I love my granite and find it no biggie to clean. I use soap and water, and when necessary I use a granite specific product. As a work horse, our stainless counter is the better counter (marine edge helps with messes) but we love them both equally. I personally can't see changing out a natural surface for an artificial one...but that's just me.

By the way, we're cooks. We don't seal our granite and it's still gorgeous after a year plus of hard life (DH leaves all kinds of evils on the granite overnight)

Thank you for all your helpful responses.

cat mom, thanks so much for mentioning the Perfect Kitchen. I'm going to try it, because it says it takes care of the smears left by other cleaners, and I bet it's the soap that is doing it. I'll also pick up some sealer.

There are sealants now for granite that last 15-20 years. Granite can stand temps up to say 2000 degrees while a quartz top is up to 600 degrees and a Corian can stand up to 200 degrees. I learned this info during my countertop training given by professionals Lowes brought in to the store when I worked there.

Hope it works well for you. I like it a lot.

I found the SCI cleaner left the tabletop very smeary. Also, try to avoid SCI's sealer--it left a ton of residue on our travertine floor tile a number of years ago when we'd used it, and it was a b**ch to remove at that time.

natureperson, your streaking is probably caused by the cleanser you use, and too much of it,

I have 2 dozen microfiber cloths and change them out a few times a day for a clean one, I always did this with all the granites I've had, I've had 2 dark ones and 2 medium toned , now I have caesarstone in an almost solid color ;
a final wipe with a barely wet microfiber does the trick, no streaks.

I agree you probably have build up. I had a dark granite for 5 years and found less is best. Once the sealer was finally off (on most dark granites it justs sits on top) and I stopped using various cleaners no more streaks. I used a spray bottle with about 25% alcohol & 75% water and a micro fiber cloth. The green windex or an alcohol based window cleaner also worked.

After wiping my dark granite with a damp cloth I wipe it completely dry. Then I spray Pledge on it and wipe again. The result is a shiny, smooth as glass surface. Not much trouble to do this about once a week.

Our granite installer told me about this.

nature

We have a dark honed granite as I prefer a matte surface - no streaks or finger marks - you could have your tops honed in place - try kitchen forum and do a thread calling for stonegirl
good luck

We have dark granite and I agree that it is very difficult to see food. Especially since our granite is somewhat pitted, so when you wipe over it, you can't tell if you're feeling food or a pit in the granite. I just clean as best I can and hope it's sanitary! :)

Regarding shine, I've found the best way to achieve it is to clean with a vinegar/water mixture and wipe down with the microfiber towels. Nothing else works and leaves streaks.

We never sealed our granite and I have no intention of doing so, but it's a cheap/mottled looking kind and I'm sure sealing is different for different varieties.

That all being said, I do love our granite. I love being able to put hot stuff on it without thinking (even though they say you shouldn't, I do). I love how cool it is and it's great to roll dough on, cool cookies on, lay your head on when you're hot. :) I wouldn't want anything else, other than Caesarstone in the color I really wanted, but it was too pricey.

My old house in Fl had a brown and black granite with lots of small pit marks (think size of coffee grinds). At the right angle, it was very noticeable. We lived with it.
In our new house, our granite has lots of swirls to it, and no pitting. We built the house in 2006 and I have never sealed it. I use windex to clean it.

I learned early on there are two things you are not allowed to dislike on this forum: Benjamin Moore paints and granite. If you dislike either, it is best to keep it to yourself. ;-)

Too funny of a comment patricia43, but you certainly are correct! Jojoc is your granite called Amber Fantasy? It certainly looks like it. We fell in love with a sample of it and all of the slabs we'd fine were almost pinkish, not what we wanted. Through patience's and time (11 months to be exact) we finally found "the" slab - loved it then and love it each time I look at it. If yours isn't that its pretty similar - love it.

DM says she wouldn't have granite because she always wants to know her counters are clean and she can't tell on my Juperana Palimino. Well, I can't ususally tell either, so I wipe them down anyway. No big deal and you couldn't get me to get rid of my granite for anything. (Well maybe something, but it'd have to be pretty darn good!)

The Baltic Brown granite counters that I had in my previous home always felt slightly gritty, no matter how well I cleaned them.

I'm in the "dislike" camp, and am not afraid to say so.
;-D

I LOVE my granite counters. But.....having said that....I think the new trend is "cement". It's cheaper, cool looking, cold & hard for rolling out pie dough like granite, cheaper than granite(my neighbor poured his without a contractors help)......there may be a new trend in the air......?

I'd keep your granite counters and just lemon pledge after you wipe them down with water, dry with a towel. My counters are 5 years old & I've never resealed them. Yes...I cook ALL our meals at home....we only eat out if we're on vacation.....

