Tag Archives: kitchen countertop tricks

Things You Should Know About Kitchen Countertops

Is this the first time you own kitchen countertops? There are several things you should know about them. These things include:

Some countertops need sealing

If you recently moved to a house with already installed countertops or newly installed units, you should know that some countertops might require you to seal them once a year. As you can guess, this is an additional expense on your part.

The countertops need sealing because they are porous, and the sealant prevents liquids from seeping through and staining the surfaces.

Two of the countertops that require sealing are granite and marble. You also should regularly seal any porous countertops that you might install.

If you aren’t sure whether to seal the units, enquire from a reputable countertop company. You should also research the countertops you have installed in your home.

For peace of mind that your countertops won’t stain the next time you place items on them, please make an effort to seal them at least once a year. When applying the sealant, ensure that its high quality.

You can apply the sealant yourself or hire a professional to help you.

Even if you have already sealed granite countertops, you should note that you still need to take care of your counters. This calls for you to watch what you place on them. As a rule of thumb, don’t place liquids on the surfaces, as they will leak to the inner layers.

It would be best if you also always cleaned the spills that happen as soon as they do. This is because even if you have already sealed your surfaces, the falls will still get to the inner layers when you go for a long time without removing them.

Even with thoroughly sealed counters, always get rid of the spills as soon as they happen.

The countertops aren’t as tough as they look.

When you touch granite, quartz, marble, and other countertops, you might have the impression that they are destructible, but this isn’t the case. Just because the countertops appear challenging doesn’t mean that they are.

To protect your surfaces from damage, avoid cutting directly on them. Please don’t do it now on the countertops when cutting vegetables or chopping meat. Instead, always have a chopping board that prevents you from making marks on the surfaces and simultaneously prevents the spread of bacteria from the meat to the counters.

When you regularly place the hot pots on, most countertops will also be damaged by fire. For your countertops to look good for long and last for as long as possible, avoid placing the hot pots directly on your countertops.

Instead, have hot pads and mats on the counters. When you place your pots, you get them from the stove.

If you don’t have these units, don’t take the pots from the stove. Instead, leave it there until it has completely cooled down.

Besides heat, you also look out for weight, as placing too much weight on the counters will damage this. Many homeowners have the propensity to bathe their young ones on their kitchen sinks. Don’t do this, as you will place too much pressure on the counters.

You also should avoid placing an oversized cooking pot on the counters.

Other homeowners tend to sit on the counters while waiting for the food to cook or when reaching for the top shelf or replacing the bulbs. When you bathe your child in the sink, you place too much pressure on the countertops when you sit or step on them, which expands even the tiniest fissures leading to cracks you didn’t want in the first place.

Countertops need care

Whether you have granite, marble, or quartz countertops Raleigh, you need to give them the best care they deserve. This means that you should regularly clean them.

You might have the impression that you need harsh cleaning products, but this isn’t the case. Simple soap and water are enough to leave your countertops sparkling. You should always avoid harsh chemicals as they cause more harm than good.

How Do I Keep My Kitchen Counters From Cluttering? Here’s How To Go About It

You can install marble, granite kitchen countertops, or any other countertop, but your kitchen will never look good if it’s cluttered. Do you have stuff lying everywhere, and you are wondering how do I keep my kitchen counters from cluttering? There are plenty of ways to go about it, with the popular ones being:

Take the appliances out of the counters

There is no way your counters will look clean and organized if there are appliances all over. So, to maintain a clean look, remove the appliances from your counters.

A good rule of thumb is to remove all the appliances you don’t regularly use and store them in the cabinets or any other place. This means that your surfaces should only have the units you use for your daily needs. These include: a toaster, dish rack, coffeemaker, fruit basket, a crock of cooking tools, and microwave.

For the items, you regularly use, find a permanent home for them in a convenient and logical spot. For example, you can put the coffeemaker under the mugs cabinet, put the crock of cooking tools near the stove, etc.

This is to prevent the items from spreading all over the kitchen when using them.

Keep the items in the cabinets.

Your kitchen will look neater when the various items are behind closed cabinet doors—they don’t look good when in the open.

If you love shelving, avoid having too many items on the shelves, as it gives your kitchen and counters a dirty look. Instead, take up a minimalist style and only have what you need.

When choosing the various kitchen items, settle with a unified color palette. You can also opt to display the items in nice-looking containers that will keep the various items looking intentional and tidy.

Come up with ground rules to keep the counters clutter-free

There are several ground rules that you can use to keep your counters clutter-free. They include:

  • Ensure that the dirty dishes go directly into the dishwasher or sink. They should never go on the counter
  • Before you go to bed each night, wipe off the counters
  • Never place papers on your counters
  • Even if no one can see them, keep the cabinets and drawers properly organized so that every item in the kitchen has a designated space.

Group similar items together

When you group similar items, you make the kitchen appear less cluttered and provide easy access to the various items. There are plenty of things you can use to keep the various items organized—you can use cutting boards, cake stands, trays, etc.

Minimize the decorations

As much as you love art and decorations, you should be cautious of the number you display. This is because they can easily turn your counters into an eyesore. To be on the safe side, keep the decorations to a minimum.

It’s okay to have a picture here and there, but it should be in a strategic area. If you aren’t sure where to place it, get the input of a professional.

Have a messy drawer

Even if you aim for a clutter-free kitchen, it’s impossible to have completely clutter-free counter surfaces. The same way every good diet requires a cheat day is the same way you should have a cheat spot which is a messy drawer.

Here you stash everything until you find a better location or purpose for it. It makes more sense putting it in the cheat spot than leaving it out and giving your counters a cheap look, right?

To maintain decorum in your kitchen, be specific and intentional about the location of the cheat spot. A good rule of thumb is to choose one shelf or drawer and don’t let it spill out into the entire cabinet.

Add storage options

If you have items that are giving your marble countertops NC a cluttered look, add storage options for them. Great options include:

  • Installing a wall hanging fruit basket or wall mounted paper towel holder
  • Having magnetic strips on the backsplash for knives and other utensils
  • Installing hooks for keys
  • Having a wall mount rack for the commonly used spices.