Countertops Care- 2 Important Things To Know
Author:vian Date:2009-2-19 19:13:48 Read:172
Granite countertops are popular with home owners and interior designers, not only because of their intrinsic beauty and style, but more so because of their resistance to damage and their enduring quality. But despite their natural strength, proper granite countertops care has to be practiced to ensure their long life and dependability.
There are two essential aspects you must know with regard to proper granite countertops care. These are the short-term and long-term granite countertops care.
When we say short-term granite countertops care, this is just the daily wiping and cleaning of your countertops. Most people would assume that plain wiping with a cloth and cleaner would do. Well, this is actually true. You don??t need to have special skills or expensive products to go about the daily cleaning of your granite countertops. You don??t even need to wipe very hard. Light wiping or dusting is sufficient granite countertops care.
However, you must be careful about the kind of cleaner you use. Granite countertops are coated with a sealant that protects the stone from stains and discoloration. Most cleaners are too acidic and may cause damage to the sealant. This will allow chemicals to seep in through the pores of the granite, and this, in turn, causes the discoloration. Many non-acidic cleaners are available in the supermarket, and you should use one of these for your daily cleaning.
The second part of granite countertops care involves long-term effects, and is only done about twice a year. We are talking about reapplying the sealant of your countertop. Even if you are careful in wiping your granite tiles, the sealant still wears off after long periods, and you will need to apply a new coat to maintain the quality of your countertop.
To find out where to buy a good granite countertop sealant, the best place to ask is at your countertop dealer. They will be able to recommend excellent products to you. If you want to use something cheaper, you can also apply a coat of regular car wax. This is an effective sealant for your granite countertops, and in most cases, costs a lot less than special granite sealants as well.
Applying the sealant does not take too much time or effort. You can do this yourself in just a short amount of time. Its just as simple as applying wax on your car.
Now you know the two important things about granite countertops care. Just make sure you do them well, and we guarantee you that your granite countertops will last you a lifetime.
