Are Granite Countertops Stain-Resistant? Here's The Answer

Is your Granite countertop stain resistant? Well, it depends on the type of Granite you have. Generally, your usual stone comes sealed before it hits the market or during the installation. This sealing protects the stone to react with mild acids in the kitchen to leave any strain marks. Though your granite countertop is already sealed, the sealing is not permanent. You need to estimate the time by which you have to reseal the countertop.

This is a subjective issue, you and your friend may have brought an identical granite countertop but yours starts to fade easily while his doesn’t. The expected life of a sealing depends on the following issues-

• How much do you cook in your kitchen?

• How much wear and tear is endured by a countertop?

• The quality of the sealing?

• Which Cleaning methods are used?

Through the manufacturers claims the seal to last about 10 years, customers need to reseal their countertop depending upon the stone. Generally, people reseal their countertop every 3 years from purchase. Now that you know when to reseal your grey granite worktops, we can now focus on quality.

Is your countertop sealed properly?

Granite 101, the more absorbent your granite the more sealing it needs. Also, the presence of elements like calcite or other acid sensitive elements will also require more sealing. There are some hacks one could use to test the quality of your sealing-

Oil and Lemon test-

Take your stone sample and put a few drops of lemon and oil on different areas. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then wipe it with a cloth. If your countertop is sealed there will be no effect on it. However, if you are testing samples for a new countertop then you need to make certain interpretations.

If you see a dull spot on the acid struck area then the sample consists of acid-sensitive material which is unfit for your kitchen.

If the affected sample turns dark immediately then the stone is too absorbent and again unfit for use. However, if it takes more than 30 seconds to get dark then it will probably work with high-quality sealing. If this time stretched to 5 minutes, then you don’t need to even need to seal the stone.

Types of sealers-

There are two types of seals, in particular, Impregnator sealers and Topical seal. The is just your normal coating done on the surface of your stone while the latter is absorbed into granite and protects them from within.

What happens if you don’t seal a Granite?

Saving a few bucks on sealing now may burn a hole in your pocket a few years later. Your countertop will soon start absorbing food, liquids, and grease and straining the surface. It will soon absorb water and will slowly start to fade. Whenever you put a cleaning liquid on your countertop it will react with the stone and may discolour it, leaving a noticeable strain mark.

Additional Read: How to Buy Granite Countertop: Here's 12 Steps You Should Never

Having gone through a number of jobs during my early days, I am currently employed in the sales department with a stone company in London and I'm enjoying every bit of it. Apparently, my work profile has trickled into my daily life and it's evident w