People often ask us what to use to clean their granite countertops. Granite countertops purchased from Pacific Kitchens come with a high-performance, stain resistant, 15-year seal, so you’ll want to clean the surface without harming the seal. While there are several cleaners, disinfectants, and anti-microbials on the market that are specifically formulated for cleaning granite, using them on YOUR granite countertops may not be necessary — or wise. Some cleaners contain compounds that will degrade the sealer over time, while cleaners containing bleach can quickly make a seal ineffective. Save your pennies and just use a mild soap and water.

Prior to being sealed, granite is a porous stone, so if you’ve moved into a home where granite was already installed but you’re unsure if it was sealed or if the seal was maintained properly, you might want to try a DIY ‘over-the-counter’ granite sealer. Apply the OTC seal as recommended in the instructions, then maintain with mild soap and water.  ‘Over-the-counter’ granite sealers generally last anywhere from six months to one or two years, while a high-performance sealer applied by some contractors prior to install is longer-lasting and highly resistant to stains.

Quartz is an engineered, man-made stone that combines resin binders with quartz for a uniquely characteristic look. The resins actually make the stone non-porous and highly resistant to stains. Therefore, unlike granite, a protective sealer is not required. Again, mild soap and water will do the trick. If a water ring or wine stain appears, a non-abrasive dampened ‘magic eraser’ is sometimes effective. Please keep in mind that neither granite nor quartz are stain-proof, so it’s wise to clean up any spills as soon as possible, as you would with most any countertop surface. Both granite and quartz are easy to maintain, and both provide stunning beauty and resilience.