Kitchen is the most important part of the house. It is the part where your children will learn to help, it is where your family will spend quality time. Also, a well equipped kitchen not only makes cooking easy but also enhances the look of the house.
No kitchen is complete without an apt benchtop. Kitchen benchtops are important to the kitchen, as it is the place where delicious meal is cooked. Special Care should be taken while designing your bench tops, as it has to be heat resistant, easy to clean and should give a pleasant appeal to the entire kitchen. There are lots of colour, design, and texture options to choose from.
Below are some of the types of kitchen benchtop materials to consider:
- Granite Benchtops: These types of benchtops are designed by cutting a natural stone Granite into desired shape and size. Granite is as hard as diamond and is ideal for kitchen tops, as it is heat and scratch resistant. You can choose from different colours and patterns that suit the kitchen easily. However, Granite is generally of a high range for its longevity and needs fair bit of maintenance to keep up.
- Laminate Benchtops: Laminate is the most affordable option among the lot. Moreover, can be customised according to your kitchen. Cleaning a laminate benchtop is easy and quick and it does not harbour the growth of mould and bacteria.
- Quartz benchtops: For those who prefer a natural stone look, Quartz benchtop is a perfect choice, they are affordable and greener as compared to other stone options. They are also scratch and stain resistant and require minimal care.
- Marble benchtops: Marble is another material opted by many homeowners, it is a classic choice and never goes out of fashion. Marble is stain and heat resistant and tends to remain cool in all seasons. The drawbacks include expensive, requires more maintenance and sealing.
- Stainless Steel benchtops: If you are opting for a stainless steel benchtop longevity and hygiene is assured. It is easy to clean and maintain, that’s why it is mostly opted by Restaurants owners. Moreover, it is also cost effective benchtop option.
How to clean and maintain various kitchen benchtops:
- Granite: To maintain the shine of the Granite for a longer duration avoid abrasive cleaners. Wipe the surface with a soft dry cloth after cleaning. It is preferable to use stone care products after consulting with your manufacturer. Do not use harsh chemicals.
- Laminate: While cleaning Laminate benchtops you should avoid scorers, as it can lead to surface damage. For cleaning, use soapy water or household cleaning spray, once the cleaning is done, wipe the surface dry with a dry cloth.
- Quartz: Every day cleaning by rubbing the surface with a cloth or paper towel, for tougher stains bleach can be used. As this material is less porous you should take care against chipping the bench. Hence, be careful while cleaning.
- Marble: The daily cleaning can be done using soft cloth and warm water, avoid kitchen cleaning products that are acidic, as they can burn the surface. A microfiber cloth will remove most of the stains from marble surface. Try avoiding spillage on its surface.
- Stainless Steel: On a daily basis wipe down the steel counters with damp sponge, to remove tough stains sprinkle some baking soda and vinegar and scrub. After cleaning the benchtop rub it dries with a dish towel or paper cloth.
With a little care you can keep your kitchen benchtop clean and make it last longer. Go ahead and choose a benchtop that is perfect for your kitchen.
August 10, 2017