Keep Your Counters in Top Shape with These Tips

Any new parent will tell you that being sent home from the hospital without an instruction manual is terrifying. While buying or remodeling a home isn’t quite as comparable, knowing how to care for the materials in them is important.

Earlier this year we gave some advice on keeping countertops, flooring and cabinets in great shape in 2019. As the holiday cooking and gathering season commences, we wanted to focus in on countertop care. The kitchen is where you’ll spend much of your time as a homeowner, especially around the holidays. Knowing what you’re working with and how to care for those materials will be integral to the upkeep of your home.

Marble

While beautiful and elegant, marble can scratch and stain easily. For this reason, it is not typically recommended for kitchens.  Should you already have Marble in your home, make sure you protect it when using your countertop space. To clean, use a neutral pH tile or stone cleaning product. A mild soap and water with nonabrasive rag would be perfect for cleaning your marble countertops.

Granite

Granite needs to be properly re-sealed once or twice a year to live up to its reputation. In addition, quickly clean any 

spills on your granite countertops since this material is porous and can stain. Clean regularly with a damp cloth and mild dish soap or a cleaner made specifically for granite, using a microfiber cloth.

If you do get stains on your granite countertop, use baking soda and water for oil-based stains or hydrogen peroxide for water-based stains. Once the paste has been on the countertops overnight, rinse and repeat if the stain isn’t gone.

Quartz

This material is highly scratch, stain and scorch resistant, but is not completely heatproof. Be sure to use trivets when placing hot pots and pans on its surface. It doesn’t need to be resealed due to its non-porous, already sealed surface. A cleaner made for quartz countertops and drying with a microfiber cloth will help keep your countertops stain-free.

For any countertop, even sealed ones, it’s important to use simple measures to help 

extend the life of the material:

• Try coasters to protect from moisture
• Use non-abrasive cleaners
• Use a cutting board when using a knife to chop
• Dry counters with microfiber cloths
• If using an unfamiliar cleaner, test on an inconspicuous spot underneath the countertop first to prevent possible discoloration on the top visible surface.

Keeping your countertops in top shape will contribute to successful holiday gatherings for many years to come!

Thinking of upgrading your kitchen or bathroom countertops? Call us at 678-450-1700 to schedule an appointment.

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