Tag Archives: kitchen countertop maintenance

How Do You Bring Granite Countertops Back to Life?

Granite countertops are popular among homeowners due to their durability, elegance, and timeless appeal. While this is the case, even the most beautiful granite countertops can lose their shine over time if not properly maintained.

If your granite surfaces are beginning to look dull, don’t worry—restoring their natural luster is easier than you might think. In this guide, we’ll show you how to bring your countertops back to life and make them look new:

Clean the countertops with the right products.

The first step in bringing your granite countertops back to life is to clean them on a regular basis. Avoid using harsh or acidic cleansers, as these can damage the surface. Instead, choose a pH-neutral cleanser formulated exclusively for granite.

You can make your own by combining mild dish soap and warm water. Wipe off the surface with a soft microfiber cloth or sponge, and be sure to clear up any spills or crumbs right away to avoid stains.

To be on the safe side, avoid using vinegar, lemon juice, or bleach since these will etch the granite and dull its appearance over time.

Wiping the surface alone will not provide a complete clean surface that you are looking for. Scrubbing is necessary for deep cleaning. Granite countertops have sealants to make them stain-resistant and shiny.

Use a pH-neutral granite cleaning solution and apply it carefully and meticulously to the countertop. Anything too basic or acidic may degrade the sealant, so avoid bleach and vinegar.

A gentle sponge, soap, and water are all you need. Avoid using abrasive pads for scrubbing.

Polish with granite safe polish

Periodically polishing your granite countertops will restore their sheen and give them a glossy appearance. You can use a granite-specific polish or make your solution by combining water and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle (1:1).

Spray the solution onto the counter, wipe it off with a microfiber cloth, then buff the surface to restore the shine.

For the best results, polish your granite worktops at least once a week or whenever they become dull.

You can polish your granite countertop with wet or dry material, depending on the manufacturer and the primary color of the stone. Some of the options you have include:

Granite Polishing Powder

This is a quick and easy solution to restore the brilliance of your granite countertop while also removing minor stains and scratches.

Granite polishing cream

This compound contains gentle abrasives that are ideal for premium-manufactured granite surfaces. It is perfect for countertops that have been in place for years.

Cooking oil

You can also dampen a soft cleaning cloth with cooking oil and wipe it around the counter. This improves the countertop’s stain resistance and brightness.

Reseal the countertop surfaces.

Granite is a porous stone that you must seal to keep stains and moisture from entering the surface. Over time, the sealer wears off, leaving your granite less polished and more subject to harm. Resealing your granite countertops can help keep its protective layer and improve its luster.

To determine whether your granite needs resealing, perform a simple water test: pour a little amount of water on the surface and wait 15-20 minutes. If water soaks into the granite rather than beads up, it is time to reseal.

To reseal the countertops, purchase granite sealant from your local hardware store.

Clean and dry the work surface completely.
Apply the sealant evenly to the surface and allow it to set for the prescribed period.
Wipe away any excess with a clean towel and let the surface dry completely before applying it again.

To provide the best protection and gloss, reseal your granite worktops every 12-18 months.

Buff the surface for extra shine.

If your granite worktop still lacks shine after cleaning and polishing, rubbing it using a high-quality granite polishing powder may assist. This process requires the use of a particular granite buffing compound, which is available in most hardware and stone-care stores.

Follow the product’s instructions, applying it using a soft cloth or a power buffer for an extra glossy finish.

Buffing should only be done on occasion; excessive buffing can wear down the surface over time, and you don’t want this.

Avoid pitfalls that can dull your surfaces.

To maintain your granite worktops looking their best, you should avoid the following things:

Harsh chemicals: As previously stated, acidic or abrasive cleaners can harm surfaces.

Using blades directly on the surface: Although granite is a durable material, knives can scratch or dull its sheen.

Heavy objects: Avoid placing heavy pots or appliances directly on the surface, as this might result in fractures or dents.

