How to Care for Your Kitchen Worktops

admin
January 15, 2024

Kitchen worktops have to deal with many things on a daily basis, such as grubby fingers, unloading of weekly groceries, and liquid spillages, including coffee, oils, juices, tea, etc. Therefore, installing reliable worktop surfaces in kitchens that are durable and can effectively withstand daily wear and tear is essential. In addition to selecting hard-wearing worktops for your kitchen, it is also crucial to take appropriate care of these surfaces to ensure their longevity.

In this guide, you will learn how cleaning, decluttering, disinfecting, and maintenance of kitchen worktops contribute to better care. You can also get information on removing different stains and choosing the right cleaning product for kitchen worktops. Moreover, this article also covers how vinegar helps clean worktop surfaces with some additional tips to remember.

Taking Care of Your Kitchen Worktops

To take better care of your kitchen worktops, you should consider to undertake these steps:

Cleaning the Worktops

The cleaning method and materials vary for different types of worktop materials, such as:

Corian Worktops

Taking proper care of Corian worktops is crucial to maintaining its satin sheen finish, smoother appearance, and silken lustre. You should use an ammonia-based hard surface cleaner to wipe these surfaces for everyday cleaning. A dry cloth should then be used for wiping and cleaning the oil and fat stains from the surfaces.

Granite Worktops

It is essential to clean the granite worktops after each meal preparation with the help of a microfibre cloth dipped in hot, soapy water. You should remove the dust from these surfaces regularly and apply a granite cleaner to maintain their fresh appearance. Moreover, you should not use bleach or acidic products like lemon juice or vinegar to clean these worktops. Instead, you should prefer to use pH-neutral cleaners for this purpose.

Quartz Worktops

To regularly clean a quartz worktop, use a soft cloth or sponge soaked with warm, soapy water. Moreover, you can use a small amount of surface cleaner or antibacterial detergent to remove the stubborn stains. You should never forget to dry the cleaned surface with the help of a microfibre cloth and finish off by spraying glass cleaner to prevent the appearance of streaks.

Porcelain Worktops

You should wipe the porcelain worktops regularly by using a damp cloth. You can use a gentle cleaner to clean the surfaces and remove the grease and grime stains of food to retain their shine. A microfibre soft cloth should be used to avoid the appearance of scratches. Remember not to use any harsh chemicals, such as bleach and scourers or steel wool, to avoid surface damage.

Decluttering the Kitchen Worktops

A cluttered surface provides more place for bacteria and grease to hide, making the cleaning task more daunting. Therefore, it is vital to keep your kitchen worktops decluttered to keep the overall look tidy and aesthetic. To declutter the worktop surfaces, you should place those things in a kitchen drawer or cupboard which are not of daily use.

Moreover, it would help if you used cutlery trays, spice racks, and storage containers to categorise all the kitchen essentials and store them neatly and in a well-organised manner. You should always remember and adopt a small habit of putting everything back in its place after use. In this way, you can prevent the grime build-up on worktops and keep the surfaces cleaner with enhanced longevity and a neat kitchen appearance.

Disinfecting the Kitchen Worktops

Disinfection of kitchen worktops is one of the crucial parts of taking care of these surfaces and getting rid of bacteria and other microorganisms. You can use a homemade solution of vinegar and water to disinfect the worktops and have cleaner surfaces for meal preparation. You can apply this solution to surfaces with a cloth or a spray bottle and let it sit for some time.

After some time, you should thoroughly wipe and rinse the worktops to remove the leftover solution.

Maintaining the Kitchen Worktops

You should ensure proper maintenance of your kitchen worktops as they are part of your significant investment. For this purpose, you should take proper care of these surfaces by cleaning them regularly, wiping away all the spills immediately, and keeping them dry.

You can also use protectants or sealants to maintain worktops’ appearance and lustre with enhanced longevity. Moreover, you should have a kitchen unit repair kit to immediately deal with scratches and chips to avoid the appearance of cracks in the long run.

How Different Stains Can be Removed?

Different techniques and cleaning solutions are effective for removing different types of stains from kitchen worktops, such as:

Coffee and Tea Stains

The best way to clean coffee and tea spills is to wipe them away immediately. On the other hand, if the stain gets set on the surface, you can apply a baking soda paste. Leave the paste to sit for a few minutes, gently rub the stain with a sponge, and wipe the surface with a soft cloth. However, some worktop surfaces, such as granite worktops, absorb stains a little more and require you to cover the paste with plastic wrap and leave it overnight before rinsing off.

Hard Water Stains

Hard water stains and limescale can build up on kitchen worktops due to your negligence. By drying the surfaces thoroughly after each use, you can reduce this risk in the first place. But if there are some hard water stains on the worktops, you can apply a paste of baking soda, water, and vinegar to remove them.

How to Choose the Right Cleaning Product for Kitchen Worktops?

Cleaning products are crucial to cleaning and taking care of your kitchen worktops. Different cleaning products are required to clean different worktop surfaces, and you should understand the type of material before selecting a particular cleaning product. Moreover, you should check cleaning product labels to identify if they are safe for your worktop material and always use soft, non-abrasive cloths or sponges to clean the surfaces gently.

On the other hand, if you are unsure which cleaning product to choose, you should select a pH-neutral cleaner as it will not affect any of the materials. Additionally, you can test a particular cleaner on an inconspicuous area of your kitchen worktop to ensure it does not damage or discolour the surface.

Vinegar – A Popular Cleaning Aide

Vinegar is a natural, cost-effective, and versatile product which has proven to be one of the popular cleaning agents, being gentle on all worktop surfaces. White vinegar effectively kills bacteria from worktops, ensuring the surfaces are hygienic and clean. Although you can use undiluted vinegar to clean the kitchen worktops, it will stink up the space; therefore, you should mix it with equal parts of warm water to make a dilute solution for cleaning.

Additional Tips to Remember!

The following are some of the general tips which apply to taking care of all types of worktops:

Use a chopping board to cut fruits, meat, vegetables, and other food items.
Clean the worktops regularly to avoid the build-up of dirt and stains over the surfaces.
Avoid using abrasive cleaners to clean the worktops, as they can discolour the surfaces.
Place a trivet stand or protective mat under hot pans while placing them on the kitchen worktops.
Lift the pans or pots from the surface rather than dragging them to avoid the appearance of scratches.

Final Words

No matter how durable a worktop material is, continuous exposure to heat, grease, spills, and stains affects the kitchen surfaces by discolouring or fading them. Regular cleaning, decluttering, disinfecting, and maintenance allow you to take better care of your kitchen worktops, keeping their fresh and beautiful appearance.