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If you just had granite countertops installed in your kitchen, or are planning on having granite countertops installed soon in your kitchen, you need to know how to properly care for your countertops to keep them looking great.

#1 Use A Cutting Board For Acidic Produce

Just because your countertop is made of stone does not mean that you should cut up all your produce directly on your countertop. Use a cutting board or put down a thin plastic cutting board sheet before slicing into any acidic based produce, such as lemons, limes and tomatoes. The juice from acidic produce can easily soak into your porous granite countertop and stain it.

If you do decide to cut acidic produce directly on your granite countertop anyways, make sure you immediately wipe up the area to prevent your granite countertop from becoming stained.

#2 Use Gentle Cleaning Products

When you do wipe down and clean your granite countertops, stick to gentle cleaning products. In fact, your dishwashing soap is all you really need to clean your countertops with, although you can also purchase pH-balanced cleaners designed specifically for granite.

Stay away from any cleaning products that contain acidic ingredients, such as lime, lemon and vinegar. Just like with acidic produce, acidic cleaning ingredients can stain your granite instead of clean it.

You should also stay away from any cleaning products that contain extremely strong chemicals like bleach or ammonia. These types of chemicals can eat away and be absorbed into your granite countertops.

A good rule of thumb is the less ingredients in the cleaner, the better it probably is for your countertops.

#3 Use A Soft Cloth

In addition to using gentle cleaning products, you should use soft washcloths and towels to wipe down and clean your granite countertop with. You don't want to use any washcloths, towels or scrub brushes that are rough or abrasive. Over time, rough and abrasive material will wear away at your granite countertops.

Stick to soft materials, such as microfiber, when cleaning your countertops.

Even though your new granite countertops are really tough, they need a gentle touch in order to have a long life. You can extend the life of your countertops by keeping acidic produce and cleaning agents, as well as harsh chemicals, away from your countertops. Although granite is tough, it is also porous, and these aren't the type of things you want your countertops to absorb. Keep it simple and gentle, and your granite countertops will look and feel great for a long time.  

Contact a company like GranBrazil Inc for professional help with granite countertops.