I learned early on there are two things you are not allowed to dislike on this forum: Benjamin Moore paints and granite. If you dislike either, it is best to keep it to yourself. ;-)Hahahahaha!

We renovated our kitchen two years ago, and DH wanted granite in the worst way. But we are researching people, and so... we researched.

Compared. Asked. Researched some more.

Finally, we decided on quartz countertops. We love them.

You never have to seal them. You clean them with Windex. And the guy who installed them -- and he installs all kinds of counters -- said that he chose quartz for his own home. And that in six years of installing counters, he NEVER had a recall from a quartz installation.

Plus, they're beautiful.

End of spiel.

Feel free to ignore me now.

: )

I wouldn't say "love" -- but I like it. Our Giallo Ornamental (cream background, brown swirls) does not show crumbs or anything. When water sits on it, it darkens a bit in that spot, but then dries and it's fine. It's not perfectly smooth, and it does feel a bit gritty. I am being more careful with it than I was with the laminate we had before -- though I was pretty careful with that, too, and it looked really beat up after nine years. I always use a cutting board to prepare food, so whether it's completely sanitary is not an issue.

The granite installers spritzed a little sealer on it. It could probably use some more, but I haven't gotten around to doing it yet. I'll probably put some more sealer on it when I seal the backsplash.

So far, I've cleaned it with just water and a sponge and then dried it with a cotton towel. We've only had it for a couple of months, so we'll see how it holds up.

Wow. I didn't expect my post to get such a response, but it's nice to see the varying comments. Different strokes for different folks.

Thanks for the tips to those of you who recommended I change my cleaning habits. I really appreciate it.

We have Opalessence on our main counter tops. I forgot the name of what we have on our island. I love the island b/c it has a lot of gold and browns. The black- opalessence show everything. It especially shows finger prints which drives me crazy. I use the recommended cleaner-Stonetech- Revitalizer and microfiber cloths. I love the look of it-but I would not pick opalessence again. I still love granite. It is truly beautiful. I feel very spoiled.

We really do love our granite. It's Giallo Santa Cecelia, a light neutral with pretty nice veining.
Our old house had Corian in a color called "Silt" (a green-gray) and honestly it was a pain in the neck. It always had a haze on it and was prone to scratching. It also showed everything.
The lighter granite is a pleasure because you really don't see little bits of food on it-we keep a pretty clean home but daily countertop cleaning is not in our schedule. We wipe it down a couple of times a week with a damp microfiber cloth and use windex once a week or so. That's it. We have been in the house a year and a half and haven't even thought about resealing. My brother's fiance works at a large granite supplier in the area and she has told us we are doing the right things so I'll go with that.

I absolutely love my granite! I've had it for 2 1/2 years and have not resealed it. I use a special granite cleaner that I buy at BB&B. My light light/medium colored and I do think that cuts down on streaks. Like trk65 mine does not show every little thing, which works well with my laid back house cleaning style. : )

The color is not quite as warm as this photo shows. It looks more like the lower right corner.
{{!gwi}}

I hate BM Paint :oP See patricia you're wrong, Jen and I proved it LOL

I mean I really HATE IT!!!

Ok back to granite..pitting? Sheesh I'd probably not like it myself if it wasn't smooth. Mine is polished and there isn't a divit in it. We tested it with all the bad stuff left on an unsealed piece for 48 hours...nothing. We passed on a few more we liked because in that same test they failed (the lighter ones in particular failed quickly). Those ones tend to need more sealing, which as noted above, really isn't a big deal, but I know DH is a slob and I'm a lazy cleaner, so I wanted a seal free granite.

Personally...the counter of my kitchen dreams is onyx, honey onyx. Gorgeous, you have to baby it if you want it perfect, but I don't care if it gets a patina :) I love onyx more than gold. (And gold is too soft for counters LOL)

Zinc is high up on my list as well, but ouch on the budget!

I have dark uba tuba granite. In general, dark granites don't need to be sealed.

To see crumbs (and dust) on my counter, I bend down and look at eye-level. You can see every crumb, so no need to wipe "just in case". (However, it's amazing how quickly dust settles on the surface).

Ditto on cleaning sparingly with soap. I use straight rubbing alcohol from a spray bottle to wipe away streaks. Much cheaper than specially formulated cleaners.

Do not use vinegar! Or any Windex other than green.