Hot pots and pans: Always use trivets or heat-resistant mats to avoid thermal stress, which can harm the granite.

Take good care of the surfaces.

Consistent maintenance is essential for keeping your granite worktops looking their best. Regular cleaning, polishing, and resealing of your granite worktops will keep them looking beautiful and glossy for many years.

To avoid long-term problems, clean up any spills, stains, or damage as soon as possible.

Replace the countertops

Even with cleaning and resealing and ongoing care, a granite countertop may not be completely repaired, especially if it’s more than 15 years old. Replacement may be one of the few possibilities for achieving a finished and repaired appearance, but it can be pricey.

If you don’t want to spend the money, refinishing material may be a cheaper option. Also, replacing your granite countertops does not have to be a total loss if you investigate and uncover wholesale sellers, outdated styles, or leftover bits and scraps that will significantly reduce the cost of any replacement.

Parting shot

These are some of the things you can do to bring your granite countertops to life. As you have seen, it’s not hard to do it. To keep your granite kitchen countertops Raleigh from getting too damaged or too dull that you have to rescue them, make it a habit to take good care of them.

This calls for you to be ultra-cautious about what you put on them. You also should be ultra-cautious with the materials you use to clean the surfaces, as you don’t want to cause harm.

Guide to Removing Stains From Your Kitchen Countertops

Countertops are not only utilitarian but also serve as the kitchen’s piece de resistance. Keeping them clean and bright is not only necessary for hygiene, but also to maintain the aesthetic value of your kitchen.

Due to their regular use, they tend to develop stains that are unsightly and give your kitchen a cheap, ugly look.

To keep your kitchen and countertops looking great, you need to remove the stains. How do you do it? Here is a guide on how to go about it:

Quartz countertops

Because of the nonporous nature, quartz countertops are relatively easy to keep stain-free. They are also scratch-resistant, making them suitable for a wide range of applications.

As time passes, stains on your quartz countertops may develop and become difficult to remove. Don’t panic if you have a big stain on your quartz kitchen countertop.

When you know what to do, eliminating it isn’t that tough. There are a few simple methods you can follow to remove even the most tenacious stains from your quartz surfaces.

You should start with blotting the stain. After this, mix a mild detergent (such as shampoo or dish soap) with warm water. Don’t use heavier detergents as they can damage the surface.

You should then dip a soft cloth in the mixture and apply it to the stain. Gently wipe the cloth over the stain in a circular motion for several minutes before rinsing it with warm water.

If the harsher stains remain on your countertop, you may need to repeat the technique several times.

If you have a difficult stain on your quartz countertop that won’t come out with mild detergent, try baking soda.

Making a paste of baking soda and water is an effective approach to remove persistent stains off quartz surfaces. Simply combine a few tablespoons of baking soda and equal parts water to make a paste.

You should then apply it to the stain and allow it to settle for a few minutes. After this, wipe it off with a gentle towel.

If you have tougher stains that baking soda won’t remove, use poultice as is a stronger, easier, and safer approach. To produce a poultice, use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.

Apply the paste to the stain with a moist cloth and then wrap it in plastic. Allow the poultice to stay for a few hours before wiping it clean with a moist cloth.

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide work together to remove the stain from the quartz countertop, allowing you to restore its natural brilliance. With a little effort, you can remove even the most stubborn stains from your quartz countertops.

Marble countertops

Marble is among the most porous natural stone materials available. With that in mind, any spills on the stone can easily get to the inner layers. To avoid this, you must clean them up quickly and within the shortest time possible.

If you leave the spills on the surface, your marble may be permanently damaged and you don’t want this, do you?

If removing the spill does not work and you wind up with a stain, don’t worry. You can remove most of the marble stains with poultice. A poultice will pull the discoloration from your marble and leave it clean and attractive.

Don’t worry if the poultice doesn’t work the first time. Reapply it and wait. If it still does not remove the stain, contact an expert to determine the best course of action.

