Kitchens once had a single purpose: to prepare food. Today’s contemporary kitchens have become more like the hub of the house where people come together to cook, relax, dine and even work. It is where all the action happens. And countertops, the workhorse of any kitchen, have to bear the brunt of these multiple functions and will need to withstand regular cleaning and maintenance.

Miriam Lino

Here are a few tricks by Miriam LLano, marketing coordinator, Cosentino Middle East that you will need to consider to ensure the longevity of some of the most popular surfaces used for worktops:

Natural stone surfaces
Nothing beats the beauty of natural stone for countertops. Marble and granite are strong, durable and luxurious classics that suit both traditional and modern styles. However, marble is high maintenance. Owing to its porous nature, it stains easily. Acidic liquids such as citrus juices and wine have to be cleaned immediately to prevent staining. The surface watermarks relatively easily and must be sealed and re-sealed regularly. Although sealing will not prevent marble from absorbing liquids; it will slow down the process.

Maintenance of granite
The maintenance of granite worktops are less cumbersome than marble. Acidic substances like wine, coffee, fruit juices, tomato sauce, and sodas will not etch granite like they do marble, but they could potentially stain the surface. As a rule of thumb, for natural stone surfaces, avoid the use of abrasives and cleaning liquids like vinegar, ammonia and bleach as they eat into the surface and dull the stone. Instead, use mild cleansers, hot water and sponge for daily maintenance.

Dealing with quartz
Quartz, an engineered, man-made alternative to traditional stone worktops, is a trend that is here to stay. It is naturally resistant to scratching, but is less heat-resistant than granite. To prevent damage, kitchen utensils like frying pans, pots and other items that give off heat, should not be placed directly onto the surface. For routine maintenance of quartz surfaces like Silestone, use water and neutral soap. For stubborn stains, cleaning vinegar, limescale remover, diluted bleach and gentle scouring pads can be used.

Silestone Calacatta Gold quartz worktop

Taking care of Dekton
Finally a whole new and original product innovation for worktops is Dekton by Cosentino, an ultra-compact surface with practically zero porosity, making it highly resistant to household stains and damage from chemical products. This scratch and heat damage resistant heavy-duty surface requires absolute minimal maintenance. Keeping clean with a soft, damp cloth and a mild detergent should do the trick.