When designing and decorating a kitchen area, many housewives choose artificial stone countertops. This surface has a favorable price and a long service life. The material has its own characteristics that must be observed during the washing and cleaning process. For proper care and maintaining an attractive appearance, several simple methods will be useful.
An artificial stone countertop is an excellent solution for a modern kitchen.
Features of care
Caring for countertops made of artificial stone should be carried out subject to certain rules. When cleaning, it is recommended to use special cleaning products. They will help in clearing stains and eliminating scratches. Failure to follow recommendations or incorrect selection of cleaning compounds can have a negative impact on the stone surface. The countertop may lose its rich color, scratches will become deeper, and wear areas will be more visible.
To clean stone countertops, it is recommended to use special cleaning products.
Particular attention is paid to sinks and countertops in a bright color palette with a glossy sheen and uneven coloring. Accumulated dust is clearly visible on such products; the presence of scratches or stains significantly impairs the attractive appearance. Experts advise giving preference to furniture with a matte color. This headset is more resistant to damage and wear, the presence of scratches or dust becomes less noticeable.
Professionals advise choosing a countertop with a matte surface.
See also: Kitchen stone finishing
Pros and cons of artificial stone
Countertops and sinks made of artificial stone will become a real decoration for any kitchen. Such products have some features and disadvantages that are recommended to be taken into account when choosing and purchasing.
Advantages:
- high strength (compared to other materials);
- moisture resistance;
- attractive design;
- favorable price (compared to a product made from natural material);
- long service life;
- no possibility of accumulation and development of bacteria inside the structure;
- wide model range.
The countertop made of artificial stone has an attractive design and an affordable price.
Negative qualities:
- rapid surface damage;
- lack of resistance to high temperatures;
- difficult care;
- high cost (compared to wood materials).
Compared to other surfaces, artificial stone is quickly damaged.
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How to clean a stone countertop from stubborn dirt and stains in the kitchen
Countertops are rightfully considered one of the main elements of kitchen furniture. In addition to creating a general visual impression, kitchen units are subject to major workloads every day: their surfaces are used for storing dishes and household appliances, cutting work, slicing food and preparing food.
The current market offers a wide selection of materials from which countertops are made. One of the most common is natural wood, as well as all kinds of laminated and veneered MDF boards. At the same time, there are more reliable and practical materials for their manufacture. We are talking about natural and artificial stone.
Selecting cleaning products
The question of how to wash a kitchen countertop made of artificial stone is the most pressing for every housewife. One of the main issues is choosing the right detergent. Professional cleaning compositions have a soft structure and gel-like consistency. They will completely remove dirt and stains, and also eliminate the possibility of streaks or damage.
Professional cleaning products are an excellent option for stone countertops.
Household chemicals:
- Cif (one of the popular options);
- Cooky Spray (cost-effective option);
- Dec;
- Schumann;
- HG (not only distinguished by its effectiveness, but also by its high price).
Note. When using HG, you can clean both artificial and natural surfaces.
The HG product will help deal with any stains on the surface of the countertop.
When cleaning, many housewives prefer to clean acrylic countertops and sinks using traditional methods. In this case, aromatic oils, apple cider vinegar, baking soda or citric acid will come in handy.
Important! When purchasing a professional cleaning product, you should choose solutions that contain no more than 5% chlorine.
The percentage of chlorine in cleaning products should be below 5%.
See alsoKitchen renovation, interior design and decoration
How to clean the countertop in the kitchen?
If there is a clean kitchen in the house, it means that the housewife is very neat and clean. Untimely cleaning leads to very serious pollution and health problems. If the kitchen is in terrible condition, then unsanitary conditions develop in which it is impossible to properly prepare tasty food. In order to restore order even in such a situation, you need to know how to clean the kitchen countertop from grease and stains. You should purchase good cleaning products or make homemade ones. We'll look at which ones in more detail below. The main thing is to take into account the material (chipboard, MDF, stone, etc.) from which the kitchen set is made.
Removing difficult stains
The presence of stains, stains and greasy deposits significantly impairs the attractiveness of any product. In addition, such defects can negatively affect the internal structure of the material. It is easy to cope with pollution using traditional methods.
When removing fresh stains, a soap solution is useful. Laundry soap is grated and dissolved in a large amount of water. Wipe the surface with the resulting mixture until completely clean. After cleaning, wipe again with clean water and wipe dry.
Advice. Instead of laundry soap, mild liquid soap will be useful.
Soap solution is an excellent solution for removing any stains.
Mustard powder will help remove old stains. Pour a small amount of food ingredient with warm water and stir until a paste is obtained. Wipe the table with the resulting mixture until the dirt is completely removed. When finished, wipe again with clean water. A gel-like toothpaste can also deal with old stains. The process is carried out in a similar way.
Attention! When working, use a soft sponge or rag.
Mustard powder will help remove old stains from the surface.
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Quartz agglomerate
It is based on quartz chips, color pigments and resins. And since quartz occupies the seventh level out of ten on the hardness scale (diamond is in first place), its properties are corresponding.
