Products for cleaning and caring for granite countertops and granite floors

How to clean a granite countertop

Swirl the sponge around in the bucket with Denwax Clean four to six times without water, then wipe it over the countertop. Repeat where there is grease, rinsing the sponge as you go. Then remove all soap residue with a damp cloth and dry the surface completely so no water is left to dry in. Denwax Clean consists of 85% pure soft soap and water and contains neither abrasives nor optical brighteners, so it can be used daily without wearing the surface. Please note that light granite may become slightly darker, so test in a hidden area the first time.

Grease stains on a granite countertop

Grease stains on granite look like dark shadows that will not go away, and they typically appear around the hob area and next to the sink. This is because the oil has soaked into the stone rather than sitting on top, so scrubbing harder rarely helps. Instead, clean with Denwax Clean and let the soap work for a moment before wiping it off with a damp cloth, and preferably repeat a couple of times rather than pressing hard. When the surface is completely dry, apply Denwax Care, which saturates the surface and makes it harder for new grease to penetrate. Most recurring grease stains on a granite countertop are due to the stone never having been treated.

Oil, wax and sealing granite

Many people look for an oil for their granite countertop, but what they are really after is something that saturates the stone and restores its colour. Denwax Care is based on jojoba oil, lanolin and beeswax and does exactly that. The wax component forms a thin protective layer on the surface, the oil brings out the deep colour in the granite, and together they create a water-repellent effect that keeps water and grease on the surface rather than in the stone. Apply with the included sponge to a clean, completely dry surface, work in quick strokes in several passes, let it dry for about two minutes, then buff with a dry cloth. Sealing a granite countertop should be repeated a few times a year in a kitchen that is in use, and you can tell when it is time by dripping a little water onto the surface. If the water soaks in instead of beading up, the stone needs treatment.

Limescale on granite

Denwax Clean does not remove limescale; use Denwax Pink Stone instead. Moisten the sponge with water, rub it a few times in the tub until foam forms, and work over the limescale with light pressure. Then rinse thoroughly, remove all residue and dry the item completely. Pink Stone contains abrasives and is intended for tiles and countertops that can tolerate light scouring, so on a polished granite countertop you should always test in an inconspicuous area before you begin. The product must not be used on coloured fixtures or coated jewellery.

Polishing a granite countertop

What most people call polishing a granite countertop is actually re-polishing—bringing back the shine to a surface that has become dull from soap residue and lack of care. You can do this yourself by cleaning the surface, letting it dry completely, applying a thin layer of Denwax Care and buffing with a dry cloth until the surface feels smooth and is not tacky. If the stone itself is worn or scratched, however, it requires actual grinding and polishing, which is a job for a stonemason with machinery. Denwax can make a dull surface look good again, but it cannot grind granite.