few extra steps to restore it. To remove stubborn stains, make a paste using baking soda and water and apply it directly onto the stain. Then, use a damp cloth to scrub gently until the stain is gone. For deeper scratches, sanding can be used to smooth out the surface of the stone. Use an appropriate-sized diamond sandpaper pad and wet-sand the area in circular motions until it’s even with the rest of your worktop.
Finally, if any extra residue is left behind after sanding, wipe it away with a damp cloth and finish by applying sealant as mentioned above. With these tips, your granite worktop will look as good as new!
Other Tips
White microfiber cloths are ideal for cleaning your granite worktops as they are less likely to leave any fabric fibre behind. Make sure to soak the cloth in your cleaning product but don’t forget to remove the excess before using it!
Dome stains or debris might not be obvious to your eyes, so run your hand over your worktop for extra assurance that no stains or dirt were missed when you wipe them with a cloth. Keep a dry microfiber cloth at hand – it will make sure that your worktops are dry before any product streaks show us as they dry.
If you’re looking for sturdy granite countertops that will last you a lifetime, here at Granite House we have a wide variety of gorgeous granite worktops you can choose from. Get in touch with us at 01704 228 574 to speak to our friendly team; we’re always happy to answer any questions you might have.
You can also find us on Facebook to see our news and updates.
