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Maintenance

3 Natural DIY Ways to Clean Marble Countertops

If you’ve chosen a natural stone like marble or granite for your countertops, you likely love them, so you will want to protect your investment by caring for them correctly. Although correct sealant application will protect your countertops, using harsh cleaners can reduce their effectiveness over time.

DIY cleaning of your marble or granite countertops can be very simple when armed with a few tricks of the trade and made quite earth-friendly (and inexpensive) with a few common ingredients and tools you probably already have around the house.

Here are some guidelines from our team at GranitePro. Call 410.875.7579 to ask one of our experts if you have questions about DIY cleaning or maintenance.

Materials

The porous nature of natural stone lends to a beautiful final product, but it does require the occasional use of some gentle cleaning materials. These will include:

  • Baking soda (flour can be used as a substitute if needed)
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Gentle, unscented liquid dish soap
  • Isopropyl alcohol (70%, or diluted from 99% to 70% with clean water)

Other helpful tools to have on-hand include:

  • Refillable spray bottle
  • Plastic cling wrap
  • Scotch tape
  • Bowl and spoon or spatula
  • Microfiber towels, or old, clean cotton t-shirts

3 Marble Countertop Cleaning Tips for DIYers

Although you can buy a commercial cleaner specifically designed for use on marble, any mild, alkaline dish soap will do the job. The following three tips should allow you to tackle any stain on your marble countertops:

1. For general cleaning and maintenance, you simply need to:

  • Mix warm water and dish soap in a refillable spray bottle (about a tablespoon of soap to a bottle of water)
  • Spray the entire surface area of your countertop
  • Wipe up all residue with a clean cloth until dry
  • Buff with a soft towel
  • Store the remaining cleaning solution for later use

2. For most food or wine-based stains, you can spot-treat the stained area with hydrogen peroxide mixed with a few drops of ammonia.

3. Remember that marble is more sensitive to acid solutions like lemon juice or vinegar and can even contribute to the formation of dull etches that require re-grinding and polishing.

The bacteria-resistant nature of natural stone means you generally don’t need to worry about extensive disinfecting, provided the counter has a solid seal. However, should extra precautions be required, a quick spritz with isopropyl alcohol or antibacterial soap and wipe with a clean cloth is all that is necessary for a little extra protection.

Granite Countertop Cleaning Tips for DIYers

Cleaning and disinfecting granite countertops will be very similar to marble countertops. They can also be kept in great shape with a regular routine of warm water, mild soap, and microfiber towels.

For oil-based stains, you might try creating a poultice of baking soda and water in a bowl (until it is roughly the consistency of Greek yogurt or sour cream). Next, use a flexible spatula to spread on the affected area, cover with plastic wrap, and tape down the edges. Make sure to spot-test a small area first to ensure that the color of the stone won’t be affected. After you apply, let sit undisturbed for a day or two to let the baking soda draw out the stain. Rinse to monitor the results. Difficult stains might require multiple treatments.

For water-based stains, use the same process but substitute hydrogen peroxide for baking soda and water.

GranitePro: Your Granite Experts

Occasionally, even the best-maintained countertops may require professional cleaning and resealing. At GranitePro, our team of in-house artisans is here to help you with all of your marble and granite countertop needs. Call us today at 410.875.7579 for information on how to best care for our natural stone products, keeping them looking as good as new for decades to come.

3 Benefits of Granite Countertops

If you want to give your kitchen a luxury overhaul on a budget, you might consider upgrading to granite countertops. Due to its natural beauty, durability, and affordability, granite is one of the most popular materials in modern design. It can leave you with a brand new kitchen or bathroom you’ll love in as little as one day.

Call one of our countertop experts today at GranitePro at 410.875.7579 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation and learn more about our professional in-house design and installation services. We can help you understand the benefits of granite countertops.

