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Countertop Care & Maintenance

After your new countertop is installed, you will want to take care of it properly in order to retain its beauty for many years to come. See the list below for details on how to care for your specific countertop.

Laminate (WilsonArt / Formica)

For daily maintenance, clean the countertop with a damp cloth or sponge and a mild soap or detergent. Rinse surface with warm water and then wipe dry.
Difficult stains (coffee, tea, etc.) can be removed with a soft-bristled brush and mild household cleaner. See list below for recommended cleaners.
Persistent stains can be removed by applying a paste of baking soda and water with a light-bristled brush. Lightly scrub for 10-20 strokes. Excessive scrubbing or exerting too much force can damage the surface, especially glossy finishes.
Never use an acidic or abrasive cleaner on your laminate countertop. These can damage the surface.
Recommended cleaners: Windex, Glass Plus, Fantastik, Mr. Clean, and Formula 409.

Solid Surface (Corian)

For daily maintenance, clean the countertop with warm, soapy water or an ammonia based cleaner (not window cleaner). Rinse surface and then wipe dry.
In order to prevent hard water marks, rinse and dry countertop after each cleaning. Also, clean spills up before they dry on the surface.
To disinfect your countertop, you can clean with diluted household bleach – 1:100 (5 TBSP of bleach to 1 gallon of water)
Remember to never place hot pots, pans, etc. directly on the countertop and always use a cutting board!

Quartz (Cambria / Silestone / Zodiaq)

For daily maintenance, clean the surface with warm, soapy water and a soft cotton cloth.
Do not use abrasive, strong alkaline or acid cleaners. Do not use abrasive or harsh scrub pads.
Recommended cleaners (as recommended by Cambria): Clorox Anywhere, Clorox Anywhere (hard surfaces), Clorox Disinfecting Kitchen Cleaner, Clorox Wipes Bleach Free Lemon Fresh, Formula 409 Orange Power Daily Kitchen Cleaner, Goo Gone, Simple Green D Pro 3 Cleaner, Windex, Windex Multi-Surface Cleaner with Vinegar, 3M Glass Cleaner, Denatured/Isopropyl (rubbing) Alcohol, or Saniten N-313.
The use of hot pads is recommended to prevent heating the stone surface.

Granite

For daily maintenance, clean the surface with mild soap and warm water.
If desired, you can use a neutral cleaner such as stone soap or mild dishwashing liquid. Too much cleaner or soap can leave a film or streaky appearance, so be sure to rinse and dry the surface after using a soap solution.
In order to avoid staining the surface, wipe up spills immediately.
Do not use abrasive cleaners.
Do not use ammonia, vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners that contain acid.
Reseal your granite countertop annually. For heavily used surfaces, you may want to reseal the granite semi-annually. Be sure to use a non-toxic sealer on surfaces used for food preparation.
Extremely hot pans should not be placed directly on the granite since the surface quickly absorbs & distributes heat.

If you have any specific questions about the care or maintenance of your new countertop, feel free to contact our Kitchen & Bath Department. We would be more than happy to help!

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