How To Clean Granite Countertops

Are you unsure of how to clean granite countertops that you already have in your home? Or are you thinking about making a purchase that will brighten up your home? This article will provide a few great steps and tips to cleaning your granite countertops.

Granite is a collection of hard minerals which fuse together below the earth's surface. It is expensive, but durable and beautiful. Being scratch resistant and not easily damaged otherwise, granite countertops could also increase the value of your home. But be careful! Granite is usually damaged, not by stains or scratches, but by improper cleaning methods.

Here are a few steps on how to clean granite countertops in a "sticky" situation:

1. Never wipe up a mess, always use a blotting technique. This will prevent staining and spreading.

2. Regular cleaning can be accomplished with stone soap, which can be found at your local hardware store.

3. To remove coffee or tea stains, you might need to do a little more. Use a good amount of hydrogen peroxide and 2 or 3 drops of household ammonia.

4. To clean up an oil stain, mix flour and hydrogen peroxide and cover the stain with it. Seal the solution with plastic wrap over the stain.

5. Let it sit for 8 hours. Then, remove the plastic wrap and scrape away remnants of the solution using a wooden utensil that will not scratch the granite. This helps the stain rise to the surface to make it easier to clean.

6. Repeat as many times as necessary.

7. An ink stain can be removed with nail polish remover.

8. Do not use cleaning products or tools that can damage your counter. These include but are not limited to: steel wool, scouring pads, scouring powders, vinegar, lemon, orange, grout cleaners or anything else acidic.

9. Always dry granite countertops with a soft material after cleaning.

10. If you damage your counter or have a stain that you can't seem to remove, get help from a professional.

11. It is necessary to reseal granite countertops every one or two years.

The above steps are for households that do not own a specialized granite cleaner. Many people do not want to purchase a granite cleaner because they can be expensive. However, if you purchase one of these cleaners the process will be a lot faster and less differentiated.

1. Spray granite cleaner lightly over affected area.

2. Let sit for 30 seconds.

3. Scrub clean with a soft sponge.

4. Complete the process by drying the surface with a soft material.

Clearly, cleaning granite countertops isn't too tricky if you know what to do. Most companies or real estate agencies will provide information on how to clean and care for the various materials in your house. Here are a few more tips that they might give you when it comes to cleaning:

1. Blot spills immediately. Don't wait too long or else they could stain.

2. Always use a soft material for cleaning procedures.

3. Dish soap is not recommended, as it could etch your granite countertops and even detract from its shine. Use a stone cleaner.

4. Use coasters for drinks.

5. Protect the countertops from strong heat. It is not likely for granite do be damaged by heat, but it is possible for "thermal shock" to occur, which causes the granite to crack. Just to be safe, use a hot pad under your pots and pans.

6. Do not use the granite surface as a cutting board. This precaution is to protect both the granite and your knives.

7. Do not use generic cleaners like bleach, vinegar, or citrus. These are usually acidic and can etch granite.

8. Do not put to much weight on your countertops. Granite is not flexible and is not supported by anything underneath it. This means no sitting or standing on countertops.

9. Try not to place toiletry items on or near granite countertops. hair products, cologne, perfume, lotions, creams and nail products can spill and damage the surface.

This should give you all the information you need to know about your granite countertops and how to take care of them. Enjoy!

Beneath i have selected four videos from youtube which contain very useful information about the following subjects:

• how to clean granite counters
• another vid about granite countertop cleaning
• how to seal granite countertops
• and the last one is how to polish granite countertops and how to shine granite countertops