How do I care for new kitchen countertops?

The short answer

New countertops need very little care, but the right care depends on what they are made of. Find out which material and brand you have, keep the manufacturer's care sheet, and follow it, because a cleaner that one maker recommends can be one another maker says to avoid. A few habits suit every type: a trivet under anything hot, a cutting board under the knife, and spills wiped up promptly.

Quartz

Cambria says that all you need to clean your quartz countertops is warm water, a soft cotton cloth, and mild soap, if desired.^[1] It also says Cambria quartz countertops never need routine polishing or sealing.^[1] For heat, Cambria says not to put direct heat on its quartz, as with all stone surfaces, and to keep a trivet or closed-weave hot pad handy.^[1]

Other quartz brands write their own instructions, so check the sheet for yours rather than assuming every quartz is the same.

Granite and other natural stone

Natural stone is the counter to ask your fabricator about before you start cleaning it. Ask whether the stone was sealed at installation, which product was used, which cleaners are safe on it, and how its condition should be checked over time. Get the answers, the stone's name and the product names in writing, and keep them with your warranty.

Until then, a soft cloth and a mild cleaner are the cautious choice, and oil, wine and acidic spills such as citrus juice are worth wiping up quickly.

Laminate

For everyday cleaning of its laminate, Formica calls for a clean, damp, nonabrasive cotton cloth and a mild liquid detergent or household cleaner.^[2] It says to rinse with clean water and a clean cotton cloth, then dry the counter with a soft, clean one,^[2] and asks you not to flood the laminate, especially near seams, because water can get in and make the substrate swell.^[2]

For tougher stains, follow the stain advice on the maker's own care sheet rather than improvising, because solvents suit some surfaces and damage others. Other laminate brands may say otherwise.

Solid surface

For Wilsonart Solid Surface, the maker's day-to-day advice is warm soapy water or non-abrasive household cleaners,^[3] then to rinse and towel dry the surface to prevent spotting, especially in areas with hard water.^[3] Its method for stubborn residue depends on the finish your fabricator supplied: it recommends an abrasive cleaner on a matte finish but only mild detergents or nonabrasive cleaners with a soft cloth on a gloss finish.^[3] Ask which finish you have.

For heat, Wilsonart asks that trivets possess legs or a means of separation between the trivet and the solid surface material.^[3] It says to keep harsh chemicals off the surface, naming "paint removers/thinners, acetone-based cleaners, stove/drain cleaners."^[3] Wilsonart also says never to cut directly on its solid surface, to always use a cutting board, and not to stand or sit on the countertop.^[3]

Wilsonart says its solid surface is completely renewable because the colour goes all the way through, and that it can be renewed or repaired by a professional fabricator if necessary.^[3] Damage beyond everyday wear is a job for the fabricator.

Keep the paperwork

The first weeks are when installation problems show up: a seam opening, a chip at the sink cutout, a counter that rocks, or caulk pulling away at the backsplash. Ask the installer and the manufacturer for their warranty terms in writing, including anything the warranty expects of you.

Virginia's Board for Contractors advises keeping a job file of every payment and paper for a project, warranties included.^[4] Put the care sheet, the material and colour name, the fabricator's contact details and the warranty in it.

When to call a licensed pro

Call the contractor or fabricator who installed the counters, in writing, if a crack appears, a seam separates, the top shifts, or a sink or cooktop cutout chips. Failing to honor the terms and conditions of a warranty is on the list of prohibited acts in the Board for Contractors' regulations,^[5] and when an investigation shows probable cause of a violation, the board may fine a licensed contractor or suspend or revoke its licence.^[4] If the installer won't respond, read how to file a complaint against a contractor.

Water under the sink, a faucet that drips into the cabinet, or an outlet near the counter that stops working is a separate problem from the countertop itself; describe it as its own job. You can browse kitchen remodeling businesses, read what happens during a kitchen remodel, or see every remodeling answer.

If a countertop needs repair or replacing, describe the job once and licensed local contractors will quote it.