Easy Granite Care Made Possible

The Hooker Furniture Dining Room Skyline Server comes with a granite countertop.

Granite, as every homeowner would admit, can be a big deal when it comes to cleanups. Actually, if you take a closer look at it, it was just misinterpreted as a high maintenance material. But cleaning it can be a breeze if you know the correct steps and cleaning methods to employ.

Granite Countertop Cleanup

The right knowledge is key to proper cleanup. Don’t listen to all the confusing pieces of advice that you’ve been hearing about granite countertops. Some are, of course, spot on, but there are also those that are merely mythical.

Majority of the incorrect pieces of advice are because of generalizations. Some lack proper understanding, while others simply misinterpreting what should have been correct methods.

It is easy to be confused or even be frustrated. But don’t worry about countertop damage for now. What you need to do is to learn the ways that, from now on, you can care for your granite kitchen countertops or furniture with ease.

Granite Is Stone

Don’t experiment with the methods so you avoid the potential hassles, pitfalls, and headaches. Keep in mind that the granite flooring, counters or furniture are all made of stone. You are practically dealing with stone, the same kind that the Egyptian pyramids of old as well as the Roman Colosseum are made of.

Granite is a potential material that can last and even outlive you by hundreds if not thousands of years. This is evident in all the pyramids that have been previously erected. These are resilient and have even aged beautifully.

While these are so, stone is still just stone and it can also be damaged. The key to granite care now is to keep damages at bay, although, granite repair is also now possible. There is no special talent needed to clean this stone material. You can do this.

To Seal Granite, Or Not

Generally, every natural stone must be sealed. But before you do this, take note that there are some exceptions. There are some granite pieces that no longer require sealing.

There is still so much confusion when it comes to granite sealing. First, how does one know if the granite on hand needs to be sealed? How should this be sealed? What granite sealer is right for the slab that you have? How frequently should granite be resealed?

The Do’s and Don’t’s

There are bad habits that you might do which could result in limestone, marble, travertine, quartz, soapstone, or even granite damage.

Do blot the spills right away especially for acidic substances like fruit juices, wine, coffee, tomato sauce, and many types of sodas. These might not cause etching as they would do with marble but they could stain the granite surface.

You also need to clean the surface with a soft cloth or a sponge. Use granite or natural stone cleaner. Hot water can also be used for quick cleanups. Do not repeatedly use dish soap because it could make the granite surface duller. While dish soap can be used sporadically, it might strip the countertop of its lovely shine if you keep using it so it is best to use another cleaner.

Use coasters under all of your bottles, glasses, and those cold soda cans. While granite won’t etch, it is good practice to use coasters to prevent mishaps.

Hot pans and pots should have trivets underneath them. Doing so will keep the granite from having thermal shock. Cracking may be rare but it is best to keep this possibility at bay.

If the damage does happen, don’t fret. Granite damages can now be repaired although, of course, it is best to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Tags: granite, granite care, granite maintenance, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 11th, 2018 at 10:00 am and is filed under Home Maintenance, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.