As a Realtor, when showing a home with granite counters, many people will ask me “How do I take care of them?”
Yes, granite is durable, but it is not bullet proof and will chip. I saw someone try opening a bottle on the edge of a granite countertop once, that is a really bad idea. I chipped my countertop on the edge of my sink, with the handle of a pot. So, what I’m trying to say treat your countertops like family, with love and respect or at least treat them as well as your pets. Always use a cutting board when cutting, chopping, etc. Protect the counter from extremely hot pans (anything over 250 degrees). Use a hot pad or trivet with rubber feet to protect the surface. Avoid abrasive cleaners that will damage the luster of the surface. Also be sure to avoid exposure to strong chemicals such as paint removers, ammonia, metal cleaners, oven cleaners, drain cleaners and nail polish remover. If any of these come in contact with your countertop, quickly flush the surface with lots of soapy water.
Granite should be sealed every year to protect it from stains. I finally did mine after 3 and a half years. It’s better to do it more often. It’s a 3 step process, clean, polish and seal. I went to the hardware store and bought the 3 piece kit. It was around $25. First step is to clean the counters really well. Make sure it is dry. Then spray it with a thin coat of polish, let it dry to a haze, about 30 minutes, maybe less. Don’t less it dry too long, it will be really difficult to rub off. Get a clean dry cloth, I used a terry cloth towel, to start wiping off the polish. You will begin to see a shine. Get it really shiny, it’s kind of like waxing a car. After I used the terry cloth towel, I went over it with a microfiber cloth. Once it’s perfectly shiny with no polish residue and no lint from your towel, you are ready to apply the sealer. Remember, anything that’s on the counter will be sealed in, so be aware. Spray a fine mist of sealer on the counter, a few minutes later you spray again, without saturating the countertop. Let that dry and wipe it down again. This was the way I did it, but you should follow the manufacturer’s directions on the polish and sealer. Protect your investment and you can enjoy it for years to come.
hhhhmmmm, WOW..... did n't know you had to treat Granite like that. I learned somehting new. Thanks.
Sean Allen
Hey Jen, We had granite put in our kitchen and I asked the place that we purchased it from several times about sealing it and every time they said there was no need to do it; have you ever heard of this? I do have some spray that I purchased from the same place and they recommend spraying and wiping down the counter tops weekly.
And whatever you do, do not stand on it to change a light bulb, reach into an upper cabinet, etc. Granite is very durable but also brittle under compression.
Sean, I'm glad you learned something new.
Teresa, The builders I have worked with and my own builder told me to seal the counters. I asked at Home Depot and they said it too. Personally, I trust my builder more but they all said the same thing. It does look better now that it's done. My friend came over the next day and asked if the cleaners were just in because my counters were so shiny.
Russel, maybe I need to stop standing on my counters. I really didn't know that. Parties will never be the same! :)
Thanks Jen, I will let my husband know. Does the sealer have a strong odor?
thank you Jen...
we've just installed granite and I was pretty happy to run across your blog
Hi Teresa,
No, there was no strong odor with the sealer.
Great! I will check into this... Thank you Jen!