How to Care for Your Granite Countertops

Granite countertops require special care so that they continue looking beautiful for many years. Although granite is quite resistant to scratches, to properly maintain this type of countertop material, it's advisable to follow a few simple procedures.

Spills have a tendency to soak into the surface, so to avoid deep staining wipe up spills immediately.
For stone surfaces a neutral cleaner, such as stone soap or mild dishwashing liquid and warm water, is safe to use.
When cleaning with a soap solution, use a soft, clean cloth and then rinse the surface thoroughly. Finish off by drying with a soft, clean cloth.
If you do happen to stain the surface, removal depends on the type of stain. First, try removing it with this paste: mix together a cup of flour, 1-2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid, and water. Place the paste over the stain, cover in plastic wrap, and leave overnight. In the morning, use a wooden utensil to scrape away the paste and give it a rinse. This should work except for stains made from grease, oil, or milk. In these cases, instead of dishwashing liquid use hydrogen peroxide in the paste, or ammonia.
For organic stains resulting from coffee, tea, or fruit, a mixture of 12% hydrogen peroxide combined with a few drops of ammonia should work wonders.

Ink, marker and wine stains on darker stone require a lacquer thinner or acetone for removal. Hydrogen peroxide works well on light-colored granite.

Another method to remove wine, ink, or any other non-oil stain is to mix molding plaster and pure bleach into a paste. Apply for 30 minutes, remove, and rinse.

For oil-based or fat-based stains, create a paste of molding plaster and water. Keep it on the stain for 3 hours and then remove and rinse.

Granite countertops require resealing every two to three years, but ask your installer for suggestions as to when this needs to be done. Of course, on surfaces that will be used for food preparation, use a non-toxic sealer.

New disinfectant cleaners on the market now come in formulas designed for granite countertops - purchase this type of product if you prefer disinfectant cleaners to other cleaning options.

For any problem that you can't handle on your own or are not familiar with, call a professional to handle the cleaning job.

Use coasters, especially for alcoholic and citrus beverages, as the acid in these drinks can dull the stone's surface.

Keep hot items off the surface.

Always test these cleaning methods on small discreet area for color fastness or granite damage.

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