Homeowners who make kitchen countertop selections based not only on looks but common sense, get the best value and enjoy the highest return on investment. When you look for the best value in kitchen countertops, consider maintenance.
Savvy homeowners appreciate anything low-maintenance in the kitchen, especially work surfaces. Low-maintenance, however, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy luxury and elegance.
Add a touch of chic to your savvy lifestyle with one of our 3 favorite low maintenance countertops. Grab your favorite mild soap, soft cleaning cloth, and get ready to make those countertops shimmer!
Don’t Take it for Granite
Along with smart home devices and colorful cabinets, granite countertops, well, top the list of trends for kitchens in 2020. Maybe we’ve all taken granite for granted over the years because it seems like it’s found in almost every new and remodeled home.
Granite, while admired for its beauty, is also considered an almost maintenance-free choice for countertops. You did say you wanted low maintenance, right?
Keep in mind, you won’t find a 100% maintenance-free kitchen countertop.
Stainless steel attracts fingerprints. Concrete stains (and scratches) and laminate doesn’t tolerate hot pans.
Choose granite and you’ll enjoy the beauty and unique characteristics of natural stone. Here’s how you maintain granite’s bright, dramatic appearance
The Dailies
Grab your lint-free cloth and a cleaning product made for cleaning granite. Apply the product with the cloth and dry with a separate soft cloth. A paper towel works great too.
Tip: Granite doesn’t like abrasives, so no common abrasive cleaners.
Dealing with Spills
You’re in the kitchen, there will be spills—every day. You wouldn’t ignore a spill on any countertop, would you? Granite is no different and handles spills as long as you blot them up as soon as possible.
The Heat of the Matter
Durable is granite’s middle name. That doesn’t mean you can toss a hot pot or pan down on its surface. Use a trivet or hot pad, darling.
Seal the Deal
The most maintenance you’ll provide for granite is applying a stone sealer. We don’t think you can ever over-seal granite, but if you make the effort to seal every 6-12 months, you’ll help the countertops resist those everyday stains.
The Final Words on Granite
Use normal precautions like not slicing or chopping directly on the surface (who does that anyway?). Also don’t stand on granite countertops (yes, adults do it) because even though they’re durable, shoes and any countertop material don’t play well together.
Quartz Is a Low Maintenance Competitor
We love granite (big hugs) but quartz with its nonporous surface, is a contender in the competition for best low-maintenance countertops. If you like the look of natural stone look minus the maintenance, go with quartz. Notice we said the look of natural stone because quartz isn’t natural, it’s manmade.
Easy Cleaning
That little micro cloth you use for everything else? Quartz likes it too! A soft cloth, a squeeze of dish soap, and warm water are the best cleaning tools.
No Sealing Required
The resins, pigments, and bonding materials used in the manufacturing of quartz all form a self-sealing surface. It doesn’t require the same routine sealing needed to keep other countertop materials looking attractive.
The Durability of Quartz
Quartz countertops reign as one of the most durable options for kitchens. That said, don’t use your countertops as a cutting board. Also, like most other surfaces, keep a pad handy for hot pans or baking dishes.
Tip: For a heavy stain, you can use a glass or kitchen surface cleaner. Don’t clean with oven cleaner, bleach, or ammonia. And never, ever use turpentine!
The Brilliance of Quartzite
Say hello to a cousin (sort of) to quartz. Quartzite is a natural stone countertop material gaining in reputation and popularity.
On the durability scale, it beats out most other countertop materials. If you’re judging quartzite by its need for care, we think it’s one of the easiest countertop materials to maintain. Here’s why.
The Daily Routine
The daily care routine for quartzite is similar to the one expected for granite. The key to dealing with spills is to wipe them up when they happen. Like granite, you should clean with a non-acidic, low pH cleanser like mild soap, or a stone cleaner.
Plan for Sealing
Unlike Cousin Quartz, this natural stone does require sealing. Check with your stone contractor for advice on how often you should seal your quartzite countertops. Density plays a big part in how often you seal—the denser the quartzite, the less often you need to reseal.
Are You a Baker?
Another quality we love about quartzite is heat-resistance. It doesn’t scorch or burn like some man-made countertop materials. Because it’s heat-resistant, quartzite makes a cool work surface, so if you bake, you’ll love rolling out your dough on this surface.
So Many Countertops to Love
Each of our favorites ranks high in the low-maintenance category. Whether you choose quartz, granite, or quartzite, you won’t need a cabinet full of special cleaning tools or materials. In fact, for the one that doesn’t require sealing, all you need is cleaning cloths and mild soap.
The sealing needed by the other two isn’t a deal-breaker by any means. You can buy the sealing solution at your local home improvement store. Or, you can call your countertop installer and let them do the sealing.
If you DIY, you’ll spend about $45-$55 for supplies. Hire a professional (and their expertise and guarantee) and you’ll pay between $170 and $355. That’s about $0.68 $1.42 per square foot.
Any of these 3 almost maintenance-free countertop materials make stunning and memorable additions to your kitchen décor.
Ready for New Low Maintenance Countertops?
As you can see, you have 3 solid choices for countertops that not only don’t require hours of grueling clean-up, they look fantastic in any kitchen. Whether you fall in love with granite, quartz, or quartzite, you’ll find out as soon as you get them installed you’ve selected the best low maintenance countertops.
If you need help choosing one of these, or are ready to install, contact us today. We’ll get your project scheduled as soon as possible.