The last thing you want to do when attempting to remove a stain from your marble is cause additional damage to it.

To avoid this, never attempt to remove a stain with bleach or other aggressive cleansers. Harsh cleaners include any acidic materials. Using these cleaners can wear down the marble’s surface and you don’t want this.

While marble is one of the most porous materials available, there is one important step you can take to reduce the likelihood of stains: sealing.

Sealing your marble countertop or other surfaces will stop the pores, preventing liquids and stains from passing through. Keep in mind that this seal won’t last forever. You will need to re-seal your countertops every several months.

Sealing the countertops is easy. Start by clearing and cleaning the surface. Next, apply the sealant. Depending on the product, you may need to apply the sealer with a brush or a spray bottle.

Apply the sealant to the marble and ensure that you cover the entire surface. After that, wait 15 minutes to observe the sealer.

If all of the sealer has been absorbed within 15 minutes, apply another coat. After you’ve finished waiting, wipe off any excess sealant and let your marble surface sit for 24 hours.

You can do the sealing by yourself but for the best outcome, let a professional help you out.

Concrete Countertops

Like marble, concrete countertops are highly porous. Due to this, applying a sealant to make the surface more resistant to stains and scratches is an important step toward preventing damage.

If you have stains on your concrete countertop, all is not lost. The staining could be the result of a poorly performing sealer failing to protect the concrete, temporary surface stains on a coating sealer, or staining agents getting into scratches on a high-performance coating sealer.

Before you start working on stains, first evaluate the situation.

Does the sealer appear to be unharmed, implying that this is most likely a surface stain on the sealer?

If it does not, the sealer is most likely still intact, and you will only need to bleach out the surface stains.

Does the sealant appear to be destroyed, and the stain is in the concrete? Is the concrete simply discolored, or has it been etched away by an acidic substance (rough or pitted)? If the former, you can use bleach to remove the discoloration.

If the latter, you will need to repair the concrete before resealing, unless you want a rough patch to stay on your countertop.

Has oil penetrated through a scratch and blackened the concrete kitchen countertops Raleigh? You will need to apply a poultice to remove the oil.

How Do You Protect A Countertop From Heat?

As much as they appear tough, most countertop materials will get damaged by heat. You don’t want to replace your countertops as it’s too expensive regularly, do you? To ensure this doesn’t happen, you should protect the countertops from heat.

How do you do this? Here is how to go about it:

Use silicone mats

They are large, thick, and highly effective at protecting your kitchen countertops from heat. The mats work by blocking the heat emitted by your appliances, and to protect your countertops, you should place the mats under your stove, coffee maker, toaster, microwave, or any other appliance you might be having.

The cool thing is that besides the mats protecting your countertops from heat, they also protect the surfaces from spills, scratches, and grease.

Silicone is non-slip, which means that your appliances will stay in place, without moving around, which comes in handy in ensuring that the appliances remain where you want them.

The mats effectively take heat ranging from 40 degrees to 446 degrees Celsius, keeping your countertops as safe as possible.

Heating pads

You place heating pads beneath hot dishes and pans where they block the heat from getting to your precious countertops. Most of the pads are made from cloth, but they can also be made from other materials such as cotton, rattan, cork, or even silicone.

Some people use towels for heating pads. While they work, you should be ultra cautious when using them as the loose ends can be a hazard for accidents that could lead to a serious injury.

The condensation from the pad can get trapped beneath, damaging the surfaces.

For peace of mind when preparing your meals, use silicone pads or thicker cloth pads specially designed for hot pots and pans. These will keep your food accessible and your counters safe from heat damage.

Ceramic countertop protectors

These protectors are highly effective when looking to protect your surfaces against high temperatures. Some manufacturers make higher-grade protectors that can withstand as high as 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the protectors are highly effective at taking high temperatures, the downside is that they sometimes get hot, putting your countertops at the risk of getting damaged.

