Care and Maintenances

How to clean a granite countertop

With the proper care, your granite or marble countertop will stay new-looking for years.  Stone is one of the easiest surfaces to maintain.  And granite, being 7on the Mohs hardness scale of 1 to 10, is virtually unscratchable.  (A stainless steel knife blade is a 6 on the scale.)

Steps:

1. blot up spills immediately, before they penetrate the surface.
2. Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap (available in hardware stones or from a stone dealer), or mild dishwashing liquid and warm water.
3. Use a soft, clean cloth to clean the granite.  Rinse after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft, clean cloth.
4. Remove a stain on granite, basing the method on the type of stain.  Mix a cup of flour, 1-2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with water to make a thick paste.  Put it on the stain, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit overnight.
5. Scrape away the mixture with a wooden utensil and rinse.  If the stain is oil-based (e.g. grease, oil, milk), use hydrogen peroxide in the paste instead of dishwashing liquid – or try ammonia on it.
6. Try a mixture of 12% hydrogen peroxide mixed with a couple drops of ammonia for an organic stain (e.g. coffee, tea, fruit).
7. Use a lacquer thinner or acetone to remove ink or marker stains from darker stone. On light-colored granite, use hydrogen peroxide to these stains. This also works for wine stains.
8. Mix molding plaster and pure bleach into a paste and spread over a wine, ink or other non-oil stain. Leave on for 30 minutes, then remove and rinse.
9. Paste a mix of molding plaster and water over an oil-based or fat-based stain. Mold it into a bird's-nest shape and allow to stand for 3 hours. Remove and rinse.
10. Reseal the countertop every year or two years. Check with the installer for recommendations. Use a non-toxic sealer on food preparation areas.
11. Consider using a new disinfectant cleaner made specifically for granite.
12. Call your professional stone supplier, installer, or restoration specialist for problems that appear too difficult to treat.

Tips:

• Ask a professional to remove or repair a scratch in granite.
• Use a coaster under all glasses, particularly those containing alcohol or citrus juices.  Many common foods and drinks contain acids that will etch or dull the stone surface.
• Do not place hot items directly on the stone surface. Use trivets or mats under hot dishes and placemats under china, ceramics, silver or other objects that could scratch the surface.