How To Maintain Your New Granite Countertops

How To Maintain Your New Granite Countertops

By:


Have you recently installed new granite counter tops, or are you considering them? Known for their durability, timeless looks, and smooth natural beauty. Granite countertops look at home in any kitchen, whether the elegant upscale modern kitchen, or in the rugged down home cabin. With proper care and maintenance, your countertop will remain beautiful and enduring for a lifetime.

The most important part of maintaining your granite countertops is simple daily care. Simply wipe and clean as you would any other countertop daily. Be very careful what cleaner you choose, however. Make sure to clean with a non acidic cleanser. The acidic cleansers, particularly those containing HF, or hydrofluoric acid, can severely damage the countertops. These can brutally dull, etch, stain and pit.

One accepted method of daily cleaning for granite countertops is to begin with good wipe with a damp sponge or cloth and a mild dish detergent. Then use a specialty cleaner to finish off the job. A second important thing to remember about the care and maintenance is to wipe up any spills right away. Granite is a porous stone, meaning if spills are allowed to sit on the surface, the granite will eventually soak up the spill, and will be stained. The staining can easily be avoided by cleaning up any spills straight away.

Granite countertops' porous surface requires some long term maintenance as well. All come with sealant in place when they are installed. This sealant, however, does wear off and needs to be redone regularly. You need to seal the pores in the surface twice a year with a protective sealant. There are several good options available on the market. For a less expensive alternative, you can use regular car wax once a year for this. Just remember to use a sealant designed for granite countertops once a year as well for a total of two seals per year.

Sealing is a simple process, whether you are using a specialty sealant or simple car wax from a can. Start by thoroughly cleaning your countertop. Then simply wipe the sealant of your choice, allow it to sit on the surface according to package directions, and then wipe the sealant off again. This is a quick simple process that will help your granite countertops remain a showpiece for many years.

Granite countertops can be a wonderfully rustic and elegant addition to any kitchen for many years if given the proper maintenance for both long term care, and short term use. Short term maintenance includes daily cleaning with specialty granite cleansers, and remembering to wipe up any spills quickly. Long term care includes sealing the porous surface twice a year with either car wax from a can, or with a specialty sealant.

About the Author:
If you are looking for marble worktops, then choose Do Stone who are a specialist Granite Company near London.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags: , , ,

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Home-and-Family Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.