Granite Care 2011

Most modern day homes use countertops made up of granite, as it comes in elegant colors and beautiful designs to suit every decor. Used in the kitchen and the bathroom, the places where bacteria is present in large amounts, granite has the best bacteria resistant qualities, second only to stainless steel. It scores over other materials when it comes to being scratch proof and dent resistant. Also, smears of fingerprints cannot be seen on its surface.

Having granite needs good granite care. Keeping a few things in mind will make the task of granite care very easy and hassle free. A well maintained granite top will last for a life time.

Your granite care starts with the job of cleaning it daily. Remember to use only mild cleaning liquids. The presence of any strong abrasive chemical in your cleaning liquid might permanently damage the surface by disfiguring it. Lemon, vinegar, bleach or any other acidic substance should not be present in the liquid. For regular use, a mild dishwashing solution at a warm temperature should do. Use a plastic knife or a spoon to gently pry away anything stuck on your granite slab. The smooth finish of the stone makes this process easy.

Stains are another regular occurrence on a countertop and good granite care will take care of this problem. A little elbow grease can be used to rub off mild stains. For stronger stains, try a paste made up of your dishwashing liquid mixed with flour. Leave this paste for about five hours on the stain, covered with a plastic wrap. Then clean with some water and soap. On the kitchen countertops you might encounter some heavy oil stains. In such cases, use hydrogen peroxide instead of flour in the paste.

Other type of stains will be created on your countertops, when a liquid is left to stand on the granite for a long time. Granite has a property of absorption and the stain results because of this. So the simple thing to do is to keep wiping away anything you spill on your countertop. Wiping will make your granite retain its shine. A timely wipe also saves the hassle of removing the stain later.

Sealants are available in the market, for granite care. A sealant, when applied on granite, causes a thin transparent film on the stone. This film protects the granite from any liquids spilt on it, as now there is an artificial barrier to stop the liquid from getting absorbed into the stone. Many granite stones are porous and a strong sealant will seal theses pores and this will make your countertop remain shiny and stain free for a long time.

Apart from cleaning daily with a dishwashing solution, clean your countertop, once a week, with a stone cleaner, which is freely available in the market.

This is all there is to granite care. So make the most of your countertops and keep them shiny and looking like new for a long time to come.