Kitchen countertops; you have a lot to choose from. There are natural stones like granite countertops and man-made stones like quartz countertops. All of them look equally as beautiful and are also durable. Here is everything you need to know about limestone countertops and how to protect them.
Sealing Is Necessary
One of the biggest maintenance tips for limestone is that you need to seal it to keep the countertops waterproof for longer. If you didn’t know this already, limestone is a natural stone and it has a lot of pores on its surface. These pores make the stone act like a sponge and allow easier water and fluid penetration. Too much water absorption in the stone can lead to it getting spoiled from the inside and that can be a huge price to pay.
So, it’s better to be safe than sorry and seal the countertops after installation, because you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor, by protecting the countertops from unnecessary water damage.
Clean The Surfaces Daily
Another crucial thing to do, which is not only going to protect your countertops but also make them look stark and cleaner in appearance, is to clean the countertop regularly.
Limestone is available in a lot of colors, both light and dark, so dirt and debris can be visible in certain colors. This is why it’s important that you clean and wipe down the surfaces of limestone countertops every single day, to ensure that they’re not only clean, but regular cleaning can also increase longevity and reduce the chances of your surfaces getting permanently stained by foods, different fruits, and vegetables.
It doesn’t take a lot of time to grab a wet washcloth and wipe the surfaces down after a day of cooking and eating. You will be surprised at how much cleaner the countertops will look if you make this thing a regular habit.
Avoid Stains
This is also another crucial tip to remember. Since you already know that limestone is a porous rock, then it can easily absorb any liquid. Stains happen particularly because of this fact, where moisture sits on the surface for too long and it eventually gets sucked in by the surface, leading to the formation of hideous stains on the countertops, that are very hard to remove.
So, to save yourself from this problem, you must be careful about spills and cleaning any drops of water or moisture before it has a chance to get absorbed by the stone.
Use Cutting Boards
Limestone, as great as it is, can be scratched pretty easily, unfortunately, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any way around it. You just need to be careful and prepared in certain ways. If you don’t want the surface of your limestone countertops to be covered in scratches, then try to use cutting boards and dishes, when dealing with sharp knives and other utensils.
The cutting board is going to create a barrier between the sharp knife and the countertops, and there won’t be any scratches or stains either, because the surface of the cutting board will also catch any accumulated juices from cooked meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables, so your kitchen countertop will be in pristine condition, even after a lot of time has passed.
How To Remove Scratches?
Scratches can be pretty hard to deal with, especially with softer countertop materials like limestone and marble. The scratches can deepen over time and they can ruin the appearance of a perfectly fine countertop.
If you want to get rid of scratches, the best way to do so is by lightly buffing it and then filling it with a resin-based filler. This tip works best for small and thin scratches that aren’t that deep, but for deeper and more obvious ones, you’ll need to call a granite contractor Rockville and have the scratches filled and fixed. They are skilled in repairing countertops as well other than replacing and installing countertops of various materials.
How To Effectively Clean Limestone Countertops?
This is a burning question at the forefront of the minds of a lot of people. If you need to clean your limestone countertops every single day, then what is the best way to do so? Well, you’ll be happy to know that it’s not rocket science and it won’t cost you a lot either. You just need to get some lukewarm water and mix it in with a neutral detergent.
Once you have a sudsy solution, you can use a soft microfiber cloth and dip it in the solution. Squeeze the excess out and use that as a cleaning solution for your countertops. You don’t need to buy specialty cleaners for limestone countertops.
What To Do For Discoloration?
Limestone can also get faded and discolored, especially if you place it close to the windows or even outdoors. Well, there is a way to freshen up these countertops and make them look amazing again. All you need is some regular flour and hydrogen peroxide.
The mixture of these two things will create what’s called a poultice and you can apply it all over the countertops and wipe it off, after which you’ll be amazed by the results.
Matte Countertops Are Easier To Maintain
If you don’t want to slave over the maintenance of limestone countertops, then the finish you get is going to play a huge role too. If you’re worried about smudging the countertops and those pesky fingerprints showing, then you need to go for a matte or honed finish of limestone countertops.
A lot of the time, smudging and the appearance of fingerprints can be seen on countertops with a polished surface, so it’s better to go for an alternative finish because these things won’t be an issue.
Don’t Use Abrasive Cleaners
Since limestone is a soft and natural material, it’s best to keep it away from abrasive and harsh cleaning solutions and equipment. It’s not a good idea to use hard bristle brushes to clean dried-up food chunks, because you’ll only ruin the countertops if you continue to use hard and abrasive things on the surface.
You want to opt for a softer toothbrush if you really want to clean the countertop surfaces. The soft bristles of the brush will get the job done and you won’t risk damaging your countertops either.
Keep Away From Acids
Acid is also a big foe of limestone countertops. This is why it’s not recommended that you use acidic and harsh cleaning solutions for limestone countertops. For starters, there’s no particular need to clean your countertops with special gunk removing countertop cleaning solutions.
Secondly, the acids and harsh chemicals in these solutions are going to ruin your countertops for good and there will be nothing you can do to reverse the damage. This is why you shouldn’t waste your money on these cleaners at all and stick to the regular cleaning stuff you already have at home.
Conclusion
Limestone is a wonderful addition to the list of countertop materials and it’s pretty versatile too. Now you know how you can take care of these countertops as well so that they can last longer. In case your countertop is dull and have stains and cracks, you should use a granite installer Potomac to replace the counter and have a shiny, new one installed.
