Fine gravel may be easier to keep neat with a rake, but I have a lot of trouble with large (1/4" or bigger) pea stone. Debris - twigs, clumps of dead leaves, maple samaras, birch seeds, all that - get stuck between the stones and must be removed hand. I've found that leaf blowers set to "vacuum" will suck up the stones, so that's out. I rake the gravel, but also spend hours in spring, summer and fall picking out "junk." Fortunately, it's therapeutic. lol

I started to have tiles in my kitchen, then in my sunroom and will soon have my bathroom with tiles. Like trulyblessedmum, I could not for a while have the tiles completely clean, no matter how many times I rinsed the mop. They were not shining as they should, and yes, if you walked on them wearing socks, the socks would get dirty. But then I started to use Oxy Clean, a very versatile stain cleaner product (it is great to get stains off your clothes, even blood stains). I dissolve one and half or two measurefuls in four litres of hot water, wet the floor with it with a mop and leave it to work for 10 minutes. I then mop up the liquid (don't even need to scrub) and dry the floor with an old terry towel. The floor sparkles and any stains on the tiles or the grout are gone. The grout looks darker but reverts to its original colour when completely dry. Suzanne

The confusion is in the word seasoning in this application. OK it's not a wok or a cast iron pan that needs to be properly seasoned but here's Bluestar's recommendation: This is from the BS web site..."Your ring grates, top grates and burner heads may darken over time with use. This is normal. TIP: To prevent your burners from darkening at an uneven rate, rotate the ring grate and top grates between more and less active burners. BURNER CLEANING Ring Grates and Top Grates TIP: Clean spills as soon as possible to prevent sticking and build up.  When burner is cool, remove the ring grate, top grate and center filler grate (30” models only).  Wash in hot, soapy water. Rinse well and dry thoroughly to prevent rusting.  Handle gently to prevent nicks/chips, which can lead to rusting TIP: If you have a nick or chip you can season the area to prevent rusting. Nicks or chips are not covered under warranty.  Put corn oil or other high smoke point oil on a paper towel and rub onto rusted area.  Wipe away excess oil and replace the part on the range. Do not submerge the burner grates in water for extended periods of time. Prolonged exposure to moisture may cause rusting.  For heavy soiling, use a commercially available oven cleaner. Follow the cleaner manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure the cleaning chemicals do not contact any stainless steel or painted surface on your appliance.  Reinstall grates in cooktop and make sure they are seated properly, and do not move unsteadily from side to side". So, BS says it's OK to hand wash or DW and they also use the word "season" so this is maybe why it's a bit confusing to some. It's not seasoning in the traditional sense but oil on these grates will keep them looking good over the life of the grates, IMHO. This isn't that different from keeping your backyard BBQ grates from rusting, same principle.... Here's a tutorial for cleaning, this is just informational.... cleaning your bluestar grates

Quartz countertops are, for example, very easy to clean and maintain, but everything actually depends on how do you use your kitchen (how often, do you clean right after preparing a meal, etc.). Also, new kitchens are easier and faster to clean than old ones. Hiring a cleaning company once every two weeks is ideal if you regularly clean your kitchen. Once a week is best if you don't like to clean up often. Practicing this routine will make any kitchen as clean as possible.