I haven't taken the time to read all the replies, so if this is a repeat, I'm sorry. I've had my kitchen granite since 2002. It's not the maintenance "free" material that my husband led me to believe it was but it's super simple to clean and the best and lest expensive cleaner I've used is what we on the Kitchen Forum refer to as the "homebrew". All you need is water and alcohol (about 50/50...some people use less alcohol). It's pH balanced...important for natural stone. Use a MICROFIBER cloth for cleaning and a dry one for buffing. Unless you've been using soap, you should have a perfectly clean streak free and shiny countertop. Soap will, over time, leave a dull and streaky film. You know how much water it takes to rinse anything you've cleaned with soap? How do you expect to get it off your counters with a sponge? You can't. So, it might take several cleanings with a pH balanced granite cleaner or the alcohol and water mixture to remove the film.
As for seeing crumbs etc, get "eye level" with the counter and you'll have no problem zeroing in on those pesky crumbs :) Many of the darker granites don't need (and shouldn't be) sealed. The sealer can't penetrate and remains on top (even after you've wiped it off). That'll create a haze too and it's NOT easy to get off. It can cause a "gritty" feeling too.
Most granites will have pits and fissures. Some have more than others. It's a natural. Several years ago, the industry started using a resin "fill" on granite slabs. You can tell if your slab was resined by looking at the unfinished edges. If resined, you would have seen dark "drip marks". My Baltic Brown tiles were not resined and I can feel the pits and fissures. A year and a half ago we added a peninsula to the kitchen. Baltic Brown slab this time. It was resined and is smooth as glass. I hope you don't have to get rid of your granite!
Monica

We have dark granite and love it, but then I'm not partial to man made products. If you are having an bad experience with water marks, you should try resealing it. We've only had them about 6 months and I clean ours with Glass Plus.

But especially in these times, I'm with Red, I can't understand why you would rip out something that's functional and beautiful not to mention expensive to replace it with something that (and I know I'm going to hear about this one) some many consider to be inferior. Just my 2 cents.

I did, until a few days ago. While I was incapacitated, my very sweet but somewhat careless/clueless dh decided to make a lemon pie just to cheer me up. He spilled & splattered fresh squeezed lemon juice on the counter and didn't notice. Over a week later, I saw a large bleached-out irregular ring (where the mixing bowl had been) and some similar pale spots near it. Nothing I've tried has done any good, and dh feels awful about it even though I've told him repeatedly it's not a big deal. Dh now insists that our next home will have pale quartz counters.

I have Verde Peacock (very dark green) granite in my kitchen and I really do love it. It's pretty bullet-proof and it cleans up beautifully -- DD has splatered purple nail polish on it and it just rubbed it off with a little polish remover on a napkin(I'll admit that I was holding my breath and keeping one eye closed for fear that I'd just ruined the finish!-- but no harm done at all ... however, I wouldn't recommend acetone for general granite cleaning!). I use the Method "Daily Granite" spray cleaner and it works great (plus smells wonderful).

We installed Silestone (quartz) in the master bath last year and I have to say that in some ways, I prefer it to the granite. Ours is the leather (matte) finish in Yellow Nile (dark, warm beige with brown bits). I love the way it feels to the hand, and the care couldn't be easier. The only downside is that it does feel less organic/ more engineered than natural granite (at least to me).

For the record, DH and I are not granite fans due to the mostly darker colors. When we gutted our last house 5+ years ago we couldn't find a counter we liked (we also didn't know what type of light we were going to have in our kitchen as the house should have been condemned and had 3 drop ceilings in the original kitchen). Granite was most expensive and then there was concrete. We went with a natural colored concrete with aggregate stones in it. Loved the counter but we weren't too happy with the finish.

Fast forward 5 years and we faced the same dilema with the counter in our new place. Interesting, most of the man-made surfaces are now more expensive than granite as most granite is being imported from China now. We did find a granite that we liked (a lighter color that looked like concrete) and it had a "leather finish" rather than a "polished" look. I guess the granite is sandblasted before it is sealed. Since it looked so much like cement, we went back to our cement guy. He admitted that the previous finish was bad and has a new finish. DH wanted to give the business to a tax-paying person (I hope that was stated nicely enough!) so we have a concrete countertop on order. It will be installed at the end of the month! Finally....

I had granite for ten years, in a beige color with darker garnet crystals in it, and I never had it sealed, and yet it always looked new. I've never thought that the dark colors looked very warm or welcoming in a kitchen but didn't realize that they might also be more difficult to care for.

Oceangirl..."Most" granite is actually NOT from China, Most of the cheap granites (prefab counters, builder grade) is from China, but if you wander in a real granite yard you'll see that the majority actually isn't from China.