To prevent your counters, go for protectors with a protective base to ground them. These bases can be made out of rubber or silicone.

Ceramic protectors come in all colors and designs, which gives your surfaces a splash of color.

The cool thing is that they always come with a cork backing that ensures that scratches and other possible accidental surface damages don’t happen.

As you are buying ceramic protectors, you should note that they aren’t the most durable materials on the market. This means that after some time you will have to replace them. The good thing about this is that they are easy to replace when they chip or crack.

Peel and stick countertop covers

From their name, these are covers that you can easily stick to your countertop, and in the process, you not only alter their look, but also protect them from damage.

The covers are sold by the roll, making it easy to cut and tailor them to the exact dimensions of your countertops.

To install them, you need to measure the size of your countertops, cut your desired countertop, peel off the backing, and get ready to go.

Should they get damaged or change your mind about their design, they are easy to remove as all you need is to peel them off without worrying about damaging the countertop beneath or leaving residues behind.

Wooden countertop protectors

Besides being highly decorative and improving the appeal of your kitchen, they protect your counters from excessive heat.

The only downside of the protectors is they aren’t as heat resistant so if you aren’t cautious in the kitchen, you can easily damage your granite kitchen countertops NC or any other countertop surfaces you might be having.

To get maximum protection and stability, go for countertop protectors with rubber feet and a rubber base.

Marble Countertop Care Dos And Don’ts

Do you own marble countertops? You should know that it’s your responsibility to keep them in top shape. For this to happen, you need to observe a set of dos and don’ts, which include:

Don’t leave grime on the countertops

If you have small children or a large family, it’s common to have stains on your countertops.

It’s easy to forget about these stains, especially if tired.

You should note that when you let the stains stay on your countertops for long, they permanently stick on the surfaces, and you have an extremely hard time removing them.

Sometimes you are even unable to remove them, and you have to replace the countertops.

You should always wipe your countertops after using them to prevent this from happening. To protect the surfaces from stains, always cut your fruits, vegetables, meat, and other food items on a board—never cut directly on the surfaces.

Don’t use acidic cleaners.

As much as you want your countertops to look exquisite, you shouldn’t clean them using acidic cleaners. This is because the cleaners will dull the professional finish and eat away at the stone surfaces, leading to etching.

Etching resembles watermarks or surface stains, but they are chemical burns that have damaged your surfaces. If you used a lot of acids and the etching is extensive, you may need the services of an expert to restore the damaged areas.

To be on the safe side, use the right cleaning products. As a rule of thumb, use products specially formulated for use on marble and other natural stones. If you aren’t sure about the right one to go for, get the input of a professional.

In the event you find your countertops with a stain, there are several ways you can remedy the situation. If you have oil or grease stains, create a baking soda and acetone mix, then apply it to the affected area.

Let the mixture sit for 24 hours before wiping it away and rinsing it with water. If the stains sit deep into the countertops, you may have to apply the mixture two to three times.

Once you are done removing the stain, remember to apply a sealing agent to provide your countertops with an extra layer of protection and prevent more stains.

If your countertops have wine, coffee, tea, fruit juice, or any other organic stains, remove them by mixing one part laundry bleach with one part water, then spray it onto the surfaces. Let the mixture stay on the surface for 15 minutes, then rinse it with water.

You can also place a clean paper towel over the stain, then pour a 3-4% hydrogen peroxide solution to the towel to the point of saturation. Allow the solution to sit on the countertop for at least 24 hours before wiping away and rinsing the area with water. If the stain doesn’t go away, repeat the procedure.

Seal the countertop at least once a year

Marble is highly porous, so it needs regular sealing to prevent stains. You should always seal the countertops the first thing after installing them, but this isn’t enough—you need to seal them at least once every year.

To tell whether it’s time to seal the countertops, undertake a water test. Here you pour 3 inches of water on several areas of your countertop then let it sit for at least 30 minutes. If you see a dark mark or ring on the countertops, the water is penetrating the stone and it’s time to reseal the surfaces.

