Granite is a popular material for designing or renovating kitchen or bathroom countertops. Its durability, attractiveness, and positive impression make it an excellent choice for new homeowners or those looking to upgrade their homes. This natural stone is stain and bacteria-resistant while giving off a lustrous shine.
But homeowners must maintain granite countertops well to enjoy these benefits. A slight mistake can quickly leave a permanent stain on a granite countertop.
Although highly resistant to stains, this stone requires proper cleaning to preserve its natural beauty and good condition. Since granite is highly porous by nature, spills seep in, causing permanent stains that take away its beauty.
If you live in Orlando and have granite countertops in your kitchen, there are important things to remember when cleaning them.
The Dos When Cleaning Granite Countertops
- Clear Stains As Soon As They Happen
Although granite is more stain resistant than other countertop materials, you need to clear any spills as soon as they happen. Acidic stains such as sodas, wine, juices, and wine can leave visible stains on the countertop if left for a long time.
Cooking oils can have a similar effect on Orlando granite countertops. When cleaning, blot stains immediately as this maintains the shiny look on granite countertops longer.
- Wipe Granite Countertops With Soft Material
While specialty products can be used to deep clean your kitchen surfaces, it’s best to use soft materials like a sponge or a soft cloth whenever you need to wipe your surfaces quickly. Granite responds well to soft materials.
They don’t wear down the sealant present on Orlando granite countertops over time. Regular wiping with soft materials is a simple yet effective way of maintaining granite surfaces.
- Use Warm, Soapy Water
To clean granite countertops, use warm soapy water. Add a few drops of dishwashing soap to warm water, then wet your soft sponge or cloth, and apply soap.
Dip the soft material in soapy water, then wipe the surface to remove dirt.
Wring the cloth in the soapy water to keep grease, dirt, or food particles from spreading. Once the surface is clean, rinse the cloth in clean water and wipe the surface to remove the soap residue away.
- Ensure Your Granite Surface Is Sealed
Although granite isn’t as porous as marble, it can absorb spills, oils, and stains if not sealed.
You can check the presence of seals on granite countertops by leaving a few water drops on the surface for a few minutes. Water condenses on sealed surfaces and soaks into unsealed surfaces.
Reseal your countertop if the latter happens.
- Dry Your Granite Countertop
After cleaning the granite countertops, dry the surface using a microfiber cloth. Doing this prevents water spots from forming on the surface after cleaning.
The Don’ts When Cleaning Granite Countertops
- Don’t Use Harsh Cleaners
Don’t use harsh cleaning products on granite countertops. Most household cleaning products contain alkali and acidic ingredients that corrode granite sealants and dull the countertop surface over time like bleach, vinegar, glass cleaners, and ammonia-based cleaners.
To avoid this, only use cleaners recommended by the manufacturers. If the manufacturer doesn’t recommend any product, use soapy, warm water to clean your surfaces.
Alternatively, go to your local store and look for unique granite cleaning products to use on your surfaces.
- Don’t Clean Mirrors Over Granite Countertops
Avoid cleaning mirrors on the granite surface if possible. To clean the mirror, spray glass cleaner all over it, spilling some on the surface.
The ingredients used to make glass cleaner can damage Orlando granite countertops by destroying their sealant.
- Don’t Clean With Abrasive Cleaning Tools
Regardless of the material’s sturdiness, granite countertops can get scratched when not properly maintained. Don’t use abrasive scouring pads or tools to prevent scratches when cleaning granite surfaces.
Instead, clean the surface with a soft sponge or washcloth.
Final Thoughts
For centuries, people have used granite as a building material for countertops. Granite countertops are unique décor elements in homes with functional and aesthetic benefits.
They infuse class and beauty to home environments while boosting property values due to their durability.
But, despite its long history of the home application, cleaning granite surfaces isn’t as simple as it sounds. Poor cleaning practices can cause granite countertops to lose their original properties over time.
If you have granite surfaces in your home, you can keep this from happening by understanding the dos and don’ts of granite countertop cleaning discussed above.
