Author: Ian Taylor (Page 11 of 11)

Beautiful, elegant and long-lasting, granite work-tops are more popular today than they have ever been. A proliferation of suppliers from all over the globe has dramatically improved the ease of availability and brought prices down to levels that many people can now afford. But a granite work-top still represents a significant investment so it pays to learn a little about how best to care for it.

Most granite is tough and durable, that is why it makes a great material for work-surfaces, but they are not immune to scratching. Depending on the particular granite, it is certainly possible for them to become stained. Many granite tops these days will be factory-sealed; (an impregnating sealer applied during fabrication), some may even have a surface polish to both enhance the natural shine and provide a little extra protection. After a while though, through use (and perhaps, over-zealous cleaning), these wax or silicone type coatings can be removed and the sealers can break down, so the work-top can start to become a little harder to keep clean and may start to lose some of that ‘just out of the factory sparkle’. A good granite work top will last many years but there are a number of things that you can do to keep it looking its best.

Prevent Scratches and Unnecessary Wear

Use mats wherever possible, especially when placing heavy or metallic objects on them. Although some people like to prepare food on the large expanse of seamless, flat surface that granite affords them, (they can be great for rolling out pastry for example) try to avoid cutting directly on the work surface, use chopping boards, it might sound obvious but a couple of wayward chops with a decent weighted chef’s knife can put a deep scratch or chip in the surface.

Wipe Spillages As They Occur

Some types of granite are very dense and have little or no real porosity, this type of granite is much easier to keep and less likely to stain. Others can be quite porous and should really be sealed. It is good practice for all surfaces, but important for unsealed, porous stone that liquid contaminants are not left in contact with then surface for too long. So, try to get into the habit of mopping up spills with paper towels as they occur, especially from potent contaminants such as red wine, beetroot juice, orange juice, food colourings (for example turmeric found in many a take-away). Cleaning as you go like this will really help to maintain the new look

Copyright Ian Taylor and The Tile and Stone Blog.co.uk, 2013. See copyright notice above.