The following is a sponsored guest post
One fear that plagues many homeowners as they consider granite countertops is how to keep the stone clean without damaging it. Fortunately, the hubbub about how hard it is to keep granite countertops clean is a bit exaggerated. There are a variety of ways that you can properly clean your granite countertops without harming the stone at all.
1. Find a Trusted Granite Cleaner
Granite countertops may seem tough, but they can be easily damaged when they aren’t treated with care. The best thing that you can do for your granite countertops is to find a trusted granite cleaner. Cleaners that are made especially for natural stone tend to be less abrasive than other cleaners. Multipurpose cleaners tend to contain harsh ingredients or acids that can break down the sealant used to protect the stone, which can lead to potential damage to the granite itself.
As you clean your granite, use a soft cloth like a dishcloth, microfiber cloth, or terrycloth towel to spread and wipe up the cleaner. You can also use a paper towel, but make sure that you aren’t using anything that is too rough. You want to make sure that you aren’t using a cloth that could potentially scratch your granite.
2. Pre-Clean Your Counters
Pre-cleaning your countertops can help you avoid moving debris around your countertops that could scratch the stone. Pick up crumbs and other large items before you use a cleaner on your countertops. Even small particles of food and trash could cause serious damage if you are rubbing them around on your counters with a cloth.
3. Clean Spills as They Happen
Spills are going to happen. Most people use their kitchens a lot! This means that things are bound to get dropped on the countertop. When something is spilled on the stone, wipe it up as soon as possible. If the substance is something that could damage the stone—something sticky, dark, or acidic—you should clean up after the spill with your granite cleaner to make sure that you don’t leave anything behind.
Etching and staining are much more likely to occur as substances sit around on your countertops. You also might notice that your sealant is no longer intact, and damage is more likely to happen when the sealant isn’t protecting the stone. Don’t let water marks and stains damage your granite past the point of repair by letting spills sit for too long.
If you do notice that you have a stain on your granite, you can try to deep clean the spot. Using your granite cleaner, you can saturate the stain for about 30 seconds, and then wipe it clean.
4. Dry Your Counters After Cleaning
To ensure that your countertops aren’t being subjected to too much moisture, wipe them off with a clean, dry cloth after each cleaning. By simply drying off your countertops, you could prevent moisture from seeping into the pores and causing discoloration to the stone.
5. Check Your Sealant
While checking the status of your sealant isn’t part of the cleaning process, it can be a solution to many problems granite owners battle. The sealant protects the stone from stains, etching, and other damage that can be caused by spills and regular countertop use. While the seal should last for about 36 months, a lot of products and food items can erode the sealer, which can leave your granite countertops vulnerable to preventable damage.
Check to see if your sealer is still intact by dropping a small amount of water on the surface of the stone. If it beads up, this means that your sealer is still in good condition. If it starts to slowly seep into the stone, then you know that it is time to reapply the sealer.
These tips will help you keep your granite clean and in good condition for many, many years.
That was a great post. I really liked how you explained it. It was helpful and I think everyone should know about it. I hope you bring more content like this. Thank you very much.
Great way to clean my Granite. Thank you so much.