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How to clean granite countertops in kitchen – Clean & Disinfect

Granite countertops bring classic and elegant appearance in any kitchen. Deep texture, color, and pattern of granite can completely transform your kitchen appearance. Another benefit of granite countertops is they are hard and does not get scratched easily. They are 100% natural and is directly quarried in large blocks directly from the earth. In this post, we will tell you some simple tricks for taking care of your countertop. There are also some very simple hacks to clean granite countertops

Not only granite slabs look very elegant, but they are also heat and scratch resistant. If you are planning to have new countertop for the kitchen I would definitely recommend granite to consider. One thing I was worried about is how to clean granite countertops and disinfect it?

In this post, we will discuss some easy hacks regarding disinfecting & cleaning of granite countertops. There are tips to remove tough stains & reseal your countertops. You will be surprised how easy it is to keep your precious stone clean and shiny with simple dish soap and warm water. Keep on reading to know which cleaning solution you should NEVER use.

Is Granite Porous or Non-porous?

Granite is not 100% non-porous although it has very little porosity in comparison to other natural countertops. Why porosity of granite is related to cleaning and disinfecting?

The porosity of any natural stone depends on how it is formed in nature. Under intense heat and pressure compacting of crystals take place. Tiny gaps are left at microscopic levels which are also called pores. Depending on material these pores can be of different sizes.

Granite is kind of igneous stone, which have lower porosity in comparison to metamorphic and sedimentary stones. This means your countertop can absorb oil, juice, wine or other substances with time. But on the other hand, it has an easy fix. Sealing at the time of installation and regularly after that can fix your problem.

What to do & what you should not

  • It is very important to have your granite sealed at the time of installation. Sealing of granite and regularly after every two years will make it more stain resistant.
  • Even with sealing it doesn’t mean they are 100% non-porous. Next times if you spill wine or oil over the counter don’t forget to clean up.
  • If you spill anything remember to blot up rather than wiping the spill. You don’t want to spread the spillover to a larger area by wiping them. Easy fix for this is 1st put the paper towel over the spill and then let it absorb the liquid.
  • Don’t use harsh cleaning solution like bleach or ammonia. Anything with acidic material like lemon or vinegar should be avoided too. These materials can harm your granite sealing with time. Easy fix for this is to use mild dish soap with warm water in equal proportions.
  • Don’t use the abrasive material to clean granite countertops. Again this can harm the sealing of your granite. It’s more preferable to use the soft washcloth or microfiber cloth

Disinfect and clean granite countertops

Well, sealed granite is more than enough to avoid any bacteria’s within your granite. Every day cleaning with warm water and mild dishwater soap is enough to keep it sanitized. But for more deep cleaning you can do following once in a while.

Materials you will need

Procedure for disinfecting

  • Mix mild dish soap & warm water in the container in 50:50 proportions.
  • Soak your cleaning cloth in the above mixture and gently wipe your countertop. Wipe if there is any stains or spills gently.
  • Now wipe your countertop with a micro-fiber cloth to avoid any streaking. Let the countertop to dry.
  • Time to disinfect granite countertops: Mix 91% Isopropyl alcohol and warm water in 50:50 ratios.
  • Spray above solution over your countertop and wait for 5 minutes. Rinse it with clean water and then clean with microfiber cloth.
  • Your clean, disinfect, nice & shiny granite countertop is ready again.

How to remove stains from granite countertops

Even if your granite countertop got stained, there are several ways to get rid of the stain. There are different methods to remove that stain and make it shiny again.

One of the methods is by use of Poultices. You can buy it from the market or make yourself. For making your own poultices you can do one of the following

  • Mix 1/4 cups of talcum powder with hydrogen peroxide. Mix them together to have a consistency of peanut butter.
  • Mix flour with hydrogen peroxide to have a consistency of peanut butter.
  • Mix baking soda with water to have the consistency of sour cream.

Check out the link in following products for more details on Amazon.

After making your poultices with any of the above methods you can work on that stain now. Below steps will help you with that. Please note that it may take more than 1 time to get rid of stubborn stains.

  • Apply the poultice paste you prepared evenly over the stain.
  • Cover it with plastic wrap & use tape to hold it in position. Tape the corners of plastic to the countertop.
  • Now make the little hole in the plastic with the pin so it can dry easily.
  • Leave it for at least 24 hours and then remove the plastic.
  • You may need the plastic spatula or some other soft tool to remove the paste now.
  • Hopefully, your stain is removed by now.
  • It may need more than one time to remove stubborn stains

Here are some hacks to remove certain types of stains:

  • For rust stain, the poultice can help. Rust stains are often very tough so you may need to use poultice more than once.
  • Ink stain can be removed by using acetone or hydrogen peroxide. Remember to use acetone if your countertops have the dark shade of colors. For the Lighter tone of stone, you can use hydrogen peroxide or bleach.
  • Wine, mustard, coffee or other organic stains can be removed by use of few drops of ammonia with 12% hydrogen peroxide.
  • Oil-based stains can be removed by use of pure acetone.
  • Remember never use any abrasive materials to rub stains on countertops.

How to seal granite countertops (DIY)

It is always recommended to hire professionals for sealing granite countertops. But still, if you are comfortable with the process of doing it yourself then follow the procedure below.

How to check if countertop needs to reseal

  • Put a few drops of water over your countertop.
  • Wait for few minutes and check if water beads up.
  • If water drops are still there then you don’t need to reseal yet.
  • If water is absorbed then you should call a guy (professional) or fix it yourself.

There are many different brands of sealer available in the market. Most of them have the same process for applying but still, you should always read the instructions before.

  • Before you start you should clean and wait until countertop is dry.
  • Spray the sealer evenly over the countertop (don’t forget to wear safety gloves and mask). Rub the sealant evenly with clean cloth all over the surface.
  • Now leave the sealer for some time depending on the brand you use.
  • Your sealer needs time to penetrate and after that apply other coat.
  • Use the dry microfiber cloth to clean any excess sealant.
  • Don not touch recommended by the brand you use. Your granite countertop will again shiny and clean once again.

Check out this granite countertop sealer in Amazon for more details.

Why you need to use reseal your granite

As we discussed above granite is not 100% non-porous. Having it sealed at the time of installation and every 2 years after that is very important. It will not only keep it stainproof but also make it shiny as new. Stone Sealers normally have a combination of solvent and resin. When you apply sealer, solvent helps it to get absorbed under the surface. The resin in the sealer helps to fill the pores of the granite and helps in blocks absorption of spilled substances. The solvent of sealer evaporates after some time leaving the layer of resin only.

Conclusions

Cost of granite is high but has many advantages over other countertop materials. It is hard, heat resistant, looks very elegant and has the high return value. It is also very easy to clean granite countertops in the kitchen. Well in this post you have learned to

  • Disinfect & clean the granite countertop
  • How to remove different types of stains easily
  • How to reseal your granite countertop

HOW DO YOU CLEAN GRANITE COUNTERTOP? IS THERE ANY TIPS YOU WANT TO SHARE? WRITE DOWN IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.

If you are confused about countertop then read WHY I CHOSE GRANITE COUNTERTOP FOR KITCHEN