Granite Countertop Maintenance

An important part of granite countertop maintenance is re-sealing your countertop at least once a year to prevent cloudiness and permanent stains.

Take good care of your countertops for years of enjoyment.

Granite is a popular choice among homeowners building a new home or remodeling kitchens because it offers a beautiful and unique stone look. Little crystals found within the granite catch the light and change the countertop's appearance, and no two slabs of granite are exactly alike. Other advantages to installing granite counters include:

• Affordable
• Color runs all the way through
• Hundreds of color choices
• Easy to clean
• Durable and hard to scratch
• Burn resistant

Daily granite countertop care is as easy as cleaning with a gentle cleanser like Murphy's Oil Soap or mild dishwashing liquid. If needed you can use a synthetic scrubbing pad to clean your granite counter. With the proper maintenance, granite countertops stay new-looking for a long time. Here are easy steps to follow:

• Wipe up spills immediately
• Use mild soap and water
• Rinse
• Use soft cloth to dry

Unfortunately, a lived-in kitchen will eventually experience a stain or two even on your granite counter. How to remove the stain will depend on what caused the stain. Use the suggestions found on the following chart:

Before you reseal your granite countertops, check with the manufacturer or installer to be sure it is necessary. Most granite counters do need to be re-sealed on an annual basis, but not all of them require this.

However, for those that do require sealing to retain the color and clarity of the granite counter top, it is necessary to reseal the counter every six months to two years. Check with your installer to find what they recommend. How much you use your kitchen will play a part in how often it needs to be re-sealed. When you do re-seal, be sure to choose a non-toxic sealer, since counters are used for food preparation.

Two types of sealers can be found on the market. A penetrating sealer penetrates into the stone. The second, a topical sealer, does not penetrate but instead coats the top of the counter's surface.

• Penetrating sealers – Protecting the structure of natural stone, a penetrating sealer absorbs into the granite for three or four minutes. When almost dry, add a little more sealer to the counter and rub with a soft, dry rag. Apply to a section at a time. Wait two hours and apply a second coat. When shopping for your sealer, look for one that says it is an oil repellent impregnator, which will help stop oil from seeping into the stone.

• Topical sealers – These sealers form a film designed to protect the countertop's surface. Usually made from some form of natural wax, acrylic, and other plastic compounds. Topical sealers come in two types:

Just like it sounds, topical sealers are made to be stripped or removed from the stone countertop with little work. As with any project, read the label and talk with the manufacturer before using any product.

Once you apply a permanent sealer, it becomes difficult to remove. Comprised of solvent-based or water-based polymers, most often these are not recommended for granite.

Once you've sealed your counter, test it to be sure that it is adequately sealed. As a test, spill a little water on your countertop and leave it set. After 30 minutes, wipe it up. If the water leaves your counter darkened, the granite is not sufficiently sealed.

Because granite is so durable, it's easy to think you can use anything on it. However, this is not true if you really want to keep your counters in good condition. Avoid products with ingredients that include lemon, vinegar or other acids. In fact, it's a good idea to use coasters to protect your counter under glasses containing acidic drinks like alcohol or citrus juices.

And as a final note on granite countertop maintenance, let me remind you that even though you can use harsher chemicals to clean your counter, doing so may dull or even etch the counter's finish. Stick with milder solutions and retain that natural beauty you fell in love with in the first place. Once you've applied a topical sealer, your maintenance really shifts to maintenance of the sealer..

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