If you have granite countertops and have lived in your house longer than a year or so and have never sealed them, they are most likely overdue. We have been in our house for well over three years, and I never really thought about taking care of my granite other than spraying it with cleaner every day. Countertops aren’t something I think about on a regular basis. The reason it popped into my head is because my granite was starting to look and feel different. When we first moved in, it was shiny and when you wiped it down, it was slick. Water would bead on the surface. I noticed awhile ago that it was starting to look dull and the texture seemed different. So I started researching on the internet. Turns out, my particular granite should be sealed every six months to a year. Oops! Guess I missed the boat on that, so this project was long overdue. From everything that I read, sealing granite is a pretty easy job, so I was ready to take it on myself without paying a professional to come in.
I stopped at Home Depot an found a worker who looked like he would be able to help me. This gentleman seemed to know a lot and told me that the best product he had was Stone Care International Granite and Stone Sealer. He asked me if I had any stains that needed to be removed. Yes, there was a water stain around the sink that had a rainbow like appearance so I picked up the stain remover as well. Both products totaled under $50.
I read the instructions and using the stain remover would be the first step in the process. I cleaned the area with distilled water and sprinkled the white powder on the stain with some water to make a thick paste. After that, I covered it with plastic wrap and poked a few holes in it. It said to let it sit for 12- 24 hours. I opted for 24 hours since the stain had been there for awhile.
I like rainbows, but not on my granite.
The next day, I used a plastic scraper and removed he paste. Sadly, it did not remove the stain. I was hoping I would have more success with sealing the granite. The sealer instructions said to do a test spot on a small area of your granite to be sure it didn’t damage it. I definitely did that because I don’t have a bunch of money sitting around to replace ruined countertops. Not to mention, I can only imagine the reaction I would get from my husband if that happened. Luckily, the test spot came out fine so I decided to go for it. The granite needed to be cleaned and dry for 6-12 hours. So after the kids went to bed, I cleaned the countertops in preparation for sealing the next morning.
The next day, I made sure everyone ate their non-messy breakfast on the couch (which is usually never allowed!) so that the countertops remained crumb-free and dry. I sent the kids off to school and got to work. The instructions said to spray it evenly on your countertops and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. After that, you were supposed to spray them again and let them sit for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, I was instructed to wipe the product off with a soft cloth.
Just a little elbow grease and the blue in my Volga Blue Granite is looking more vibrant!
Here’s the finished product! My granite is sparkling again and feels very smooth! The water beads on it as well. I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t remove the stain, but I decided that I will just keep my soap dispenser on that spot because that’s cheaper than calling a professional to fix it. I won’t be waiting 3 years to do this again. I already have it on my calendar to do it again in 6 months because this is the best my countertops have looked in quite some time. Definitely an easy project that anyone can do!