A Guide to Good Hygiene for Granite Countertops

It’s more important today than ever to clean and disinfect your home’s surfaces, including granite countertops. In this blog, we discuss how to keep your countertops sanitary – without damaging the material.

New granite countertops are a stunning addition to your kitchen or bath. Plus, they add a lot to your home’s value. To preserve their longevity, you want to make sure they are receiving proper care and maintenance.

Also, during this pandemic, you want to keep surfaces hygienic without degrading their quality.

Here are some tips on how to keep your granite countertops sanitized and clean.

Sealing Granite Countertops

Over time, cooking oil, red wine, grease and other spills can potentially soak into granite countertops and leave a stain.  As good maintenance, countertop owners should periodically apply a sealant to prevent this from happening. You can purchase sealant and apply it yourself or have a countertop supplier do it for you.

You may need to apply sealant every few months, yearly, or even longer depending on factors such as:

• How often or in what capacity you use your countertops
• How light or dark the granite is
• What you use to clean them
• The type of sealant you use

Usually, the supplier seals new countertops after the fabrication process. Some countertop suppliers will include a basic sealant application after they finish the initial installation. If you’re unsure if you have sealed countertops, be sure to ask.

You can also try a simple water test to determine if you need to seal your granite countertops.

Daily Cleaning

If your granite countertops have been sealed, daily cleaning is easy. Don’t feel pressured to reach for special granite-only cleaners. These products work fine, but they’re not necessary.

We recommend avoiding harsh or abrasive cleaners and sponges.

The old adage “less is more” applies here. Avoid Windex, acidic cleaners like vinegar or lemon/lime juice, and products containing ammonia or bleach. Over-applications of these solutions will weaken your countertops’ sealant over time.

For daily wipe-downs, you really only need warm water, mild dish soap and a washcloth. Microfiber cloths are more hygienic than typical washcloths and are great for cleaning countertop surfaces.

Disinfecting Granite Countertops

Thanks to the pandemic and the virus’ ability to survive for hours or days on surfaces like countertops and doorknobs, homeowners are more concerned than ever before about the cleanliness of their countertops — especially in high-traffic rooms like kitchens and bathrooms.

Fortunately, a well-sealed granite countertop is resistant to microorganisms. Hot water and dish soap are generally sufficient for daily sanitizing.

If you’re still lacking peace of mind, however, feel free to reach for a bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol. Spray it evenly over the granite, allow it to sit for three to five minutes, then rinse with water and dry the surface with a clean cloth.

Again, we recommend preserving your countertop’s sealant by avoiding bleach or ammonia-based cleaners.

Conclusion

We love granite countertops because their daily and weekly maintenance is very minimal in comparison to other materials. As long as your countertops have been sealed, warm water, gentle dish soap and a soft cleaning cloth are adequate for keeping them hygienic.

Our extensive selection of materials, colors, patterns and textures offers something for every countertop renovation. Contact us today to get started!