Are you wondering if granite countertops are still in style and if so are they good to have in your home? Read on to find out!
We have all been there. You’ve been living in your home for the past 5-10 years and if you are being honest with yourself, you are starting to get bored of certain things. Then one morning you wake up, walk into the kitchen, and decide that you want to change something. And like any person who wants a change but does not want to go to too much effort, you choose to change your countertops.
Changing a countertop is never easy and switching your countertop is always a difficult decision to make. But while granite countertops might be falling off of the trend in modern kitchens, they do have a certain set of advantages to them.
Granite countertops were all the hype when it came to modern state-of-the-art kitchens and the general design aesthetic that is being followed in today’s day and age. Every house and its interior are transforming to accommodate sharp edges and angular looks while keeping the colors dark and aesthetically pleasing.
But aesthetics is not the only thing that one needs to consider while thinking of a countertop for their kitchen. Factors such as the heat resistance of the material being used also come into play along with whether the material will get burned if a hot pan or plate is placed on it.
Fear not and read no further to find the answers to all your questions. Whether you tend to end up worried about stains on your countertops, or whether the heat from your kitchen will damage it or not, this article has all the answers you need.
So, without further ado, dive with us into a quick analysis of the benefits and downsides of owning a granite countertop.
Are Granite Countertops Heat Resistant?
Granite countertops have picked up in terms of popularity in recent years. As kitchens start becoming more modern and start adapting to a newer more futuristic style of living, granite’s importance as one of the most durable materials is coming to light.
And while they were in fact at one point in time considered a status of luxury and riches, the same does not hold today. Granite is becoming more accessible by the day and the world is in awe of the characteristics it boasts in comparison to its competition.
Granite is a material that is formed at extremely high pressures and heat. And as this process continues over millions of years, the rock tends to develop a resistance to high temperatures to the point that they stop affecting it.
This means that granite countertops, along with their unique aesthetic and look, also boast a resistance to heat that is unrivaled in its class.
Placing hot pans or pots on your granite countertop will never actually damage the granite itself. And while it might leave a stain or mark on the countertop itself, you can rest assured that the granite itself will never be damaged by any temperature that your kitchen can produce. Unless of course, you plan on cooking in a volcano any time soon.
Can Granite Stains Be Removed?
One of the biggest myths surrounding granite stems from the belief that once granite develops a stain, it cannot be removed. This could not be further from the truth.
Granite being one of the most heat-resistant materials in existence would not make sense if it was capable of being stained. And yet, of all the myths floating around about granite, perhaps the most common is that it stains easily.
And somehow, this myth has some degree of truth to it. While granite itself is extremely difficult to stain or damage, the same does not always hold true for granite countertops. But why is there a difference between the two?
The difference comes in when we dive into how countertops are made before they are installed into your kitchen. These countertops are initially cut into precise slabs of rock and are then layered with a protective mixture called a “sealant”.
When a heated pot or pan comes into contact with a granite countertop, it may occasionally leave a mark. And while this may seem like something to panic about, you should remain calm. The heat did not damage the granite but in fact, only damaged the sealant layer.
So yes, granite stains can be removed, and that too with relative ease. Keep on reading to find out how and just what you need to do to get rid of them.
Can Granite Get Water Stains?
In the most basic understanding of the matter, granite is a porous mineral. This means that even when it occurs naturally, the surface of the rock is filled with holes and is capable of absorbing both water and oil. And while this is never a problem in the natural state of the rock itself. It can be considered a problem when granite is being used as a countertop.
The sealant layer on the countertop itself will end up trapping any liquid that the granite does absorb inside the slab itself and will not allow it to escape if it eventually does evaporate. And while this specific scenario is highly unlikely to occur, there is another way that granite can be stained by water.
Given some water spills onto your kitchen countertop, the most likely scenario to occur is that the water will evaporate without leaving a mark. But there is the occasional situation where the water either takes too long to evaporate or is too saturated with minerals.
The water stains can be removed by using clean water and mild soap to wipe down the countertop. And if that doesn’t do the trick, you can mix baking soda and water, and apply the mixture to where the stain is.
Let the mixture sit for 24 hours and then wipe it away to reveal a granite countertop that is mysteriously missing the stain you were so worried about, and one that now looks brand new.
Will Bleach Remove Granite Stains?
When we think of stains, and specifically about how to remove them, one of the most common solutions (no pun intended) that comes to mind is bleach. No matter what kind of stain, no matter how it got where it is and no matter how big, bleach always seems like a reliable solution.
Right? Wrong. Just kidding. Right indeed.
Bleach always works. Always. But there’s still a certain way to go about using it on your granite countertop. Bleach is usually used to “lift” stains from granite countertops. Lifting a stain usually means that if you cannot wash away or remove a stain, you transfer the stain from where it originally was, onto another surface.
So, while it is recommended that you try to scrub away any stains that your granite countertop may have developed, bleach is a solid last resort option.
The process is extremely simple. You place a paper towel over the stained area of the countertop and spray down the towel with liquid bleach. You then let the bleach-soaked towel sit overnight and remove it in the morning.
The stain should just come off with the towel. If it does not, leave the towel on the stain longer, and when the stain eventually does come off, just wash the previously stained area with clean cold water.
Final Thoughts
While some may argue that granite countertops are slowly going out of fashion, the truth of the matter is that they are timeless symbols of grace and a calming sense of aesthetic. But as is the case with other displays of elegance in the same category, they have to be cared for in certain ways to maintain their luster.
Here’s to hoping that this guide helped you on your journey to deciding the aesthetic of your kitchen. Or maybe just get rid of that one stain on your countertop that had been annoying you for the past two weeks.