In our blog post, Countertops: Granite Vs. Quartz, we discussed the pros and cons of granite and quartz countertops and how your decision has a lot to do with your lifestyle and needs. Today I’d like to talk a bit about how you care for your countertops, and guess what? A solution of 409 or all-purpose cleaner may not be your best option.
Granite
Let’s start with granite. Granite countertops are great if on occasion you need to chop on the surface, or possibly lay a hot pot, or pan. Granite countertops are durable and considered scratch resistant, however, it is important to have your countertops sealed and maintained. While granite can generally tackle these kitchen duties, it is still recommended that you use a knife block and hot-pads. If for anything this provides peace of mind.
In 2013, we had beautiful new countertops installed in our kitchen and bathrooms. Imagine my surprise when the installer told us, “Just soap and water.” To care for the countertops. With all the chemical agents and cleaning options on the market, there is surely a better option available. Soap and water, in our naivety, seemed so outdated. Well, I suppose I should have just listened to the pro from the beginning. After countless hours of research, it appears soap and water, truly are the best option for cleaning granite countertops. I ended up finding a great homemade solution at, One Good Thing. The combination of soap, water, alcohol, and essential oil helps to clean and disinfect your countertops while maintaining the luster of your seal. It is important to note that the 2-3 drops of soap are important. Too much soap can cause soap buildup on the surface.
Simple care instructions for your countertops will help maintain your countertops much longer, help prevent damaged granite, and protect your seal.
- Clean up spills immediately: wine, soda-pop, fruit juice, coffee, and other acidic drinks can damage your seals and potentially cause a stain.
- Use a sponge or soft cloth: A non-abrasive sponge or soft cloth will help protect the seal on your countertops.
- Don’t use harsh, acidic, corrosive, or abrasive cleaners: Again, it is not the granite you are worried about as much as the seal which can be damaged by these cleaners.
Quartz
The best advantage that quartz has over granite is that the quartz surface is non-porous. Whereas with granite, you need to have an additional seal layered on to prevent stains. However, permanent markers, some dyes, and chemicals can cause discoloration. For that reason, it is important to still maintain caution when you have chemicals, pens, and dyes around the countertops.
With quartz countertops, it is also important to keep in mind that, as opposed to granite, do not do well with heat and use of knives. While quartz is a very strong stone, it can scratch. So, practicing your new Japanese cutting techniques on your quartz countertops is not advisable. You also don’t want to use the surface as a cooling ground for hot pots, and those tasty cupcakes you let rest in their fresh-out-of-the-oven pans.
While you can use the same formula I mentioned above for cleaning granite countertops, quartz is more accommodating to brand name cleaners. Clorox, Simple Green, and Windex provide all-purpose and multi-surface cleaners that are safe to use.
Regardless of which surface you have or choose to purchase, maintaining your countertops is easy as long as you follow proper cleaning guidelines, aren’t too rough on them and manage the good practice of what I like to call, common sense. That means christening your new countertops by smashing a bottle of champagne against them isn’t recommended.
