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Splashes of acidic foods and drinks like tomatoes, citrus fruits, sodas, coffee, wine, fruit juice, and even vinegar will damage marble. When you use a marble countertop for food preparation, you will need to wipe up any spills immediately. It may be a good idea to put down a protective sheet, such as silicone or plastic while working on a marble countertop. Or, use a large cutting board and do your prep work on it.
Marble is tolerant of hot surfaces, but you should always protect it with a trivet. Use placemats and coasters under plates and glasses when serving on a marble countertop. Immediately after each meal, clean the countertop before you go on to other tasks.
Dust at least once a week with a soft microfiber cloth. For wet cleaning, use a damp cloth and a pH-neutral cleaner designed for stone. Check with your countertop company for their recommendations. It is common to use mild dish soap and water. Put it in a spray bottle and spray the counter. Wipe and scrub gently with a damp cloth. Rinse the towel and wipe until all of the suds are gone. You can then dry the countertop with a soft towel.
Do not use regular cleaning products that can etch the stone surface over time. Especially avoid cleaning products that include vinegar, bleach, ammonia, lemon juice, orange, or other citrus foods. Never use abrasive cleaners that will damage and dull the finish.
Fancy cleaners aren’t necessary for cleaning granite counters on a daily basis. You really only need three things: Warm water, mild dishwashing liquid and a microfiber cloth. Tip: Make sure your dishwashing liquid doesn’t contain citrus extracts, as they’re too acidic for granite countertops.
To clean your counter, simply mix the water and soap in a bucket or your sink and apply with the microfiber cloth. As you clean, you’ll want to rinse your cloth often with clean water. That way you’re not just pushing around suds and grime.
Now, here’s the really important part: After you’ve cleaned your counter, you need to dry it off with a fresh, dry microfiber cloth. If you don’t, you could end up with water stains in the stone, and nobody wants to deal with those.
And that’s how to clean granite countertops on a daily basis. Easy, right?
Have you heard the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” This absolutely applies when it comes to caring for granite countertops. Stained granite isn’t fun to deal with, so it’s best to do whatever you can to try to avoid it in the first place. For example, use coasters for drinks and wipe up spills—be they wine, water or soap—as soon as they happen.
If your granite is stained, however, don’t go running for generic stain removers, bleach or even oxygenated bleach. You may create a bigger problem than you already have.
As with any stone countertop, you want to avoid cleaning with vinegar or other acidic products, including commercial cleaners that use citrus oils or extracts. Using highly acidic products can wear away at the sealant, leaving your countertops looking dull and lackluster.
Additionally, acidic cleaning solutions can damage the stone itself, regardless of whether or not your counters have been sealed. This effect is called “etching,” and it can also be caused by acidic drinks like coffee, juices or sodas and even acidic foods and condiments, so be sure to clean spills immediately.
If you really want to clean your granite countertop with something other than dishwashing liquid and water, you’ll definitely need to read the manufacturer’s product recommendations.
Appointments are not required but recommended to ensure someone is available to assist you with any and all questions and information about Cathedral and our process.
Drawings and or measurements of your project are helpful but not required. Any samples of cabinets, floors, back splash or paint will help in determining your selection/s.
We accept cash, check and most major credit cards. 50% is required once the contract is signed and before we template, the remaining will be billed after install is complete.
We like to schedule two weeks from template to Install but times will vary based on our current schedule and the details and timing of your project.
Schedules will be determined upon signing of the contract.
We work with homeowners, designers, contractors and builders throughout Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. Our excellent team of trade professionals, designers and skilled craftsmen are here to customize your stone with the highest quality and workmanship.