Granite is one of the hardest materials on the planet and granite materials are famous for their durability. Not only can you chop vegetables directly on them without worrying about damaging the counter (although you may dull your knife – yes granite is that strong!) and place hot pots and pans on them without worrying about scorching, but a granite countertop will look good just as good as the day you installed it for years because it’s resistant to cracking, scratching, and chipping.
Despite this incredible durability and heat resistance, there are some things that you should never put on a granite countertop. To keep your counters looking beautiful year after year, avoid letting things like these make prolonged contact with them:
Don’t put these on your Granite Countertop
Acids
Any liquid with a high acid content should be kept away from your granite countertops and cleaned up immediately if spilled. Why? – acids can etch your counters and even damage their seal. This means you should be careful with things like fruit juice, tomato juice, sodas, and wine around your counters. If you have granite countertops in your bathrooms you should also be careful when using perfume and applying nail polish.
Oils
Like acids, cooking oils have the potential to stain granite counters. Obviously, you should be careful with cooking oils and some salad dressings but you also shouldn’t place oily foods like raw meat directly on your counters. If it sits long enough, oils will leave pretty nasty stains. Typically, such stains can be removed with baking soda. Just let it sit on the stain for 20 minutes and then wipe it off with a sponge and water.
Common household cleaners
While many of the products you have in your household may say “multi-purpose” on the label, they’ll likely be harmful to your granite counters. While they claim to be multi-purpose they’re not formulated for granite or any other natural stone and can dull the professional finish, putting your countertops at risk of staining and etching.
When making an important decision you’ll have to live with for some time like picking out new countertops it helps to be informed. If you ever have any questions the experts at Green Acres Granite will be more than happy to help. Contact us today to learn more!