Laminate kitchen countertops come with plenty of perks that include their beautiful appearance, affordable price and easy to care for. However, when having a laminate kitchen countertop, you will have to pay attention to its special maintenance instructions in order to make this surface stay beautiful for a longer period of time. The better you care for your laminate countertop, the longer this surface will stay looking great.
The general maintenance rules include avoiding to drop too heavy objects on the laminate countertop as this surface can be damaged by them, avoiding to let the laminate surface burn – this surface can be damaged by extremely hot items placed on it, avoiding deep cuts – you will have to avoid cutting items directly on your laminate countertop, being extremely careful with water as too much water can cause issues with the seams of the laminate countertop and not using harsh chemicals that come with acids in their mix – in order to clean the laminate countertop, you will have to use metal cleaners, unclogging agents, lime or rust removers or ceramic cleaners.
Even if laminate countertops are likely to be more susceptible to stains and damage when compared with other types of kitchen countertops, they can become a beautiful addition to any multifunctional kitchen space. Stains can be removed by using a full-strength dishwashing liquid. Even white vinegar can be used right on the stain in order to remove it from the laminate surface – allow the vinegar to soak for a couple of minutes and then rinse it thoroughly.
Keep in mind that you must avoid all harsh chemicals when cleaning your laminate countertop. For instance, full-strength chlorine, drain cleaners, acetone or oven cleaning products are very likely to permanently stain the laminate surface or even mar their finishes. Also, these harsh chemicals can damage the adhesive binding. Keep in mind to always wipe up any spill immediately by using a water-moistened cloth.
Laminate countertops also have an important drawback: some of them contain very high levels of sealers, adhesives and all sorts of potentially harmful and volatile organic compounds – these VOCs may easily get released right into your indoor environment. In order to reduce such hazardous emissions, you must seal all the exposed edges of your laminate countertop as soon as you have installed it.