If you live in St. Paul, MN and have just moved into a home with natural stone countertops, you may be wondering if there is anything special you need to do. If you look at some of the websites online or talk to your friends, you may have heard a list of things that will damage or possibly destroy the surface.
To help you to understand how to do things right, let’s also consider the worst things you can do to any natural stone countertop. Different factors will make these things more or less severe and possibly damaging. Avoiding them completely will help keep your counters spectacular with very little regular maintenance and work.
Mistake: Leave It Natural
By regularly and routinely sealing your natural stone countertops you will have the ability to quickly clean the counters and limit any types of stains. Granite, as well as marble, is naturally porous and this allows bacteria, viruses, germs and all other types of contaminants to actually live on the surface.
By sealing the counter, this is completely avoided. Depending on the sealer and the recommendations from your natural stone company sealing can be done once a year or less frequently. It is not a big task and you can also call in a professional to do it for you.
Mistake: Leave Liquids and Acids on the Counter
Even with sealing, which adds a level of surface protection, liquids and acids will etch the surface. This creates what looks like a ring or dull area on the surface. It can be corrected by using a specialized buffing product, but it is best to just avoid the issue by immediately blotting up all liquids or staining types of materials that drop on the counter.
Mistake: Using a General Cleaning Product
There are specialized cleaning products for natural stone counters. These are simple and easy to use and will avoid a dull buildup that can occur with traditional types of kitchen cleaners. Also, avoid using abrasive scrubbing products on these countertops as they will scratch the surface.
Mistake: Placing Hot Pots and Pans on the Counter
While it is extremely unlikely that a hot pot, pan or roaster would cause the stone to split or crack, this can happen from thermal shock. The much more likely issue will be the metal scratching the surface.
Additionally, the heat from the pan may also lead to a greater risk of the pot or pan being dropped down onto the surface, which can cause surface damage. Using trivets under hot pans and coasters under bottles, glasses and cans will provide you with a beautiful looking counter with limited maintenance needs.
