Basics on Countertop Care & Maintenance
Get tips from Eastern Surfaces to help maintain the longevity and appearance of your countertops.
How you take care of a special, considered purchase, like your countertops, will ultimately decide how long it will last for you. Even low maintenance surfaces need a little TLC now and again to keep them looking their best. In this blog, we’ll share some easy tips to keep your tops looking like new!
Don’t Skip Daily Cleaning
First, keep up with daily cleaning. It sounds so basic, but this really makes a difference in preventing any build up over time that could become an issue later. Keep it simple, use mild soap and water, like Dawn, then dry well with a dry soft cloth or paper towel to avoid streaking. We at Eastern Surfaces also recommend MORE Daily Stone & Quartz Cleaner/Protector. This water-based spray product is simple and quick to use while providing exceptional results.
Considerations for Sealing Natural Stone
Next, if you have purchased a natural stone, sealing will become part of this routine at some point. When you first receive the countertops, your fabricator should have provided them sealed; be sure to ask before you purchase to confirm. Throughout the years, it will be up to you to seal periodically as needed, the frequency depends on the material. Generally, lighter color granites are more porous, so they will need sealing more often than a darker color, which is typically denser.
Marbles and quartzites can be more porous and delicate, so you will want to keep up with the sealing on these surfaces. As a gauge to whether it’s time to seal, you can do an easy water test – place a quarter size drop of water on your natural stone top and let it sit overnight. If it is still there in the morning, you’re good; if gone, it’s time to seal. Sealing penetrates the pores of the stone to create a barrier to help protect against staining. It does not alter the surface appearance or affect the gloss level.
When NOT to Seal
There are a number of other popular materials on the market that do not require sealing; only daily cleaning and perhaps a polish once in a while. These types of surfaces would include quartz products, porcelain, ultra-compact surfacing (Dekton), and solid surface.
Some Additional Tips to Protect Countertops
A couple other good general tips – first, use trivets. Do not place hot to the touch items directly on your countertops; protect your investment and place a trivet down first. Secondly, use cutting boards so that you will not dull your knives on these hard surfaces. These additional 2 tips will help you maintain the original beauty of your tops for many years to come!
