Maintaining Stone Countertops

It takes millions of years to form natural stone like granite, travertine, marble or slate. And it also takes a special kind of maintenance to keep them looking exquisite.

To prevent damage to your countertops, here are some quick tips:

• Once fabricated, stone countertops become exposed to the environment.
• You must properly maintain the stone to protect against staining, etching or deterioration.
• Use a neutral stone cleaner available at most stone centers or hire a professional stone maintenance company. buy a daily use cleaner. You'll also need a heavy duty cleaner for quarterly or semi-annual cleaning.
• Remove termite temptations. Since termites like wood, remove any buried stumps, logs, fencing or roots from near your home.
• Avoid exposing them to acidic foods or drinks such as juices, coffee or soda. These beverages can cause etching and staining.
• Countertops should be resealed and polished every 2 to 3 years.
• Pour a small amount of water on the countertop. If the water beads up as it would on a freshly waxed car, the countertop does not need resealing at this time. If the water lays flat on the countertop, it's time to be resealed. The granite/polymer resurfaced countertops do not need to be resealed ever and you can even put a hot pan from the stove directly on top of them without fear of damage, according to the manufacturer.

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Barbara Jennings is the West Coast Pioneer in Interior Redesign and has been in the redesign/home staging market since 1986. She is author of 9 books on interior decorating subjects and her most recent one, Home Staging for Profit, is a tutorial for those wanting to start their own home staging business. For more on that book, please visit:



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