Granite Benefits for Your Countertops

1. Natural Beauty

Granite is quarried straight from the earth, lending a majestic, organic appeal to home decor. Each piece of granite is distinctive, featuring a complex array of colors, patterns, and textures. The natural veining undulates in a large wave, so small samples pale in comparison to the finished product. In fact, one of the most challenging aspects of working with granite is choosing the final stone, as they tend to all be so beautiful and unique!

Granite’s varied appearance not only lends well to virtually any color scheme but is equally at home in any space, from family homes to apartments to upscale hotels. In addition, it lies perfectly flat, which helps with food preparation and provides an elegant, seamless finish.

2. Durability

Did you know that granite is the second hardest common working material? It’s true–granite is literally rock-hard, second only to diamonds. In fact, it requires special lasers to section it into separate slabs and is far more durable than other common countertop materials like Formica or laminated wood.

This means that when granite countertops are correctly installed, they are likely to last for a lifetime, with only a small amount of yearly do-it-yourself maintenance required. If they ever require replacement, it will only be because you want to–not because you need to.

Unlike wood, laminate, tile, or other softer materials, granite is also:

  • Scratch and chip-resistant
  • Chemical-resistant and can hold up to both acid and base exposure
  • Stain-resistant, even to wine and coffee
  • Dirt and bacteria-resistant, lending to easier cleaning
  • Heat-resistant and will not blister or warp even if exposed to hot pots and pans

If a bit of damage is incurred with a dropped cast-iron pot, granite can be easily repaired with a small amount of sealant. However, typical spills, knife slips, and other routine bits of wear and tear are no match for a quality granite countertop.

3. Affordability

For a natural, beautiful, durable material, granite countertops are surprisingly affordable. Generally, they range from about $40-$200 per square foot, including installation. Some of the factors influencing where your project will fall in this range include:

  • Whether you use granite tiles vs. larger slabs of granite
  • The thickness of the slabs
  • The total amount of square footage
  • The number of seams in the countertop (seams are typically around one-eighth of an inch in thickness)
  • If backsplashes are used
  • Whether or not your contractor can acquire their materials directly or must purchase them from a third-party vendor

Most projects not only increase the overall appeal of a home but can actually result in a sizable return on your investment.

GranitePro: Your Source for Top-Quality Granite In Maryland

If you are looking for granite countertops in Caroll County, Maryland, we have your next kitchen or bathroom renovation project covered. At GranitePro, we have built our brand on quality materials (100% crafted by our own team of artisans), competitive pricing, and flawless customer service. Contact us today at 410.875.7579 to learn how granite countertops can make your home a more beautiful and functional space for decades to come.

Understanding the Fabrication Process

If you’ve been thinking about investing in custom-made countertops to improve your home’s overall look and value, you should probably understand the fabrication process. By knowing what goes on behind the scenes, you will be able to communicate your wants and needs better when the time for new counters finally comes. 

Custom counter fabrication can be broken down into three main steps: measuring and templating, fabricating, and the final installation. Understanding the process from beginning to end should give you peace of mind when coming to us at GranitePro because you will know exactly what it will take to get your bathroom or kitchen looking the way you want it. Find out how we can help by calling 410.875.7579.

Measuring and Templating

After calling us for your free in-home consultation and estimate, the next step in the process is for one of our professional technicians to come to your home to take measurements and create a digital template used for planning out your future counters.

Once we have the digital template, we can incorporate your customized wishes into the template until we have your new kitchen or bathroom counters’ exact design. This allows us to cut out the perfect-sized custom counters to avoid any seams common with prefabricated countertops.

Fabrication

At GranitePro, we source all of our materials from top-rated quarries across the United States to ensure you have the beautiful stone finish you came to us for in the first place. If you haven’t decided on a material yet, this is the stage where you need to because once the template is made, it is time for us to plan and cut your new counters to exact specifications.

Once you have decided on the material, then the plans and template are sent to our professional fabrication team so they can begin cutting out your counters. The template will include everything the fabrication team is going to need to ensure exact cuts so they can accommodate any added amenities or changes to the original layout.

