How to Clean and Maintain Kitchen Counter Tops

When it comes to selecting new kitchen counter tops, their appearance and other design criteria are important. However, it is also essential that you consider how much and what type of maintenance your counter tops will require before making a final choice in kitchen counter top material. There are many different types of kitchen counter top surfaces and materials. They each have their own maintenance and cleaning requirements in order to prevent them from getting damaged and keep them looking good. Here are tips for how to clean and maintain kitchen counter tops for some of the more popular counter top materials.

Granite counter tops are very attractive and therefore quite popular. They need to sealed on a regular basis in order to keep them looking great. Granite is a very tough and durable material, so if you care for them properly they will last forever without fading, cracking or disintegrating.

Your kitchen granite counter tops need to be sealed when you first install them and then you should re-seal them once or twice a year thereafter to maintain them. It only take ten to fifteen minutes to apply a sealer. Although there are are inexpensive water-based sealants, a solvent-based sealer is best.

The best way to know when it is time to re-seal your granite counter tops, is to perform a little test. Pour a drop of water on your counter top's surface. If the water beads up that is a sign that the sealer is still working. If the water begins seeping through into the granite, it is time to re-seal your counter tops. For every day cleaning, wipe down your granite kitchen counter tops with soap and water and then dry them thoroughly to prevent streaking.

Stainless steel counter tops are quite impressive and very popular right now. They are very modern and sleek looking. However, they do scratch and dent fairly easily. Maintenance powders are available that you can rub onto the stainless steel. This helps to reduce scratching. You also want to avoid corrosion of your stainless steel counter tops by using warm soapy water on them and not a harsh cleaning agent. Acidic foods may stain the steel as well, so they should not be left on the counter tops.

Cambria, Silestone and other quartz counter tops are a good option if you are looking for low maintenance kitchen counter tops. There is no need to buff, polish, seal or recondition them. The only thing you need to do to keep your counter tops clean and well maintained is to wipe them off with warm soapy water. One thing you do need to be careful about is to not expose quartz counter tops to high temperatures. Use trivets to set your hot dishes on to prevent your counter tops from cracking.

Wood counter tops are an attractive choice but they are sensitive to high temperatures and excessive moisture. They can ruin the coating on the wood and cause discolorations of the counter tops as well. Clean wood kitchen counter tops with a solution of soapy warm water. Once a month rub your kitchen counter tops with wood oil to protect the wood and keep them looking great.