How to Keep Your Natural Stone Countertop Beautiful

The kitchen is one of the most essential parts of any household. All the food items, groceries, and leftovers are in the kitchen. It needs the highest amount of maintenance than any other room. Also, with the new interior decor trends, one can see more variations in kitchen design. Many colour themes and furnishing items centre around the vibe of the kitchen. And why not? It is the place in the house where food is prepared, dinner is served, and the whole family gathers to spend time together. You know that your kitchen is the heart of your home. This is why you made the decision to choose a beautiful natural stone countertop.

A natural stone countertop is a high-quality, polished and sleek design that makes the kitchen look flawlessly and sophisticated. Therefore, you must make consistent efforts to let it stay flawless and scratchless. You do not want the stone of your countertop to lose its shine. And a kitchen countertop is a surface that is in use almost every day. From preparing food, having breakfast and dinner, and preparing plates for everyone, there are many activities that are susceptible to spillings or food droppings. 

A stone countertop is sturdy but, at the same time, vulnerable to discolouration, spotting, scratches, and gradually losing its shine. Therefore, the strategies that you use to keep the rest of the house clean will have the exact opposite effect on stone surfaces. 

The first step in taking care of your stone countertop is to know which stone it is made of and what it is highly vulnerable to. For example, a granite countertop is solid and sturdy, but it gets scratched very easily. A marble countertop is very soft and gets damaged easily on being scrubbed harshly. Keeping all these factors in mind, here is a handy list of tips that can help you in keeping your natural stone countertops beautiful for years to come.

Know the nature of your countertop stone

Stone countertops are available in many different stones. Granite, marble, limestone, travertine, and onyx are a few examples of them. Each of these stones has unique properties and reacts with each compound differently. Moreover, the colour of the stone also makes it susceptible to certain kinds of stains. A black countertop will not appear dirty quickly but can get noticeable milky discolouration. A white countertop will look dull and get wine stains easily if not treated immediately. Stones such as limestone can easily get water spots and mineral deposits on their surface. Keeping these things in mind will help with coming up with precautionary measures to sustain the outer surface of the stone countertop. 

Make cleaning it immediately convenient

As mentioned above, natural stone surfaces are very vulnerable to chemicals. Many food items or ingredients are highly acidic, which can cause damage or discolouration to the stone. Therefore it is advisable to have a soft washcloth nearby at all times. Keep a stack of good-quality cotton cloth to wipe off the surface immediately. This will allow the stone to survive stains due to spills. All cutting or food preparation activities should be performed on wooden chopping boards or cutting mats. This will safeguard the delicate surface of the stone against scratches, bleaching and discolouration. 

Dry the countertop after cleaning it right away

A very ignored fact is the influence of hard water on the surface of natural stones. This is especially true for people living near the ocean. Water contains tiny amounts of minerals and deposits which form water stains. This looks especially bad on countertops that are dark in colour. After each wipe with a clean cotton cloth or a microfibre cloth, you must also use a dry cloth to wipe off the surface. Do not let stone countertops air dry, and swipe the counter every day at the end of the day.

Use non-acidic and non-basic cleaning agents

There are many cleaning products available to clean the kitchen. However, when it comes to cleaning the kitchen countertop, you must pay attention to a few details. 

Firstly, never use homemade products such as diluted vinegar. This will surely dull the stone in the long run. Even if your favourite Pinterest board suggests homemade cleaning hacks, do not apply them on your stone countertops, as these react very differently compared to bathroom tiles. 

Secondly, use a product that has a pH level as neutral. Most cleaning compounds are highly acidic or highly basic. Therefore we recommend against using any bleaching agents or regular cleaners. Use products that your contractor suggests. And most importantly, use products that are suitable for the needs of the specific stone type.

Make sure the kitchen counter is not exposed to direct sunlight

When having your kitchen counter built, have a proper understanding of the sun exposure that it receives. While you may need to take in reasonable amounts of sunlight exposure in the morning for your vitamin D requirements, a stone surface will fade and go through rapid deterioration if exposed to sunlight every day from a certain angle. 

If you find your kitchen window to have a view such that the UV rays bounce directly on the surface of the countertop, cover that window with a blind or fancy curtain. Make sure you do a thorough analysis of the sun's direction for the entire day and not just the morning sunrise.

Use a compatible sealant

Sealing your countertop can be one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the longevity of your stone surface. No matter how hard you try, someone can and will make minor oversight in maintaining the counter. After all, you will not be the only person using the kitchen. The best method for sustaining your stone slab is prevention. 

A suitable quality sealant or sealing agent can help in protecting the surface against exposure to chemicals, cleaning agents, spills and even scratches. This will take the burden off your back to keep the stone stay scratchless and flawless.

Periodic Professional Cleaning

An added step that you may take for the maintenance of your stone counter is to have it professionally cleaned, polished and sealed. As you know, stone polishing will help in making the kitchen surface look new for much longer. Also, the better quality of the services and products used, the longer the stone will last. A good professional can offer services ensuring that the stone will sustain for ten to fifteen years.

A good contractor can also help in figuring out if you should opt for oil-based sealants and polishing or water-based ones. Usually, people prefer oil-based sealants and agents as it looks sleeker and lasts longer. 

Conclusion

A stone kitchen countertop is one of the most beautiful parts of the house. It gives the kitchen a very sturdy and clean look. Therefore, one must make special efforts to maintain and improve its longevity. After all, the kitchen is the place that brings everyone in the house together. Contact us for more information.