If you are renovating your kitchen, it is high time to invest in a marble and granite worktop or countertop. Both granite and marble kitchen worktops help increase the aesthetic beauty of your kitchen and provide a sturdier countertop to work on. However, there’s a small catch to it. 

There is no doubt that marble and granite worktops are a beautiful addition to the kitchen, but you need to look after them properly to maintain their look and finishing. 

Keep reading further as we share a detailed guide on how to maintain your marble and granite kitchen countertops.

Granite Countertops

A granite countertop looks exquisitely beautiful, but one has to take a lot of care in keeping them nice and clean. The more frequently they are deep-cleaned, the shinier they will look. In addition to this, you need to keep them sanitised as well. 

Granite is  a robust stone made out of volcanic magma and takes some time in its formation. This is why it has gained quite popularity in the market, and people prefer buying it in the construction of their home interior as compared to other stones. 

Granite has quite an artistic appearance and looks like a treat for the eyes, especially kitchen countertops. Granite comes in different colours, giving you various options to choose from. In order to preserve the beauty of granite countertops, they need to be cleaned regularly.

Maintenance 

Granite is from the family of stones, and any home décor made out of granite needs to be inspected at least once a year for cracks, scratches or dents. 

If you do find some problem with your granite countertops, it is a good idea to get them checked by a professional and experienced stone repairing company. Delaying it will only further damage your granite countertops, and then you will have no option other than the one to replace them. 

One way to ensure that your granite countertops remain shiny is to use a high-quality sealant on them. This will add protection to your granite tops and help retain their quality. 

To check whether the sealing on your granite tops is still intact, you can do a small test. This test includes splashing water on the surface of your granite tops. If the water appears in long, beads like shape, this means that your sealing is still intact, but if the water does not appear in the shape of a bead, this means that your granite countertops may need new sealing. 

Cleaning your Granite Countertops

There is a proper way to clean granite countertops. Do thorough research before you begin cleaning your granite countertop.

First of all, if you are planning to clean your granite countertops, it is better to use a microfiber cloth with a stone countertop cleaning solution for the purpose. The microfiber cloth can be dry or a little damp. 

Make sure that you do not use any harsh chemicals or detergents for cleaning your granite countertop, no matter how tough the stains on them are. 

If you wipe and clean your countertops daily with five parts water and one part dishwashing liquid, then the stains will naturally come off. Repeat this every day to ensure that your countertops remain squeaky clean, and shiny.

For oily stains, you can use baking soda or poultice rice mixed with five parts of dish soap and a little bit of water. Mix all of this until you get yoghurt-like consistency. Apply this mixture on the stain, cover with a wrap for a day or two and then simply wipe it off. 

Marble Countertops 

Marble countertops give a wonderful appearance to your kitchen. Needless to say, they also need extra care and attention to ensure the surface is squeaky clean and shiny. 

Like granite, marble countertops also come in a wide variety of colours and designs. As compared to granite, marbles are more porous and less sturdy. This is why they are also more susceptible to scratches, stains, dents and cracks. In fact, they may lose their shine permanently over time if not maintained adequately.

Maintenance 

Sealing your marble countertops with a premium-quality sealant is essential to sustain long-lasting shine and durability. Especially if you have kids at home or pets, then staining your marble countertops is something you cannot avoid.

Moreover, you can do the water splashing experiment with marble, too, to evaluate if your countertop requires another sealing coat or not. 

There are some high-quality marble countertops that do not require frequent cleaning and care, nor do they require sealing. Therefore, it is better to purchase your countertops from a professional and reliable company like Melrosa Marble and Granite to get your money’s worth. 

Most people get their marble countertops polished once every year, but you can do this yourself as well. You need to get a special powder for polishing and carefully apply it on your marble countertop to make them shine out.

If you have large-sized countertops, then it is better to hire some professional and experienced company who are proficient in giving new and shiny exterior to them. 

Cleaning your Marble Countertops

If your marble countertops get stained, the cleaning process may vary depending on the type and size of the stain. For example, for cleaning oily stains, the same baking soda formula can be utilised.

However, keep in mind to apply the baking soda solution or poultice rice only for a few hours. Longer exposure can damage the top layer of the marble countertop.

Make sure that you only use a dry microfiber cloth for regular cleaning of your marble countertops. There is no need to dampen it with water, detergent or dishwashing solution before cleaning. In fact, if your countertop is exposed to harsh chemicals on a frequent note, they will make the marble shine disappear sooner than expected. 

It is better if you spritz some mild soapy water or hand wash solution poured in a water spray bottle before cleaning the marble countertops with a microfiber cloth. A small towel can also be used for this purpose as a little bit of scrubbing is sometimes required while removing tough stains from the surface.

Any liquid that contains vinegar, bleach, citrus juice, ammonia or similar products needs to be kept away from your marble countertops, as they can damage and diminish the shiny look of the marble.

At the end, regardless of the cleaning products you use, make sure you’re consistent in maintaining your marble and granite worktops to sustain their aesthetics and sturdiness.