Concrete has it's own issues...it's not as green as folks would like, but additionally it needs more maintenance than a good granite (check out the kitchen forum for that). That being said, the stuff is really pretty when well done :o) I have a friend with a mixed concrete and glass bar and it's beyond gorgeous, they don't like the maintenance, but they love the look so they're slaves to it.

I just think you have the wrong granite color. Not all granite has to be or should be sealed - Absolute Black granite for instance should not be sealed.

Our granite is from Brazil - it goes with warm and cool colors and love it with our stainless appliances. I use a microfiber cloth on my granite and clean it with a spray granie/stone cleaner at the end of the day because it does not show dust/dirt/little pieces of food, etc.

{{!gwi}}

We don't have granite or natural stone or solid surface (not that it means a hill of beans), and here's why:
I get bored with certain stuff. Easily. I like to change paint colors, textiles, and sometimes even furniture (except my antique pieces). I don't want to be "committed" to any one stationary thing in the house, except my wood floors and cabinets, and even then I could paint them when the time comes. Every 5 years or so I get the urge to change out the kitchen and the easiest way to do that it with paint and a change of counters. So I choose laminate. I'm probably in the minority but I like laminate. It's inexpensive, comes in a myriad of colors, patterns and textures, and is easy to template and re-surface. Since we renovated our kitchen in 2000, I've had 3 different laminate counters. The second and current ones I re-laminated myself, which saved me $$$. And it sure does change the overall look of the kitchen.
Given that, since you do already have granite, I would be hesitant to rip them out to replace them with something else. Granite isn't cheap and it would be a real waste of money. Learn to fall in total love with them again. I'm sure you can find a way ;o)

This is a question I've been pondering for awhile. We currently have 100 sq ft of Silestone in our kitchen. I love it, even at $9000, but I know what you are saying about cleaning it. I fuss too much making mine spotless and shiny. I am seriously considering laminate (perimeter) and marble (island) in our new home. We want to build our home with geothermal heating with radiant floor installed, and many other energy effecient systems. So this is one compromise I may offer up as a cost savings.

I do love my granite counters. I have Brazilian Black (sort of like Uta Tuba) & I have a cleaner you mix yourself & spray on the counters (economy size). It is called Tile lab stone & granite cleaner. I learned about it here. I spray the whole island, wipe with sponge & then dry with a microfiber cloth & they are gorgeous & clean. I order my microfiber cloths from Solutions....they are very soft. I love the fact that granite doesn't chip as easy as laminate & you can put hot dishes down with no fear. Hope this helps! Bonnie

After reading this thread, I have to say thank you to monicakm. I just tried the 50-50 alcohol solution, and my life is forever changed!

Two minutes with a couple of microfiber cloths (I also get mine from Solutions), and it looks like new. And it works wonders on my stainless island countertop as well. The disinfecting qualities are wonderful for us, too, as we have kitties who walk all over the counters. (They're cats. They walk all over everything.) I am forever wiping up kitty prints to keep things sanitary, and this takes no time or effort at all. And alcohol is cheap as chips!
Hooray!

To the question at hand, I don't much like my granite...not because it is granite, but because I don't like this particular one. It has too much going on, and isn't colors I'd have chosen. It came with the house, and so I enjoy its properties while ignoring its style. I put black Silestone in my previous kitchen, and loved it. I don't know what I'll do the next time I do a kitchen over.

Brazil has lots of different granites.

This is good info:

Hewn from the earth, cut with diamond saws, polished like glass, and shipped around the world, stone makes the most cosmopolitan of counters. It exists everywhere in the world, yet nowhere is it the same. Even from the same quarry, no two pieces are identical.

Stone is extremely dense yet also porous; to prevent stains it must be sealed. Its very permanence makes it difficult to work and shape, but technological advances have made it possible to cut and polish stone near quarries around the world, a money-saving development that enables unusable pieces to be discovered before they are shipped abroad.

Granite, the most popular stone for counters, is an extremely hard rock formed by volcanic activity. Its shimmering beauty lies in the crystals of quartz, mica, and feldspar trapped within. So-called consistent granite has the same pattern throughout. Variegated granite has veins that vary from piece to piece, which add character but also it difficult to match sections. Granite is very porous and should be treated with a penetrating sealer every six months to prevent stains.

Soapstone and slate are much softer than granite but also less porous. Slate was formed from clay on ancient sea beds and generally has a solid gray, black, or green hue. Soapstone, which is composed primarily of the mineral talc, has a similar color but often contains light striations of quartz. Both stones scratch and chip easily, especially on the edges; the marks can be sanded out or left to add character. Combined with a sink of the same material, slate or soapstone counters can create a classic farmhouse look or a sleek, refined look. It's not generally necessary to seal these stones, but a periodic application of mineral oil will make them glow.

