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9 Things You Shouldn’t Place On Your Granite Countertops
While granite countertops are tough, certain things can destroy them hence you shouldn’t place them on the countertop surfaces. These things include:
Raw meat
No. Raw meat won’t damage your countertops. When you place the meat on the countertops, salmonella and other bacteria are left on the surface, and they can spread to the other food you place on the countertops.
If you have ever placed meat on the countertops, you always have the urge to cleanse the surfaces with harsh disinfectants, right? This happens with most homeowners.
The disinfectants and cleansers dull and damage the countertop sealant. In some cases, the products are too tough that they discolor the granite.
For you to keep your countertops in top shape for a long time, never place raw meat on the surfaces. When cutting the meat, put it on a cutting board.
Knives
Due to their look, the countertops might seem like the perfect areas to chop your food. Unfortunately, the surfaces are prone to chips, cuts, and scratches that can dull them.
When you cut on the surfaces, you can also dull the knives, which increases your risk of lacerations.
For you to protect your countertops and knives, avoid chopping directly on the granite surfaces. Just like with meat, have a cutting board in place. When placing the blades on the countertops, keep them inside a protective knife block.
Spills
It’s hard to avoid water spills on the kitchen countertops, but you can stay away from juice and wine spills. You can do this by avoiding placing the products on the countertops. When the spills happen by mistake, clean the countertops immediately.
The reason for this is because the spills leave a dark shadowy spot that gives the surfaces a cheap, ugly look. Of significant importance, avoid wine and cranberry juice spills as they leave light-colored stains that are hard to remove.
Acids
Soft drinks, citrus fruits, vinegar, lotions, perfumes, nail polishes, and soaps are acidic, and can etch the surfaces and damage the granite seal, making the countertops stain more easily.
In the kitchen, keep the acidic products in a drawer where they can’t get into contact with the countertops. When cooking, be cautious that you don’t spill them.
In the bathroom, put the personal care products in a cabinet or basket with a secure base that won’t leak in the event of a spill.
Impact damage
It’s true granite is extremely hard, but the impact of a heavy object can cause it to chip. Chipping is common around the sink and edges. The visibility of the chips depends on the color of the countertops.
For you to prevent the damage from coming about, be cautious when lifting heavy objects above the countertops.
Oil
When cooking, it’s common for oil used in cooking to leak down the bottle. The oil can stain the countertops leaving ugly stains. For you to prevent stains resulting from the oil, keep the oil bottles and oily sauces in the cupboard.
Hot pans
Granite is an igneous rock that can handle a lot of heat; thus, a brief encounter with a hot pot won’t hurt the countertops. While this is the case, exposing the countertops to excessive heat weakens the sealants, which not only means that the liquids directly flow into the countertops, it also gives the countertops an ugly look.
For you to prevent the countertops from getting damaged, always have trivets and potholders nearby when cooking. When spills happen when cooking, wipe them immediately.
A lot of weight
The countertops are tough and can take a lot of weight, but this is no reason to stand or sit on them. When you place a lot of weight on the edges, the countertops can easily crack, forcing you to replace them, which is expensive.
Keep heavy loads off the countertops. If you can’t, place the load at the center (not at the edges where it can easily crack the surfaces).
Soap
If you are like other homeowners, you use soap to clean your countertops. While there is nothing wrong with this, regular use of soap leads to soap accumulation. According to granite installers Rockville, excessive soap gives the countertops a murky look.
To keep the countertops in top shape, use the soap in moderation. After using it, clean all of it off.