Kitchen worktops: caring for granite, quartz and marble

Know which stone you have

Granite, quartz (engineered stone, often sold under brand names such as Silestone) and marble look similar from a distance but behave very differently. Granite is hard and fairly forgiving. Quartz is a mix of crushed stone and resin, so it resists stains but not heat. Marble is a calcium-based stone that reacts to acids.

If you are not sure, ask whoever installed it, or check the paperwork from the kitchen supplier. When in doubt, treat the worktop as marble: the gentlest method is safe on all three.

Daily cleaning: gentle is enough

For everyday cleaning, warm water, a few drops of mild washing-up liquid and a soft cloth are enough. Rinse with a clean damp cloth and dry with a microfibre towel to avoid water marks and streaks, which show most on dark stone.

Wipe up spills quickly, especially coffee, red wine, oil and anything acidic. Stone is porous to different degrees, and a spill left overnight is much harder to remove than one wiped in a minute.

What to keep away from the stone

Lemon juice, vinegar and many limescale sprays are acidic. They can leave dull, etched patches on marble and, with repeated use, on other stone too. Bleach and abrasive creams or scouring pads can dull the polish on any of them.

Do not put hot pans straight onto the surface. Quartz in particular can discolour or crack from sudden heat, so use a trivet. A chopping board protects both the stone and your knives.

Stains, sealing and the coastal climate

For an oily stain on granite or marble, a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water left on for a few hours often lifts it; test a small hidden corner first. Hard water leaves limescale rings around taps, which a soft cloth and a stone-safe cleaner will handle better than acid.

Natural stone such as granite and marble is usually sealed after installation, and the sealer wears down over time. A simple check: drop a little water on the surface. If it beads, the seal is working; if it soaks in and darkens the stone, ask a stone specialist about resealing. Quartz does not normally need sealing.

How Lavanda helps

In a regular Lavanda clean we use products suited to the surface and soft cloths, so worktops are left clean and streak-free without harsh chemicals. If you have a particular stone or a stain you are worried about, tell us when you book and we will treat it with care.