You finally have your granite countertops, installed in your newly upgraded kitchen. Your kitchen now has its own unique style with your granite’s distinctive lines, patterns, and colors. You have added value to your home with your choice of granite – the versatile, durable, heat and stain resistant selection for kitchen countertops.
Your granite countertops look beautiful, just as you imagined, but now comes the question – How do you keep them clean and looking great year after year? A quick search for granite cleaning products will reveal a surplus of cleaning options for granite counter tops and likely leave you wondering about the best way to care for your granite. The experts at Tops Kitchen are here to help with these tips on keeping your granite countertops clean and beautiful for years to come.
Daily Granite Care
The truth is for daily granite care, you don’t need any costly wipes or sprays. Here’s how to care for your granite easily, every day. You’ll want to move any items off your granite countertops. Now, use a soft dry towel or cloth to wipe away crumbs or spills. Next, mix gentle soap with water in a bowl. Use the soapy mixture and a microfiber cloth to wipe your counters clean. Finally, dry your counters completely with a soft dry cloth.
Steam Cleaning Your Granite Countertops
If you have a steam cleaner, you can also use it to clean your granite countertops safely and effectively. Since steam removes dirt, as well as germs and bacteria, steam cleaning will keep your granite like new. Like the daily granite wipe down, before steam cleaning you will want to remove crumbs and spills with a soft cloth. Next, fill your steam cleaner with water, attach the “toweling bonnet” to the head, and set your cleaner to low to medium. Take a moment to allow excess water to escape in the sink, so you are using dry, hot steam to clean your granite. Work in sections, changing your “bonnet” as it gets dirty. Once the process is complete, use a clean microfiber cloth to dry your countertops completely. Now is also a great time to wipe beneath any appliances or accessories which sit on your countertops to prevent stains or scratches.
Protect Your Granite
Granite is a natural stone, which means it can absorb liquids, so you should never leave a spill unwiped on your granite countertops. Clean up your spills as soon as they occur so they won’t stain your granite.
It is also important to never chose abrasive cleaning products or chemicals for your granite. Granite is extremely durable, but abrasive cleaners will wear down your sealant and acidic cleaners which include ammonia or bleach will dull your granite’s beauty. You also want to avoid the use of abrasive sponges or cleaning brushes on your granite as they can wear away your protective sealant and damage your granite.
Granite, because it is porous, requires regular sealing to prevent the absorption of liquids and oils which can cause staining. When you are cleaning your granite, always check to ensure your sealant is still in good condition. How can you tell? Drops of water on granite that is well sealed will bead up, while the droplets on granite that needs resealing will begin to soak into the surface.
Granite – An Excellent Choice
Now that you know how to keep your granite countertops like new, you can enjoy the natural aesthetic beauty granite brings to your kitchen for years to come. Should you have any questions about your new granite countertops or if you are considering your own addition of granite to your kitchen, call on Tops Kitchen Cabinet and Granite to answer all your granite questions.