Benchtops made with stone finishing are durable, and they make the home beautiful. Although stone benchtops are durable, you need to care for them properly to ensure they last longer and continue to make your living space attractive.
Below are a few tips to help you care for your benchtop made with natural stone materials, like granite, travertine and marble. These tips will ensure the benchtop remain in good condition for an extended period.
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Basic cleaning
You need to clean your benchtop daily if you want it to remain new. A simple swipe-down using warm water and a mild household cleaner with a balanced-pH would be sufficient for the daily cleaning. Ensure the sponge or cloth used for the cleaning is soft and non-abrasive.
Alternatively, use a weak solution of white vinegar or methylated spirit in warm water (use a ratio of 1:8). The solution is environmentally friendly and will not leave marks on your benchtop.
Ensure you use mild soap, soft clean sponges or cloths, with warm water to get the best result. Abrasive scourers, boiling water, bleaches, oil-based cleansers, and harsh detergent will damage the benchtop, so avoid using them.
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Prevent stains
Natural stones used for making benchtops are permeable and porous, so ensure you treat them with a suitable sealer to reduce the risk of etching and staining. Try to prevent acidic, corrosive or coloured substances like lemon juice, food colouring, coffee, beetroot and hair dyes from coming in contact with your benchtop because they will leave marks that may not come off easily even with proper cleaning.
You can avoid staining your benchtops by using placemats and coasters. If you have a spill on your kitchen benchtop, clean it up immediately. Leaving stains for long on the benchtops makes it difficult for the stain to come off.
When you have stubborn stains on your benchtop, do not use an abrasive material or cleaner, instead, contact the stone supplier for a recommended cleaning agent. Metal materials like pins or nail can also stain and rust the surface of your benchtop.
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Avoid extremely hot things
Although natural stones used to make benchtops are strong and durable, do not use it as your workplace. The benchtops are heat-resistant, but not heat-proof, so they may get damaged if you place extremely hot objects like pots directly from the oven on them.
Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can cause cracking and discolouration, so, use insulated mats or plats, and trivets.
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Do not cut directly on the benchtop
It is common for people to use their kitchen benchtops as a surface for cutting things because the surface is strong. Cutting directly on your benchtop may damage your knife and wear down the polished surface, so use a chopping board to cut things in the kitchen.
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Look out for weak areas
Benchtops made from natural stone are extremely strong, but there are a few potential weak points like the areas joined or in front of the sink under constant pressure. Even if the benchtop is strong, the cabinetry may not be strong, so do not stand or sit on your benchtop.
Easy steps for cleaning stone benchtops
- First, wet the surface with a small amount of clean, warm water
- Use the mild cleaning solution to wash off the surface in gentle and small overlapping sweeps. It is best to clean from bottom-up for vertical surfaces
- Rinse the surface thoroughly with clean water
- Dry the benchtop surface with a clean, soft cloth or cotton-flannel
- Allow the surface to air dry
Benchtops made with different natural stones have specific cleaning methods, but these general cleaning tips and care methods should ensure your benchtop lasts for a long time. You can also contact your supplier for specific instruction on how to clean your benchtop.
Feel free to contact Stone Benchtops Direct on 1300 992 868 for recommendations on suitable cleaning products for each benchtop made with natural stone material.