MAINTENANCE OF YOUR COUNTER TOP
HOW TO SEAL YOUR GRANITE: Any spillage on your granite countertop should be wiped away immediately. For proper maintenance of granite, depending on the stone, it should be sealed once in 10-12 months. (Sealing generally takes very little time to apply and use) .Stone sealers can be bought in from some hardware stores and stone specialist shops.
HOW TO CLEAN MY NEW SURFACE: Blot out spills immediately, before they penetrate the surface of any countertop.
Clean the stone/Quartz surface with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap or, mild dishwashing liquid and warm water in a towel, and dry towel immediately using a dry cloth or paper towels. On light colored quartz where a rubbing mark is left, use acetone and soft cloth to rub away the marks. For slightly resilient marks on Quartz, use some toothpaste and rub with a damp cloth till the mark is removed.
Use a soft clean cloth to clean quartz while for granite you can rub with ‘medium’ steel wool to remove grit and provide a good sheen. However for lighter stones, although this is an excellent way to polish and clean granite , check in a corner that the steel wool does not leave any marks on the stone when rubbed(Do not use this method on marble or man-made quartz products)
HOW TO REMOVE STAINS: Depending on the type of stain, generally, when a stain happens, mix a cup of flour, 1-2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with water, and make a thick paste. Place it flat over the stained area and cover with a plastic wrap and let it sit overnight and remove with a soft scraper.
- If the stain is oil-based (e.g. grease, oil, milk) , use hydrogen peroxide in the paste instead of dishwashing soap in the above mix. Or, try ammonia with it. For fatty/oily stains you can also try a mix of molding plaster and water over the stain area, leave for 2-3 hours and remove and rinse.
- For an organic stain (e.g. coffee, tea, fruit etc) Try a mixture of 12% hydrogen peroxide mixed with a couple of drops of ammonia.
- For inks, or marker stains use a lacquer thinner or acetone. For light colored granite use hydrogen peroxide.
- For some wine stains, ink or non-oily stain mix molding plaster and pure bleach into a paste and spread of the stain. Leave on for 30 mins.
Then remove and rinse.
NOTE:
Do not Mix Cleaning Products with Ammonia and Bleach together, as the Result is Toxic!!
Do not leave Oily Substances Directly on the Counters
Wipe any Spills Immediately
Do not use Products Containing Acids – Lemon, Vinegar, Strong Detergents, Pop or any Corrosive Liquids on the Counters.
CAN MY COUNTER GET SCRATCHES? Any material harder than or as hard as quartz/granite will scratch it. DO NOT drag porcelain/glass /ceramics ware on granite surfaces. Use coasters. Do not place very hot items directly on the stone, use revets or mats. Do Not use abrasive cleaners like powders etc. , or even ‘soft’ cleaners.
NOTE: Call an professional to remove scratches.
CAN MY COUNTER BREAK OR CRACK? Granite will break under pressure, impact by an object, and with heat. Granite is not flexible such as wood products and will break if under stress beyond it’s structural breaking point.
NOTE:
- The front and back areas of the sink are the weakest-structurally. Do not lean or place heavy objects here.
- Do not lean heavily on counters, Especially on bars and around the sink area. Be careful with pots/pans banging against the sink ledge while washing etc..
- Do not place children or heavy objects on these areas. Do not drop anything on or hit the granite with any hard objects.