When you install granite countertops, you want them to keep the fresh look for as long as possible, and you have every right to as you have spent a lot of money installing them. The good news is that it’s possible to do it. To help you out, here are tips on how to keep granite looking new:

Watch out for the heat.

As a natural stone, granite looks tough and indestructible. While it’s one of the most durable countertop materials on the market, it’s not indestructible. The countertop is also heat resistant, but unfortunately, it’s not heatproof.

This means when you expose it to high temperatures, such as placing hot pans directly on it, it will get damaged. While the hot pan might not leave an ugly burn mark on the countertop, it can cause scratching, forcing you to replace the countertop.

To keep your countertops looking new, protect the surfaces from the hot pots and pans. Thankfully, it’s easy to do it.

When cooking, always have hot pads and trivets in place. Place the hot pans and pots here instead of placing them directly on the countertop surface.

Don’t sit on the countertops.

Granite is strong and durable, but the edges are prone to damage when you place a lot of weight and pressure on it. Due to this, sitting on the countertop edges is harmful as you risk cracking the surfaces, and you are left with an ugly piece that you have to replace to restore the look of your countertops.

To ensure this doesn’t happen, don’t stand on the countertops. Also, don’t sit on the counters as you are cooking or spending time with your better half.

For the kids, let them know they can’t sit or play on the counters.

Have a cutting board in place all the time

Most people make the mistake of treating their countertops as their cutting boards. This is understandable as the countertops appear tough, so many people have the impression they can’t get damaged. How wrong are they?

While you can get away with chopping a few onions for a party dip, making it a habit is counterproductive.

For one, the countertops have plenty of bacteria, so when you chop your meat and other foods on the countertops, you expose them to the many bacteria on the counters. The meat can also get into the stone’s natural pores, making it hard to disinfect them once you are done.

Most foods contain acids that can etch or even stain the countertops. This means you shouldn’t cut grapefruits, lemons, or limes directly on the countertops as they will cause damage.

The tough nature of the countertops can damage the knives and dull them. To protect your precious knives and keep off the food from your countertops, always have a cutting board in place.

Clean your countertops

This is the first thing that comes to most homeowners’ minds when they think about maintaining their countertops looking new. While it’s true cleaning the countertops comes in handy at maintaining them looking new, you have to do it right.

Clean your countertops daily to keep stains, bacteria, and spills from penetrating the countertop seal and seeping into the natural pores of the stone.

You don’t have to be fancy when cleaning the counters. Using water and a few drops of dish soap is enough. An easy way to do it is to mix the two, put them in a spray bottle, and then spray directly on the countertops. Follow up by wiping the surfaces with a clean cloth, rinse with clean water then dry with another clean cloth.

Regular cleaning of the countertops prevents them from getting foggy and grimy with stains.

Avoid harsh cleaning products such as steel wool as they will scratch the surfaces, leaving you with ugly countertop surfaces.

You only need to maintain your granite.

The key to keeping your granite looking new is to take good care of it. Besides the above tips, also reseal the countertops at least once a year. You can do the sealing or hire granite contractors Rockville to help you out.