Cleaning Granite Countertops

Granite is a natural stone which means that it is a porous surface. Because granite is porous, it must be cleaned regularly and sealed for proper maintenance. With proper care, your granite countertops will maintain their beauty and last your entire lifetime. Cleaning your granite countertop is very easy to do, just follow the basic guide below. Once Caveman Countertops installs your new countertop, the granite will have been sealed and ready for use. You will not need to seal the counter again for another 6 months. However, it is important to clean your granite regularly until the next scheduled sealing.

How To Clean your Granite Countertop

While there are many granite and natural stone cleaners available on the market, all you really need is mild soap and water. If you insist on using a specific cleaner other than regular soap on your granite countertop, a cleaner with a neutral pH will not damage your granite. From time to time it may be good to use a cleaner other than soap to avoid residue and build up from the soap. Follow our simple guide to cleaning your granite countertop. To begin cleaning you will need:

• A clean sponge.
• Paper towels or a clean soft rag.
• Soap and water or a stone friendly cleaner.

Once you have these basic supplies, the few steps to cleaning your granite are simple.

1. Cover the entire counter with soap and water.
2. Let the soap and water soak on your counter for about 60 seconds.
3. Gently scrub the counter with your sponge.
4. Buff the counter with the paper towels or a clean white cloth. As each towel becomes wet, use a new one.

Once you have completed these steps, your countertop should be nearly dry. Let the granite finish drying by itself and make sure you have wiped clean any remaining soap. And thats it, your granite countertop is now clean!

How to Seal your Granite Countertop

When the time comes to seal your granite countertop, this easy guide will help you get the job done. The process is fairly similar to cleaning your countertop but will require a special sealant that is intended for sealing natural stone or granite. These sealants can usually be found at your local hardware store. To begin, you will need:

• A clean white rag.
• A quality impregnator sealer.

Once you have these basic supplies, the few steps to sealing your granite are simple.

1. Apply the stone sealer to your entire countertop using a clean white rag. Apply the sealany uniformly.
2. Allow the sealer to absorb into the stone for about 4-5 minutes.
3. Once the sealer is nearly dry, apply a small amount of sealer to your rag and rub it into the surface of the countertop.
4. Repeat step 3 for the all areas of the granite until you have sealed the entire countertop.
5. Let the sealer dry for a minimum of 2 hours and repeat steps 1-4.
   

If you follow these steps you will have applied two coats of sealer which is the reccomended amount. Some people find it easier to work in small areas and to accomplish one section of the counter before they move on to the next section. Although wait times vary for each sealer, waiting 2 hours between coats is a good general rule of thumb. Once you have finished sealing your countertop and it has had sufficient time to dry, there is an easy way to test out your handwork and see if you did a good job of sealing your counter: Spill some water on the counter...let it sit for about 30 minutes...wipe up the water...

If the stone doesnt darken, you have sealed your granite succesfully.

How often to Clean and Seal

You may be curious how often you will need to clean or seal your granite countertop. You can clean your granite as described above as frequently as you like, we reccomend you clean it at least once a week. It is necessary to re-seal your granite countertop twice a year, or every six months.