You can do the sealing if you have the skills, but let it be done by an experienced professional for the best outcome.

Polish the countertops

Besides sealing the surfaces, you also should polish them to maintain a shiny, clean look.

There are plenty of products you can use to do the cleaning. From cleaning agents with neutral pH to acetone and hydrogen peroxide, there are plenty of options you can go with.

Unlike sealing, you can polish the kitchen countertops Durham by yourself. You need to ensure that you don’t overdo it as marble is highly delicate and can easily break if you over polish it.

How To Take Care Of The Various Kitchen Countertops

soild surface countertops

Most kitchen countertops don’t come cheap, so the last thing you want is to have to replace the countertops after a few weeks or months of installation. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, you need to take good care of your countertops. How do you do it? Here is how:

Caring for granite countertops

Granite counters are among the most popular countertop materials in the market. To keep them in top shape, you need to ensure that they are adequately sealed. This calls for you to seal them at least once every year.

To tell that your counters are ripe for sealing, you should undertake a water test where you splash some water on the surface. If the countertops don’t absorb the water after 10-15 minutes, they don’t need any sealing, but if they absorb it, it’s time to get in touch with a professional and apply a new sealer.

Caring for quartz countertops

Quartz countertops are heat, stain, and scratch-resistant. They are also nonporous and don’t need sealing. Unfortunately, they tend to stain when you don’t take good care of them. When stains develop, get rid of them using hydrogen peroxide and flour.

Apply the mixture on the countertops, sit for 24 hours, and then clean it off. If the stain doesn’t come out on the first try, reapply the mixture.

Caring for marble countertops

Due to their porous nature, marble countertops require more care than other countertops in the market.

Since they are porous, they are prone to etching and stains.

When your countertops develop oil stains, remove them using ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, or mineral spirits.

Are there any food stains on the countertops? Try getting rid of them using a water-based paste of baking soda and dish soap.

Marble countertops have also been found to be highly prone to chemical corrosion. Thankfully, you can buff out the corrosion using marble polish.

Caring for butcher block countertops

To keep your butcher block countertops in top shape, you should invest in walnut oil, mineral oil, or beeswax that you will use to treat and seal the surfaces. Just because the countertops are made from blocks doesn’t mean you should cut directly on them. The countertops are prone to damage and scarring so, you should never cut directly on them.

Even when properly oiled and treated, butcher block countertops are still prone to staining, so always move with haste and get rid of any spills as soon as they happen.

In the event, the countertops develop marks and burns, sand the wood out and remove the stains using hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice.

Caring for soapstone countertops

Naturallynonporouss, soapstone countertops don’t require any sealing. The downside is that they are soft, so they are prone to nicks and scratches. They also tend to lose their natural color from repeated use.

It’s recommended you avoid installing soapstone countertops in your kitchen, bathroom, or any of the most active rooms in the house as the countertops are soft, but if you love them and don’t have kids, go ahead and install them.

When preparing your meals, be ultra-cautious, so you don’t dent the countertops. In the event of discoloration from oil contact, rub it out using mineral oil.

Caring for laminate countertops

Laminate countertops are one of the cheapest countertops you can install in your home. Due to this, many homeowners don’t give them the attention they deserve, which puts them at the risk of suffering from permanent damage from water and spills.

To prevent the stains, regularly wipe your laminate countertops with household cleaners. Also, periodically inspect the caulking and seals on your countertops.

Like marble, butcher block, and granite countertops NC, avoid letting the water stand on the countertops for too long as it’s bound to cause stains. Water standing on the countertops also puts the composite board substrate at the risk of swelling and getting damaged, which can’t be fixed.

Never use your countertops as a chopping board as you will dent them. Even if they are cheap, you find yourself spending an arm and a leg when you keep reinstalling them.