  • Added electrical outlets
  • Cutouts for appliances
  • Change in shape
  • Plumbing 

These are all commonly adjusted aspects of custom countertops, and the fabrication team at GranitePro makes them happen at this stage in the process.

Installation

Once we have your new custom kitchen or bathroom counters cut out, it is time for it all to come together in the actual installation process. 

In-House Installation

Our expert countertop installation crews are all employed by us, and we never subcontract out our installation services. This is important because we ensure the quality of craftsmanship throughout the entire process instead of trusting somebody else with the job. For a completely custom experience, you need to deal with the same company from the beginning of the process to the end, which is what we give you the opportunity to do by using our own in-house expert installation crew.

Fewer Seams

We insist on using our installation crew because we can trust them to install your new stone counters exactly as we planned throughout the fabrication process, allowing for the minimization or complete elimination of those unsightly and noticeable seams.

We can generally eliminate all of the seams on your new countertop on new construction projects or projects with large enough clearing space. But if we are limited on space, we may have to cut the counters down into a more manageable size creating seams in the process. There is no need to worry, though, because our installation crews know where the least noticeable location for seams are and do a 5-star job of covering them up.

Learn More About GranitePro For Your Custom Countertop Services

If you are thinking about installing custom-made stone countertops, look no further than GranitePro. We promise to deliver you a completely custom experience from the initial template design to the fabrication and installation. Give us a call today at 410.875.7579, or contact us online for your free in-home consultation and estimate!

Easiest Countertops to Maintain

When it comes to heavily trafficked areas in the home, the kitchen is always the first room that comes to mind. It’s where family and friends gather to share meals, stories, laughs, and be merry – and the more time that is spent worrying about cleaning and maintaining your kitchen countertops, the less time is spent enjoying your kitchen with the ones you love the most.

With more than 16 years of experience in the industry, Granite Pro has the knowledge and expertise to guide you in the right direction if you have questions regarding maintaining your kitchen countertops. Reach out at 410.875.7579 to speak to a professional today.

Countertop Maintenance

Custom bathroom and kitchen counters both require maintenance depending on the material that they are made with. Every countertop has different care requirements, but they are all relatively simple to maintain. 

Laminate Countertops

Laminate countertops date back to the 1920s, but many of us remember them as dated orange countertops in our grandmother’s home. While this was the case 50-60 years ago, laminate countertops today come with beautiful designs made to imitate stone and other luxury counter materials.

They remain just as easy to maintain as always, meaning you won’t have to worry about refinishing or sealing ever again, and a good clean can be done with a towel and any multi-purpose surface cleaner.

Quartz Countertops

Quartz or engineered stone countertops are made with a mixture of crushed stone pieces and resin, resulting in a uniform quartz look. Despite the luxurious look, quartz countertops are some of the easiest to maintain and clean. The resin used to bind the pieces of stone together is a non-porous material that, when cured, results in the following: in

  • Stain-resistant countertops
  • Easy-to-clean counters 

Recycled Glass Countertops

Recycled glass countertops are made in much the same way as quartz counters. The recycled glass is first crushed up, and the pieces are molded together by a polymer resin mixture. The result is a beautiful high-end-looking counter with a long-lasting finish.

Due to the non-porousness of recycled glass counters, they can be cleaned with soap and water or with a multi-surface cleaner.

Soapstone Countertops

Soapstone is a beautiful natural stone material that has been used for hundreds of years. It is a super dense stone which makes it a great choice as a countertop material. Its density prohibits bacterial growth and allows for easy restriction-free cleaning. 

Another unique property of using soapstone countertops in your bathroom or kitchen is its tendency to patina over time. Some people prefer the unique character adding change, while others prefer to lightly sand and buff the counters to get them back to their original finish. Whatever you decide to do, the process is simple and minimal.

