You’ve invested in beautiful new countertops for your Buffalo home — now you want them to look just as good five or ten years from now. The good news? With the right care routine, stone countertops are remarkably easy to maintain. The key is knowing what works (and what to avoid) for your specific material.
At Empire Custom Countertops, we don’t just install your countertops and walk away. We make sure every customer knows exactly how to keep their investment looking its best. Here’s our complete care guide for the three most popular stone countertop materials in Western New York kitchens.
Granite Countertop Care
Granite is one of the toughest natural stones you can put in your kitchen. It handles heat, resists scratches, and with proper sealing, shrugs off stains. Here’s how to keep it in top shape.
Daily Cleaning
- Use warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Wipe down with a soft cloth or microfiber towel. That’s genuinely all you need for day-to-day cleaning.
- Avoid harsh chemicals. Bleach, ammonia, vinegar, and citrus-based cleaners can strip the sealant over time. Stick with pH-neutral cleaners or plain dish soap.
- Dry the surface after cleaning. This prevents water spots, especially in areas with hard water — which is common throughout the Buffalo municipal water system.
Sealing
Granite is porous, which means it can absorb liquids if left unsealed. Most granite countertops need to be sealed once or twice a year — a simple process that takes about 15 minutes.
The water test: Sprinkle a few drops of water on your granite. If the water beads up, your seal is still good. If it soaks in and darkens the stone within a few minutes, it’s time to reseal.
You can buy granite sealer at any hardware store in the Buffalo area. Apply it with a soft cloth, let it sit for 15–20 minutes, then wipe off the excess. It’s one of the easiest home maintenance tasks you’ll ever do.
Stain Prevention
- Wipe up spills promptly — especially wine, coffee, tomato sauce, and cooking oil. These can stain unsealed or poorly sealed granite.
- Use coasters under glasses and bottles, particularly anything acidic.
- Don’t let wet items sit overnight. Damp towels or sponges left on granite can leave marks.
Heat and Scratches
Granite can handle hot pans better than almost any other countertop material. That said, using trivets is still a good habit — rapid temperature changes can potentially cause thermal shock in rare cases. As for scratches, granite is hard enough that normal kitchen use won’t mark it. Just don’t use your countertop as a cutting board (your knives will thank you, too).
Quartz Countertop Care
Quartz (engineered stone) is the lowest-maintenance countertop option available. Because it’s non-porous, it never needs sealing, doesn’t harbor bacteria, and resists stains naturally. But it’s not completely bulletproof.
Daily Cleaning
- Warm water and dish soap — same as granite. A soft cloth or sponge is all you need.
- For stuck-on messes, use a non-abrasive scrub pad (like the soft side of a sponge) with a gentle cleaner. Avoid scouring pads or abrasive powders.
- Skip the harsh chemicals. While quartz is more chemically resistant than granite, products with high pH (like oven cleaners) can dull the surface over time.
Sealing
Quartz never needs sealing. The engineered resin that binds the material makes it completely non-porous. This is one of the biggest selling points for busy Buffalo families — one less thing to think about.
The One Thing to Watch: Heat
This is where quartz has a vulnerability. The resin in engineered quartz can discolor or crack under extreme heat. Never place a hot pan, baking sheet, or slow cooker directly on quartz. Always use a trivet or hot pad.
This is especially worth noting during Buffalo’s holiday cooking season, when kitchens are running full tilt and counter space is at a premium. Keep trivets handy and make it a habit.
Avoiding Damage
- Don’t use quartz as a cutting surface. While it won’t scratch easily, knife marks can dull the finish over time.
- Clean up hair dye, permanent marker, or paint immediately. These are some of the few substances that can stain quartz if left for extended periods.
- Keep quartz out of direct, prolonged sunlight. UV exposure can cause some quartz colors to fade over time. If you have counters near large south-facing windows, consider window treatments.
Marble Countertop Care
Marble is the most elegant countertop material — and the most demanding when it comes to care. It’s softer and more porous than granite or quartz, which means it needs more attention. But if you love the look, the maintenance is absolutely manageable.
Daily Cleaning
- Use a stone-specific cleaner or very mild dish soap with warm water and a soft cloth.
- Absolutely avoid vinegar, lemon juice, or any acidic cleaner. Acid etches marble — it actually dissolves the surface, leaving dull spots that can’t be wiped away.
- Blot spills immediately. Don’t wipe — blot. Wiping can spread an acidic spill across more surface area.
Sealing
Marble should be sealed every 3–6 months, depending on use. Kitchens with marble counters need more frequent sealing than, say, a marble bathroom vanity. The water test described above for granite works the same way for marble.
Dealing with Etching
Etching is the most common marble issue. It happens when acidic substances (lemon, wine, tomato sauce, even some cleaning products) contact the surface. Etching leaves a light, dull mark on polished marble.
- For light etching: A marble polishing powder (available at hardware stores) can often restore the shine.
- For deep etching: A professional stone restoration service may be needed. Empire Custom Countertops can point you toward trusted local restoration pros in the Buffalo area.
Living with Marble
Here’s the honest truth about marble: it will develop a patina over time. Small etch marks, minor stains, and subtle wear become part of the character of the stone. Many homeowners love this — it gives marble a lived-in, Old World warmth. If you’re someone who wants a flawless surface at all times, granite or quartz may be a better fit.
General Tips for All Stone Countertops
- Use cutting boards. Always. Your counters and your knives will both last longer.
- Use trivets and hot pads. Even heat-resistant materials benefit from this habit.
- Clean up spills quickly. The faster you act, the less chance of staining — regardless of material.
- Avoid sitting or standing on counters. Stone is strong in compression but can crack under concentrated point loads, especially near seams, cutouts, or unsupported overhangs.
- Address chips promptly. Small chips in granite or marble can usually be repaired with a color-matched epoxy. The sooner you fix them, the less noticeable the repair.
Buffalo’s Hard Water: A Local Consideration
Western New York’s water supply tends to be on the harder side, which means mineral deposits can build up on stone surfaces — especially around faucets and sinks. A simple solution: wipe down the area around your sink daily and dry it thoroughly. For existing hard water spots, a paste of baking soda and water (applied gently with a soft cloth) works well on granite and quartz. For marble, stick with a marble-safe hard water remover to avoid etching.
Questions About Your Countertops?
Whether you’re planning a new installation or just want to make sure you’re caring for your current countertops the right way, the team at Empire Custom Countertops is always happy to help. We’ve been guiding Buffalo and Western NY homeowners through every step of the countertop process — from material selection to long-term care.
Call us at (716) 799-4485 or reach out online for a free consultation. Your countertops are an investment — let’s make sure they last a lifetime.