Granite gets lumped in with marble a lot, but it cleans more like quartz than like marble. It’s an igneous stone — formed under heat and pressure, not from calcium carbonate — which makes it much less reactive to acid and far more forgiving day to day.
Why Granite Is More Forgiving
A sealed granite countertop can handle a splash of lemon juice or wine without etching the way marble would. That doesn’t mean it’s indestructible — it’s still a natural, porous stone, just a much harder and more chemically stable one.
Daily Cleaning
Warm water and a mild dish soap on a soft cloth handles most everyday cleaning. Wipe up spills reasonably promptly, especially oil and grease, which can still soak into an under-sealed surface over time.
- Avoid bleach, ammonia, and abrasive powders — they can dull the polish or strip the sealer faster than normal wear would.
- Skip steel wool and abrasive scouring pads — granite is hard, but the polish can still be scratched.
- Use a cutting board — granite won’t scratch from most kitchen use, but a blade dragged across it repeatedly still isn’t doing the polish any favours.
Sealing — Don’t Assume Every Granite Needs It as Often as You Think
Granite is porous, so sealing matters, but not every granite absorbs water at the same rate — some darker, denser granites need resealing far less often than people assume. A simple water-bead test tells you more than a fixed yearly schedule: if water still beads on the surface instead of soaking in, the sealer is still doing its job.
Dealing With Stains
Because granite is less porous than marble, most spills sit closer to the surface and wipe away cleanly if you get to them within a reasonable time. Oil-based stains and hard water marks are the ones most likely to actually soak in — a baking-soda poultice left on the spot overnight is a reasonable first thing to try before assuming the stain is permanent.
When Cleaning Isn’t the Answer
A chip, a crack, or a seam that’s opened up over time won’t respond to any cleaning routine — see our granite repair page for that. If your granite countertop has physical damage rather than a cleaning problem, or you want honest guidance before a new installation, reach out and we can take a look.