If you have taken the plunge and recently installed granite bathroom countertops, you may be wondering how to take care of granite. Granite is strong and durable, as well as a bit on the pricey side. However, when most people buy granite, they are buying for keeps, so the cost is seen as an investment into your home. In fact, homes with granite bathroom countertops have a higher resale value than those that have no granite. Granite in the kitchen has the same effect. Though granite is considered extremely strong and durable, home owners with granite bathroom countertops must take care to protect and maintain the beauty and value of granite. Granite is made from igneous rock and is completely natural. There are no two granite bathroom countertops which will be the same as Mother Nature has designed each piece. If you are looking for countertop materials that are unique, you have made the right choice. Since you will want to keep this unique piece looking good and staying durable, there are some steps you should take in order to keep it in good condition.

The first tip is to clean any spills immediately. This includes water, mouthwash, lotion, and even toothpaste that may get on the granite. Though your granite should be sealed, some of these liquids can have acids that will eat right through this hard stone. The sooner you clean up after yourself, the better your granite will look. With toothpaste, make sure you are cleaning abrasive toothpaste gently as it can scratch!

Again, your granite bathroom countertops are quite strong, but you should avoid adding any excess weight to the ends of the countertop as that is the weakest part since it has no support. You should never stand on, sit on or use the end of the countertop to support your weight at all. Not only can the extra weight cause damage to the countertop, it is entirely possible it can break, causing a very costly repair and possibly bodily harm to you.

Granite is pretty resistant to heat, but you should avoid placing any heated appliance, such as a hot flat iron or curler directly on the granite bathroom countertops. It is entirely possible to buy or make a little stand so the heated part of the appliance is not directly in contact with the granite.
As mentioned above, some chemicals can harm granite, especially acids. You should always make sure you are using a very gentle cleanser when cleaning granite. Check labels and never use any cleaning products that contain acids or that have an abrasive nature.

The final tip to keep your granite counter tops looking great is to keep them regularly sealed with an annual sealant. Though some sealants claim they last 2-3 years, you should probably do it once a year just to be on the safe side. Not only will the sealant protect your counter from staining, it can protect it from accidents like spills or abrasion as mentioned above. You have likely made an investment into the granite that wasn't cheap, so you probably want to keep it looking good for many years to come with sealant.

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