What Happens If I Stain or Scratch My Natural Stone Countertop?

Natural stone countertops have been a homeowner favorite for a long time because they elevate the style of kitchens and bathrooms alike. They’re a worthy investment that can give any home a polished look and will last for decades if you care for them properly. 

While stone countertops are very durable, they can still get damaged with daily use. Some soft stones, like quartz and onyx, are also susceptible to heat damage.

If a blemish does appear on your countertop, all hope is not lost! Our surface professionals can repair and reseal most countertop damage. However, prevention is the best medicine, and there are many steps that you can take to keep your surfaces beautiful and strong. Read on for our best tips for avoiding stains and scratches. 

Mistakes like stains and scratches are common, see some other remodel mistakes we see homeowners often make, so you can prevent them from happening to you.

Avoiding Stains and Scratches

Even though natural stone countertops have a layer of sealant, they are not entirely impervious to stains. Leaving a spill to sit for too long can leave a permanent stain, especially if the liquid is dark, like wine or coffee. You should wipe up spills as soon as they happen to reduce the chances of them sinking into the stone. Be careful about leaving oily substances to sit as well, as they can seep into the stone and leave a stain if left for too long.

It’s always a good idea to use a cutting board on natural stone countertops to avoid scratches. You should also proceed with caution when placing pots or pans directly onto your countertop. Although many stone surfaces are heat-resistant, the rough bottoms on the pots and pans can damage the surface. 

When you clean your countertop, use a soft cloth rather than abrasive scrubbers. Each time you use an abrasive cloth or sponge, it can scratch the sealant, which leaves tiny openings where liquids can seep into the stone. 

Cleaning Natural Stone Countertops

Using warm water, a mild soap, and a soft cloth is the best way to care for your countertops. The only natural surfaces that can stand up to strong cleaning products are porcelain and quartz. Countertops made from granite, marble, quartzite, and onyx can’t stand up to most household cleaning products, especially if they contain bleach or ammonia. 

Many companies sell cleaners that they specially formulated for natural stone like granite and marble. These are safe to use, but are often expensive and are not necessary to keep your surfaces clean and beautiful. 

Removing Scratches and Stains

It can be tempting to try to fix a stain yourself. However, using DIY methods can damage your countertops even more, and many of them are ineffective at removing stains. If you notice a stain on your countertop, call Alpha Surfaces for stain removal. By leaving it to the pros, you’ll be able to rest easy, knowing your countertops won’t be damaged.

As with staining, do not try to buff out a scratch on your own. You’re likely to cause further damage to your countertop that will end up being costlier than a repair. Alpha Surfaces can repair the scratch more gently and efficiently.

Countertop Care FAQ

We get lots of questions about countertop care, so read on for a lightning round of our most frequently asked questions. 

Do I need to use a hot pad on my natural stone countertop? 

Surfaces like granite and marble can handle direct heat from a pan or curling iron, so a hot pad isn’t strictly necessary. Just be careful not to touch the countertop after leaving something hot on it, as the area will remain hot for several minutes. Keep in mind that textured pans may scratch the surface, so even though your material is heat-resistant, you still may want to use a hot pad.

Surfaces like quartz that are not 100% natural stone, or softer stones like onyx should always be protected from heat using hot pads. Leaving a hot pan on a quartz countertop can cause the resin in the material to scald and burn, leaving a stain. While onyx can handle the heat, it’s a very soft material, so the texture from the bottom of a pan is likely to scratch it.

Can I cut directly on my natural stone countertop?

While tougher surfaces like granite and marble are reasonably resistant to marks from a knife, it’s always best to use a cutting board. Hard stone surfaces can dull your knife, and using a knife on even the hardest of stone surfaces can still cause tiny fissures and scratches. Food particles and spilled liquids can enter these cracks and damage the stone.

For any stone surface, it is better to be safe than sorry. Using a cutting board regularly can help keep your countertops clean and save you the headache of having to repair or replace the damaged stone.

How often should I reseal my countertops?

Each type of stone is different, so there’s not a standard answer for this one. Some surfaces need to be resealed every six months, while others never need to be resealed.

• Granite: Generally, once each year.

• Marble: As marble is a porous stone, it needs resealing every six months.

• Quartz: If the countertop is well-maintained, quartz will never require resealing. Quartz is the best option for low-maintenance countertops.

• Quartzite: Like granite, quartzite countertops should be resealed once each year.

• Porcelain: Porcelain is well-suited for bathrooms and kitchens, as it is durable and low-maintenance. Most porcelain countertops do not require resealing.

• Onyx: Onyx is porous, so onyx countertops will need to be resealed frequently.

How do I know when it’s time for resealing?

There’s a simple, at-home test that you can do to check if your countertops need resealing. Just put a small amount of water on the surface and see what happens. If it soaks into the stone right away, it’s time to reseal (and you’ll probably want to add two coats of sealant). If the water soaks in after about fifteen minutes, you should apply a single coat of sealant. If no water has sunk into the stone in about 30 minutes, then the sealant is still in good shape, and you don’t need to add another layer yet.

What should I do if I notice a stain or scratch?

Do not attempt to sand out the stain or scratch yourself, as you’re likely to damage the surface more. Instead, give us a call. We’re happy to come to your home and repair scratches and chips and reseal your countertops. 

If you have any other questions about countertop maintenance, get in touch with Alpha Surfaces today!