It is absolutely smooth and has a minimal number of pores, which is why it does not absorb dyes, fat and oil. Also, it does not form hot marks. To maintain cleanliness, simply wipe the product with a clean cloth. Solidified fat can be carefully removed using a plastic scraper.
The same rule applies here as with acrylic: all dirt must be removed immediately!
For difficult cases, you can resort to a soap solution or degreaser (without chlorine or alkali).
Gentle products for this type of material are sold, which are characterized by a pH level from 5 to 9. Cooky Spray, Mellerud, Eco mist - do an excellent job. Traces of ink, permanent dyes or markers can be removed using denatured or isopropyl alcohol. To do this, soak a rag in alcohol and wipe the stain. Afterwards you need to wash the countertop with warm water.
Never pour boiling water into a stone sink, otherwise it may crack. Be sure to turn on cold water to reduce the temperature of the drained liquid.
How to get rid of scratches?
With prolonged use, scratches, cracks or chips appear on any kitchen table. The best option for removing them would be to involve a specialist. He will polish the surface, which will help update the appearance of the headset. A proven folk method will be useful in removing minor scratches and minor damage.
Sanding can remove scratches and chips.
Recipe.
To work, you will need a cleaning gel, baking soda and fine-grain sandpaper. The product is applied to the damaged area. The surface is carefully processed with sandpaper until the defect is completely eliminated. When finished, treat the entire countertop with a solution to even out the color and rinse with clean water.
Reference. The broken area can be glued using acrylic glue.
Baking soda will help get rid of scratches on stone countertops.
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No. 3. Maintain temperature conditions
Acrylic stone can withstand temperatures greater than +200°C, but this does not go unnoticed. If you leave a hot frying pan on it for a couple of hours, it will leave an ugly dark mark as a souvenir. It’s better not to take risks: use hot mats. You can’t shake ashes onto the countertop either - the sparks will leave dots.
Prohibited actions
When purchasing, it is recommended that you read in advance the recommendations on how to properly wash and care for an artificial stone countertop. During operation, you should take into account not only useful actions, but also several prohibitions.
Prohibited actions:
- Cutting directly onto the surface of the stone is strictly prohibited. This leads to deep scratches, which are almost impossible to get rid of on your own.
- Placing hot dishes on the countertop. The hot bottom of a pan or kettle will cause deformation of the artificial stone.
- In order to avoid the appearance of chips, deep cracks and deformed areas, the tabletop should be protected from shock and strong mechanical impact.
- Use of solvents, acetone, compounds with a high content of chlorine, oil, wax in the cleaning process.
- Using sponges, brushes with a hard or metal surface.
In order for a stone countertop to last a long time, you need to avoid cleaning products that contain acetone, chlorine, and wax.
Prevention:
- Slicing vegetables, fruits, and meats is carried out exclusively on a cutting board.
- General cleaning at least once a month with complete cleaning of the work surface.
- Wood varnish provides additional protection against scratches.
- Boiling water can cause deformation. When cleaning, use only warm water.
- Stains, stains or plaque are removed immediately after formation.
Boiling water can cause deformation of the countertop.
Care Tips:
- Cleaning your work surface daily will help prolong its service life and maintain its attractive appearance. A soap solution is useful for cleaning.
- After cleaning, the tabletop should be wiped with clean water and wiped dry. This will help avoid the formation of stains from rust and lime.
- You can get rid of stains or stains by using a dishwashing tablet in the dishwasher. The tablet dissolves in water, and the table is wiped with the resulting solution. This composition will help not only in removing contaminants, but also in disinfection.
- When cleaning a light-colored set, a detergent containing chlorine is useful. It can be used to clean contaminated areas, whiten and disinfect the surface.
- The use of products intended for cleaning metal should be avoided. Such solutions contain acetone and abrasives, which will negatively affect the coating.
After wet cleaning, you need to wipe the tabletop dry.
See also: Choosing the right tile design for the kitchen
Marble
It looks good, its white variety especially stands out. Beautiful patterns, natural texture - all this makes such a sample the central object of a kitchen set.
But marble is very delicate and capricious to care for, so owners of such samples need to know and follow some rules.
- The breed is very sensitive to acids. Even a small concentration of acids from food can damage it. Protect the surface from contact with tomatoes, ketchup, lemons, oranges, vinegar, and wine as much as possible.
- Do not use abrasives or hard sponges.
- Hot spots leave permanent stains, so be sure to use coasters.
- Periodically rub in polish, which will close the pores and protect against damage. These are, for example, Mellerud, HG, Elkay and others.
I recommend carefully removing traces of oil with acetone, and then washing with the following solution: 1 tsp. Dissolve dishwashing detergent (neutral, without citrus) in 4.5 liters of warm water. This liquid should be applied to the table and left for a few minutes, then rinsed off with a soft sponge.
Instead of a homemade composition, it is preferable to take household chemicals, which definitely will not harm. These are, for example: HG, POLIBOY, N-124-E, SYNTILOR Pietra, Plex.
To remove dirt more effectively, you can use a scraper. Finally, it is advisable to polish the surface with a dry cotton towel.
