Image: Premier Surfaces
When friends of mine began sharing their love of building a home, a popular topic of conversation that would come up would be what type of counter
tops they were going to use when they built their kitchen. I’ve noticed that over the years, granite counter tops have become extremely popular but not just in the kitchen but bathrooms too! They require proper care and maintenance, which is a priority with any type of stone you chose, but also make your home look extremely inviting! Have you thought about how you keep your own granite counter tops looking as if they were just installed year after year? I have a few tips and tricks to help you!
Wipe Down
While granite is a naturally occurring stone, most granite counters are covered with a sealer to help protect the surface from staining quickly when something is spilled on them. Part of your daily care of these counters is to wipe up the spills and quickly as you can! Be careful with those acidic foods and to not let them sit long on those counters! If the sealer on your countertop is gone, they can stain or etch themselves into the stone!
Dealing With Scratches
While daily wiping is a good idea, scratches can happen and easily with your countertops. My advice would be to use coasters when friends are over with their glasses or wine or sodas. If stains do happen and you didn’t have time to get to it there are some quick tips to help! Make sure to use a mile stone-safe cleaner to remove it otherwise you may have to call a professional to help ! If you think you wanted to try a DIY, try and test it on a spot that may not be as noticeable so you don’t hurt the granite even more. Resealing may be an option too to help prevent any further re-staining in the near future.
Cleaning Granite Properly
Because countertops are usually the ‘workhorse’ of your bathroom or kitchen, they need to be cleaned as often as possible. Do not use abrasive products on your granite because they can scratch the sealer if you rub hard enough! Similarly, don’t use homemade cleaners as well! Using an all neutral, pH-balanced cleaner for your stone countertops would be ideal. You can use either a cleaner specifically formulated to be safe on stone and granite, or if you want to use something homemade I suggest a mild dish soap and warm water. Make sure the dish soap you choose has no additional added cleaning agents that could make it more acidic or alkaline than normal, plus to avoid streaking use very little soap, and mostly water. If you've got soap scum buildup on your counters you need to make sure you use a pH neutral descaler to remove it (look for soap scum removers specifically formulated to be safe on stone).
Image: Premier Surfaces
Now that you know how to properly clean your gorgeous countertops, I’m sure you’re wanting to figure out the best place to purchase them! My favorite is Premier Surfaces. Premier Surfaces only allows trained employees to design, and install kitchen countertops. They are background checked and required to have a well-groomed appearance including uniforms. With accountability and ownership, comes systems and results. Premier Surfaces also in houses technology partnerships, allowing customers to be able to view in real-time, a 3d representation of their kitchen, stonework cuts, and the final product. I personally love that feature that they offer!
No matter what type of stone you’re thinking for your countertops, Premier Surfaces is there to help answer any questions or concerns you have along the way. They also provide a 100% limited warranty on all their craftsmanship, ensuring you are always satisfied with your beautiful stone countertops. Visit any one of the four Premier Surfaces showrooms to learn more about how they can help you create a haven for makeup application and add an element of style to your bathroom at the same time! You’ll love everything about them, the company, what they stand for, and best of all, you’ll never get more compliments on your gorgeous and everlasting countertops!
How do you keep your countertops looking brand new?