Granite Countertops

Granite countertops require a lot more maintenance than those materials that are listed above but remain unmatched in their beauty. Due to their porous nature, granite countertops need to be sealed every 1-5 years, depending on how often they are used.

One of the downfalls to granite is that if something is spilled on them and not wiped up immediately, it could potentially stain the surface. Certain cleaning materials also have a tendency to mess with the finish of granite counters. Hot water and a soft cloth are ideal for quick cleanups. For countertop installation in Maryland, GranitePro has you covered.

Granite Pro Offers Free In-Home Estimates

Here at Granite Pro, we offer professional custom countertops made with top-of-the-line luxury stone. We have been serving our clients for two generations and continue to deliver unrivaled service. Contact us today at 410.875.7579, or contact us online for a free in-home estimate. 

The Best Ways to Clean and Disinfect Countertops

One of the benefits of installing natural stone countertops is that they have a built-in resistance to bacteria and other germs. Cleaning countertops made of a material like granite or marble involves more work than you would have to put in for other surfaces.

You should also think about whether the products you’re using effectively clean and disinfect your stone surface choice. 

Cleaning Marble Countertops

When it comes to cleaning marble countertops, you should go with the most basic cleaning solutions because marble surfaces are vulnerable to scratching by general cleaners. Fill a spray bottle with water a spray bottle to apply water to your marble countertop, add a drop of dish soap and wipe it with a soft sponge. Make sure you scrub hard enough to whip up a lot of suds. 

Next, rinse out the sponge and use it to wipe the soap off the marble countertop surface. Once all the suds are gone, buff the marble dry with a clean dishtowel until it shines. After cleaning, go through the process of resanding and polishing the surface to get rid of any imperfections in the marble stone. 

Cleaning Granite Countertops

While sealed granite is stain-resistant, that doesn’t mean it can’t be blemished when someone spills wine, oil, or juice. Remember to blot up stains versus wiping them up to avoid spreading the dye across a larger area. You only need warm water and mild dish detergent for cleaning granite countertops. Rinse it off with water before drying with a soft dish towel. 

If your granite countertops need a deeper clean, look for pH-neutral products specifically made for natural stone. They’re also good for removing any soap build-up left from cleaning with a dish detergent. 

Cleaning Quartz Countertops

You have two different options when it comes to cleaning granite countertops. The first one involves mixing isopropyl alcohol and water and using it to wipe the surface. You can also use antibacterial soap and water to clean the surface. Use a sponge to avoid scratching the quartz as you clean. If you want to really clean and disinfect your quartz countertops, mix all three ingredients to create a super cleaner. 

Avoid using any cleaning products with ingredients containing vinegar or bleach. You can end up permanently damaging your quartz surface. Ensure you keep products like glass cleaner and nail polish away from your quartz countertops as they can break down the bond holding the quartz and resin together. 

Cleaning Soapstone Countertops

Soapstone countertops are extremely stain-resistant, making them perfect for withstanding the abuse of day-to-day living. You can use soap and water to clean soapstone or purchase an all-purpose cleaner. The strength of soapstone makes it nearly invulnerable to the chemicals in most cleaners, unlike quartz, marble, or granite.

If you oil your soapstone, you will need to apply a new coating of mineral oil once per year to maintain the look. Pour it directly onto the soapstone countertop and spread a thin coat around with your hand. It can take time for the mineral oil to soak into the stone since soapstone is not naturally porous. 

General Stone Countertop Care and Cleaning Tips

You can avoid cracking your stone countertops by using trivets underneath hot items like pans or food dishes. Wipe up spills immediately so that it doesn’t stain and damage the stone, especially wines, vinegar, and citrus juices. You should also be careful with any food or drinks containing dyes. 

GranitePro can bring the beauty and luxury of stone countertops into your home. Choose from among a wide selection of products in our storeroom. Other services we provide to Eldersburg, Maryland residents include:

Call GranitePro at 410.875.7579, or contact us online to start transforming the look and feel of your home. 

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