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It may be as hard as “granite”, but it still requires some TLC to look its best. Cleaning, sealing and common sense can go a long way to keeping your granite looking great. Once one commits to caring for this value-added surface you are half way there.
Think of your granite counter like a car. You need to periodically change the oil, want to maintain your insurance in case of an accident, and keep it clean without damaging the finish.
In the case of your granite counters it’s a little easier as we just have to worry about
- Sealing the surface (oil change) every other year to prevent the expensive, inconvenient and inconsistent need to remove a stain. Like insurance, once you have an accident you are glad you have it. Spill oil on your counter, splatter grease, or have a sweaty body lean against an unsealed stone surface and it will pick-up and absorb oils, darkening the stone, and requiring repeated poulticing with a nasty smelling product to correct. The alternative is to take a few minutes to seal your surface every 2 years, or arrange to have your local stone restoration company put you on their annual or bi-annual maintenance visit schedule. You will be glad you did.
- Cleaning – Like a car you don’t want to damage the surface with an abrasive cleaner. In the case of granite, it has less to do with damage, and more to do with avoiding depositing micro waxes found in many glass cleaners. Yes, glass cleaners may tout their use on granite, but over time the micro-waxes they carry to fill in glass scratches collect on the surface as a wax coating dulling your shine, and requiring a professional to remove the wax in order to restore your original shine. It is better to utilize a granite cleaner formulated by a stone knowledgeable company. MARBLELIFE has been restoring stone for more than 25 years, and optimizing its care products based on field learnings such that today MARBLELIFE GRANITE & QUARTZ CLEANER is not just effective, but easy and rapid. This product is so effective, we challenge you to place some oil on a plate, or glass window, then spritz with the cleaner and see how fast, streak-free and effective it removes the oil and leaves a clean surface. (then try the same with what you are using now – its an impressive difference)
Watch this Granite Cleaning Video
Similarly to other manufacturers, MARBLELIFE recommends its cleaner as being safe and effective for use on glass, metals and wood surfaces. The difference is that our product has been formulated to work effectively here without creating other downstream issues. This cleaner will give you a squeaky clean surface.
It is rare that one damages granite, unless one plans on dancing on your counters, they are hard enough to handle just about anything short of banging a pot on the edge and chipping the edge. As such, anyone telling you it needs to be ground and polished is likely mistaken, unless you are one of the few that had indeed put a scratch into the surface.
Other common needs are associated with movement of the countertop resulting in a spit seam or mismatched slabs. These can be corrected but will require a professional restoration service to do so. This is rare but happens in a house that is settling or if the counter was not properly anchored during installation.
The last DON’T is do not place a hot pot directly on the surface. This used to be an “ok” thing to do, though never recommended. What changed? Most granite counters installed in the past 5 years have been resonated, meaning they have filled the pores within the stone with a resin which allowed the manufacturer to ship the product without suffering as much breakage en-route. This had the benefit of allowing more brittle stones to enter the market, and reducing the need for sealing (if you know your surface is resonated), but created a downside that the a hot pot can char the resin leaving a difficult to remove white ring under the pot. This is not just on the surface but goes down into the stone, making it difficult to remove without creating a low spot in the counter. Best to avoid placing a hot pot on the counter. While not impossible, removal creates other risks best avoided.
Like your car, the biggest needs you have are oil changes (sealing), cleaning (correct cleaner), and avoiding damaging driving practices (hot pots on the surface, or banking the edge with a hot while clearing the dishwasher).
In reality your granite is an easy to maintain, property value added addition, that provides one that least maintenance cost counter surface in your kitchen. Good choice. Low maintenance however does not mean no-maintenance. Get your sealer and cleaner selected and you are golden.
Visit www.marblelifeproducts.com for recommended sealers and cleaners, and www.marbelife.com for service providers should you ever need one, or want to schedule periodic maintenance.
