Countertop Care & Cleaning

Countertop Sanitation

For everyday cleaning, use liquid dishwashing soap and warm water. Rinse with clean water after washing and dry countertops with a soft cloth. For more intense cleaning, Rockfab carries a line of products specifically for cleaning and disinfecting stone countertops. Never use abrasive cleaners with pumice or heavy duty steel wool pads to clean the countertops.

Sealing

Rockfab uses a silicon-based impregnating sealer during the fabrication process which will provide sealing for many years. This sealer will help prevent excess moisture and other materials from seeping into the countertops. You should always avoid placing highly acidic or fatty foods directly on the countertops. Over a period of time the sealer will break down, and your natural stone will have to be resealed. As a general rule, if moisture on the surface of the stone wipes away easily or disappears within a couple of minutes, you are still sealed. If the moisture is absorbed into the stone and is still visible after several minutes it is time to reseal. Rockfab sells a spray sealer that is very easy to apply as a do-it-yourself project. In the unlikely event your countertop becomes stained or discolored please contact Rockfab for a list of approved stain removal methods.

Scratch & Heat Protection

Although Rockfab recommends the use of protective devices such as potholders, trivets and cutting boards, granite is a solid state countertop material that is extremely durable and highly resistant to heat and scratching.

Granite & Radon

Granite is a classification of igneous stone. Igneous stones are formed by the solidification of cooled molten rock, many containing small trace amounts of uranium or other minerals that emit particles over time – some in the form of radon gas. There’s nothing to worry about, because the amount of radon gas that comes from natural stone is significantly less than other household substances, such as televisions, smoke detectors, concrete blocks, all glass made using silica, soil around homes, and thousands more. Radon gas released by a granite countertop is less than one percent of that already present in the household air from other sources. Studies have concluded that the amount of radon you are exposed to from granite countertops is significantly less than the levels found in outside air, sometimes almost 270,000 times less. Please see the links below for more information.

Granite, Radon, Radiation and Other Myths