How to clean and care for your countertops, whatever the material.
Have you ever accidentally left something on the counter overnight and woke to find a stain? Then, no matter what you do, that stain just won’t come up. It’s one of the most frustrating things. We’re here to help. This week we’re diving into 6 of the most common types of countertops and how to clean and care for them.
Concrete
Concrete is a relative newcomer to the countertop arena. It’s heavy and complicated in terms of installation. However, the various ways that it can be customized with texture and acid staining make it worth it for some homeowners. It is also heat and scratch resistant. The biggest downside is that concrete is naturally porous. In order to care for it, you need to seal it regularly, or every one to three years.
For cleaning, what you need isn’t difficult. You’ll need a sponge, dish soap, water, rubbing alcohol, a spray bottle and a dish towel. Start off by cleaning the counters from any small appliances, or crumbs. Then using just regular soap, water and a sponge to scrub the counter down. Rinse the sponge and wipe it down to remove the bubbles and gunk. Once you’ve gotten the counter clean mix ¼ cup rubbing alcohol to 2 cups of water in your spray bottle. Spray them down, wait for 3 minutes and then wipe them down with the dish towel. The point here is to disinfect the counters after they’ve been cleaned.
Granite
Granite is THE countertop material if price isn’t something you’re concerned about. It’s strong and durable, with almost 3000 colors and types available for you to choose from. The downside to it is that it is still a porous stone that requires sealing to avoid stains. Unlike concrete, a resealing schedule isn’t a ‘schedule’ so much as ‘when you see it needs it.’ You should be looking at the color and porosity of the granite to determine how often you have to do it. Most of the time, that’s going to be between 1-5 years.
Cleaning granite is much the same as cleaning concrete. However, it can get stubborn stains. These can be removed using a razor. You’ll want to try this after you’ve cleaned down the counter to the best of your abilities. Lay the edge of the blade on the counter and scrape away at the built up gunk. Once you’ve gotten rid of it, wipe down the counter again with a sponge and soapy water.
Marble
This beautiful stone is gorgeous to look at, but a pain in the neck to maintain! It has a penchant to scratch and stain, because of how pale most marbles are. Fortunately there are newer sealers that can slightly curtail these issues if they are applied on a regular schedule. Marble has the shortest resealing time at every 3-6 months. However there are sealant sprays that you can make use of on a monthly basis that make the process much easier.
Cleaning marble however is easy to do and just takes a sponge and some soapy water.
Soapstone
Soapstone has a very recent reappearance in the countertop arena, having previously been deemed too dark. It is a very attractive alternative to granite in that it takes on a patina over time that is gorgeous. It must be treated regularly with mineral oil. The reapplication process is easy enough, and is determined by how often you cook in your kitchen. Some people might need to reapply it every month, while others might manage every three.
Cleaning soapstone is easy and a sponge with soapy water will usually do the trick. If you have something really stuck on there you can use something like Ajax or Comet, or a ny other standard household cleaner.
Laminate
Laminate is one of the most affordable options on our list, and also the easiest to clean. Laminate doesn’t stain anywhere near as easily as some of the other options on our list. However,it can be scratched or chipped, so we don’t advise cutting directly on your laminate countertops. When it comes to cleaning, the most difficult spot might be the seams where the backsplash and the counter meet. Food can get into them and be a pain to get back out. We advise carefully taking a razor blade to them to clean out any debris and built-up gunk.
Butcher Block
If you want the look of wood, but something a bit heftier, go for butcher block. It’s easy to clean and lasts for an age if properly looked after. It can be cut or scratched by knive. Water and stains can also do damage over time. However, these damages can be sanded out and resealed as needed. Much like soapstone, butcher block does need to be oiled regularly. However with butcher block, it’s a standard of once a month at minimum. This is to prevent your lovely butcher block from drying out and cracking.
Those are six of the most common countertop varieties and how you go about caring for them. Which type do you have? Did we miss something important about caring for those we listed? Do you have any questions about a type we didn’t cover? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.
Don’t forget that while you’re caring for your counters, we want to help care for your appliances. So whether it’s in your kitchen or your laundry room, we’re here to help. We aim to be the best in appliance repair for Addison and the surrounding areas. If you need help, we’re here for you. You can get hold of us via phone ((214) 599-0055) or via our website to schedule an appointment.