Can heat ruin granite countertops? The simple answer is yes, heat can damage your countertops. Although granite is tough and heat-resistant, it isn’t heatproof. While the countertops might not get damaged the first time you place a hot pan or pot on them, continued heat exposure is bound to damage them.

What can you do to protect your countertops?

As mentioned above, you can get away with placing hot items directly on the granite surfaces, but if you repeatedly do it, you are pushing your luck too far, and it becomes a matter of when you will ruin your countertops.

To avoid this, make it a habit to place a trivet or hot pad on the countertops all the time. This way, even when you are in a hurry to remove the hot pot from the fire, you can easily reach the trivet and place it there instead of placing it directly on the countertops.

If you don’t have a trivet, don’t take the hot pot from the fire and place it directly on the countertop. Instead, give it a few minutes to cool down, after which you can place it on the countertops. This means that when the food is ready, you should switch off your stove and let the pot cool.

Before you place the pot on the countertops, remember to wipe the pot’s underside to remove any black or burn marks that would damage the granite surface.

What should you do to already damaged countertops?

If your countertops have already been ruined, try to restore them using pastes and liquids. There are plenty of special creams and solutions that you can use to polish your granite surfaces and remove any stains and marks on them.

The cool thing is you don’t need to hire a professional to help remove the stains—you can easily do it on your own. You should rub the burn marks from the countertops using creams and solutions, but if some marks are hard to remove, ask a contractor to look into them.

If there are burn marks that don’t come off even after using a professional service, try to use your warranty and get a replacement.

What other things shouldn’t you do to your granite surfaces?

Other than not placing hot items directly on the countertops, there are plenty of other things you shouldn’t do to keep your surfaces in top shape. Some of these things include:

Don’t work with raw meat on granite surfaces.

Raw meat looks harmless, and it’s true it will not hurt your granite, but it harbors plenty of bacteria that can get to the other foods you prepare on the surfaces. Many homeowners also cleanse their surfaces after preparing meat on them, which can be harmful, especially when they use harsh products to do the cleansing.

Don’t stand on the countertops.

The countertops are made from stone, so there is no harm in standing on them, right? Wrong. Although the countertops are made from natural rock, the rock has veins, fissures, and striations that can crack when you place a lot of weight on them.

To keep your countertops in top shape, don’t sit, stand or place any heavy item on the countertops, especially on the edges.

If you have to reach the top shelf or change the light bulbs, don’t step on the countertops. Instead, have a stool or ladder in place.

Some people sit on the countertops as they are preparing meals. Don’t do this, and to fight the temptation, have a chair in the kitchen.

Don’t wash your children in the under-mount kitchen sink

The kitchen sink might seem like a fun place to wash your kids, especially if the sink is large, but you shouldn’t do it. While the sinks are often strongly secured to the bottom of the countertops, regularly using the sink as a bathtub can loosen the sink mounting.

According to granite countertop installers Rockville, if your kids are large, they can put a lot of weight on the countertops and crack the striations.

For your countertops to last for a long time, use the sink to only wash the utensils. If you want to wash the kids in a fun way, do it in the bathroom.