Marble and limestone are warm and soft but less practical for kitchens because food acids stain them readily. Still, many homeowners don't mind stains that add a patina of age. And marble is a classic surface for rolling out pastry; serious bakers often include a section of marble countertop in their kitchens for this purpose. Marble is generally polished like granite; limestone is often honed to a matte finish.

http://www.marble.com/stones/country,brazil,1.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Stone Selection

bronwynsmom,
I'm so glad you tired the water/alcohol solution and LOVE it :) I use on all my kitchen appliances. In fact, it's my "go to" cleaner for the kitchen. If you have a smooth top stove, try it on that too. It's good for a light cleaning or after you've used the cream cleaner. You'll want to still use granite polish every now and then but for daily cleaning, you can't beat it :) I also use this combo(with microfiber) on glass. Just a spritz or two goes a long way.
Monica

I have five different types of granite (and one limestone) counter tops in my house and find them all to be virtually maintenance free. They were all sealed over a year ago and I don't think they need to be resealed yet. A moist microfiber cloth cleans up any streaks or smears and a once a week granite polish is all it takes to keep them beautiful.

However, I might not be as anal as some in the "perfect finish" department. If flawless is what you are looking for then a man made product might be more to your liking.

Oh baby do I!! I have giallo venenziano,installed 3 years ago. Sealed them once ourselves about 2 years ago. My fabricator recommends cleaning with vinegar windex. I use that, wipe with a paper towel.Not a streak and it is as shiny as can be.Everyone knows what to use and "if" they clean they use the windex. No stains either. one happy camper!

I think I don't like granite in my kitchen because it gives my kitchen a look that is too contemporary for what I want. I like marble and that was a 'no-no' with my DH. I think I should have laid down in the floor, held my breath after kicking and screaming for hours on end and insisted, because I really would like to change this out and I know it will never happen in my life time. That's another reason I don't like it. You are sort of stuck secondary to price, etc., and if you want to change, you are just SOL.

cooperbailey, you might want to do a Google search for vinegar containing products as a granite cleaner. Vinegar is acidic. It, along with wine and fruits such as lemon, are harmful to natural stone. Your granite needs a pH neutral cleaner. You can buy dedicated stone cleaners or use an alcohol and water combo. Don't mean to step on any toes, just offering up years of research on the subject :)
Monica

WOW...replacing your counters after one year? I wish my husband wanted to change ours to a solid surface. lol

For my past darker granite counter tops, I used CINCH to clean them. It didn't leave the filmy looking streaks like the other cleaners. I loved those counter tops, and unlike you, could see all crumbs because the surface was so smooth. They were always very shiny.

{{!gwi}}

I am not that crazy about my new granite counters. They are rough, and so busy that I cannot see the crumbs.

I LOVE my granite and wouldn't change it for the world, and yes, I cook--really cook! Mine is verde lavras, a very tough granite that never needs sealing. I use The Method Daily Granite cleaner w/ a microfiber cloth and it shines and is free of streaks.

(I haven't read the other responses, but I assume they will varied and people have different tastes.)

Appreciate it, but I am happy with my fabricators recommend. My counters are as shiny as can be after 3 years. thanks anyway.

Better check your counter tops closely. lol

Here is a link that might be useful: Bones found in counters

Monicakm, if you're reading:

I just looked at the bottle of Stonetech Stone & Tile Cleaner I use and the ingredients listed are...water and alcohol! Well, it says 'deionized water'.

You just mix yours 50/50 w/ tap water? There are 2 different strengths of alcohol in most stores, does it matter which? Thanks!

Susan

cooperbailey, That's OK. Just thought I'd mention it :)

mpwdmom, I just use the 70% rubbing alcohol. That's what was recommended back in 2002 when I started using the "homebrew".

Monica

Thank you!! I'll mix my own in the same bottle when it's gone.

I purposely chose granite for the hutch, a surface that doesn't need regular cleaning ... and quartz for the rest of the countertops. Like Monica mentioned, most granites have pits and fissures which can make cleaning more of an issue.

Btw, another "smell good" cleaner is made by Caldrea. I stock up at Williams-Sonoma when it's on sale.

Here is a link that might be useful: Caldrea countertop spray

Monicakm, I tried the 50/50 alcohol solution on my smooth stovetop that very day, and also on my stainless sink and the faucet and the toaster over door and then the dishwasher and the refrigerator and.,.,and...and...and then my DH asked sweetly if perhaps I was having some sort of hormonal breakdown....
"Not any more, as well you know," I replied, "but I remember those aberrant cleaning fits, now you mention it."
I owe you big.