So you just closed on a new home!  Congratulations!  You’ve bought a brand new home and you and yours are the first to move in. Fast forward about 10 years and its time to move on.  You’ve changed jobs and the commute is just killing you.  You contact a real estate agent to help you get your home ready for the market.  The real estate agent gives you a lengthy “to do list.”   Item #9 on the list is to freshen up your dull granite counter tops.  Dull?  How did that happen?  Aren’t the counters beautiful and shiny, just like when you bought your home?  You take a look and, yes, the counters do seem duller than you’ve noticed in a while.  How did that happen?  Probably from a very typical lack of maintenance.  Rarely do people think about taking care of granite counters.

Recently, a granite specialist from Premier Stone Care  Company spoke to a group of agents at my office about maintaining granite counters. Premier Stone Care Company had a great list for homeowners to follow:

Wipe up spills immediately.

Use a neutral PH cleaner on all natural stone.

Do not use vinegar or cleaners containing ammonia, acids or harsh abrasives such as Tilex or Windex.

Never cut directly on the stone surface.

Dust-mop granite floors weekly and damp mop frequently.

Never place a pot directly from the stove or oven on a counter top.

Seal your stone every 6 to 18 months, using a penetrating sealer, not a topical sealer.

Place drip pans under plants to prevent staining.

Use felt pads under chairs and furniture.

Squeegee shower walls after each use.

 Seems “elementary, my dear Watson.” But, in reality, many home owners don’t realize  granite requires tender loving care and continual maintenance.  The maintenance begins with a new home.  Building  inspectors will tell you builders rarely seal granite counters when completing a home.  Sealing the counters helps to keep the counters more maintenance-free and able to withstand all kinds of use and abuse. 

But here is my #1 natural stone maintenance tip: Make sure you have that squeegee and use it on your stone showers and glass doors after each shower.  Nothing is more of a turn-off to buyers and harder to get rid of than built-up soap scum on walls and shower doors.  Believe me, it’s not a pretty sight to buyers.

If you would like more information about natural stone maintenance, you can check the link to Premier Tile Care above.