A guide to granite worktop care
Granite Worktops
A guide to granite worktop care
If you are looking to upgrade your worktops and think that granite is the one for you, we have put together a handy guide that makes caring for your granite simple and easy.
What is granite?
Granite is known as one of the hardest materials on earth. This makes it the perfect choice for work surfaces such as kitchen worktops and bathroom ones too. Its hard wearing and protective coating means it’s not easy to scratch and creates a great surface to easily clean and maintain.
How to clean your granite countertops
To clean the granite surfaces make sure you use products that are PH neutral. Cleaning products that are chlorine based, or even lemon juice are too acidic and can harm the surface.
For every day cleaning a simple spray of warm water and a microfibre cloth will do the trick. You can even add in a small amount of fairy liquid if you wish. To do this, we advise purchasing an empty 500ml spray bottle and filling it with eight parts water to two parts fairy liquid. This way you can save the formula and use it when needed.
Once you have sprayed the surface and wiped it with a microfibre cloth, it is best to get another, completely dry, microfibre cloth to buff the surface. This will leave you with the sparkling, polished granite you once had.
For a deeper clean to help maintain your granite worktops, you need to avoid abrasive cleaning products such as bleach or chemicals. Also avoid using cloths which may scratch the surface such as a scouring pad. Make sure you purchase PH neutral products, or even create your own using baking powder and water. We recommend performing a deep clean once a week depending on the use of your worktops.
How to maintain your granite countertops
Granite worktops are known to withstand high temperatures and scratches. However, if you continue to place hot pans on its surface or cut up food without using a chopping board, in time this will damage the worktops. We recommend purchasing chopping boards and other kitchen and/or bathroom equipment which has soft rubber pads underneath. This will stop it from micro-scratching the surface.
Another way to ensure your countertops always look perfect is to avoid stains. This is of course easier said than done, especially if your countertops are used regularly. However, be sure to wipe up the stains instantly if you can. The longer they are on the worktop the more abrasive they can be to its surface. This can ultimately take away the shiny, polished look of your counter.
A key element of keeping your countertops maintained is granite sealing. This is a protective coating that helps keep your worktops perfect for long periods of time. However, it is recommended that granite is re-sealed every six to twelve months. How long the sealant will last depends on how often the tops are used and how much “damage” it undergoes.
If you are unsure if your worktop needs resealing you can always test this by dropping a droplet of water on its surface. If the water absorbs, this means the surface is no longer protected and the granite is taking in the moisture. If the water stays on the worktop, the surface is still protected.
There are a few sealers that are available which can prolong the life of the protective surface for more than 12 months.
You can also purchase a care kit for granite and quartz worktops. This will provide you with the equipment you need to maintain its surface.
We have a vast range of different styles of granite worktops for you to choose from. We also have an inspiration and advice page for if you are still unsure which is the best for you.
If you have any other questions or queries, please contact us.
