HOW TO RESTORE THE SHINE OF YOUR MARBLE, QUARTZ OR GRANITE COUNTERTOP
If you’ve invested in beautiful stone countertops for your home, you may have hoped that you could get by without treating them. After all, aren’t stone surfaces supposed to be durable and easily maintained?
The short answer is that they are durable, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to treat your stone countertops properly to maintain their beautiful shine and protect them from stains. The key is choosing the right sealer for your stone countertops, whether they’re made of granite, marble, or quartz.
HOW DO STONE COUNTERTOPS GET DAMAGED?
Stone countertops are tough, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be damaged. There are several things that might be harmful to the appearance of your stone countertops.
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Spills of dark liquids such as wine or greasy substances such as oil and oily food can cause darkened areas and discoloration on your stone countertops. Even plain water can cause dark staining on lighter stone surfaces!
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Any sharp or hard object could potentially cause a scratch on your stone. Using knives to slice or chop food directly on your countertops is a no-no.
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Acidic substances such as ammonia, lemon juice, soda, or wine can cause etching, which dulls the surface of granite and other stones and may even look like a stain.
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If you hit the edge of your stone countertop with a blunt object, the stone may chip or break.
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Exposure to high heat can cause stone countertops to crack, although this is rare and requires very high heat. The same is true if someone stands on your countertop.
You may also notice that your countertops appear dull if you use the wrong cleaning products on them or haven’t sealed them properly. If you have granite, marble, or quartz countertops, it’s imperative to use the right granite sealer to protect them from damage.
HOW TO CHOOSE A SEALER FOR YOUR STONE KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS
When it comes to protecting your kitchen countertops, all sealers are not created equal. There are certain properties that should be a priority as you choose the best product to protect stone countertops. Here are the qualities we think are the most important:
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Safety. Any product you use in your kitchen, bathroom, or other surfaces in your home should be kid-safe and pet-safe. Safety is particularly important in the kitchen because it’s where you prepare your food—toxic chemicals have no place in the kitchen!
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Effectiveness. You should look for a sealer that does an excellent job of protecting your granite, marble or quartz countertops, shielding them from bacteria, stains, scratches, and etching without discoloring them, leaving a haze, or having to be reapplied every day.
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Affordability. Some sealants are extremely expensive, but it doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg to protect your countertops. Look for a sealer that is 100% active and contains no water or solvents.
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Ease of Use. The product you choose should be easy to use. It shouldn’t take more than a few easy steps to protect your stone countertops from damage. You shouldn’t have to wear a mask, gloves or any other protection to use the product, and it shouldn’t take a long time to dry or cure.
SimpleCoat meets all four criteria—we’ve developed it to be the safest, easiest, and most effective countertop protectant available. It’s ideal for stone countertops because it doesn’t evaporate, staying in place to protect your kitchen countertops from stains, bacteria growth, and etching.
HOW TO USE SIMPLECOAT TO PROTECT YOUR STONE KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS
Sealing your kitchen countertops shouldn’t be difficult and it shouldn’t eat up your valuable time. You can protect your granite, marble or quartz countertops in just three easy steps.
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Clean your kitchen countertops using a mixture of mild dish soap and water. We find that this combination will get rid of dirt and bacteria without using harsh cleansers that could be harmful to your family or pets, or your countertop.
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When your countertops are dry, apply a small amount of SimpleCoat to a clean cloth (like the soft microfiber cloth included with your bottle of SimpleCoat) and wipe it onto your countertops.
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Use a fresh, dry cloth to wipe off any excess product and you’re done!
Because SimpleCoat is nontoxic, cost-effective and easy to use, you may reapply it as needed. In most kitchens, applying once every six to nine months should be enough to protect and seal your stone kitchen countertops. However, you can apply as frequently as needed to give surfaces a lustrous, glossy shine that will make them look brand new.
