While we obsess about the square foot of natural stone, marble, granite, and quartz countertops, Corian countertops are a lesser-known choice at an economical price. They mix raw materials with a non-natural acrylic polymer to become renewable solid surface countertops. The benefits of Corian are its different color variety, non-porous barrier, and durable countertop material.
However, they damage easily when hot objects touch the material, and with direct heat exposure, the colors fade. Therefore, you need to know how to revitalize Corian countertops. The right cleaner, cleansers, and cleaning tools prevent permanent damage and avoid countertop replacement.
That is part of why the Corian is more prominent in European homes than in American homes. Following the steps and dedicating time to caring for a Corian countertop surface is imperative. Should you accept this material in your home, Corian quartz and DuPont Corian are types of countertops at your local friendly Corian dealer.
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How to Keep the Corian Surface Pristine
Taking proper care of a Corian counter requires daily cleaning. You must clean the surface, remove scratches, and add polish to keep it shiny. Regular cleaning is the only way to keep stubborn stains, scratches, dirt, and grime away.
Because Corian comes in light and dark colors, the cleaning steps may require more or less time. Darker colors need more care than lighter colors because the scratches are more visible and profound. A glossy finish reflects scratches and burns better than a matte finish or satin finish, so it needs more care too.
Clean the Countertop
Take your pick of household cleaner or warm soapy water. The good news is both choices are effective at cleaning the countertop. After cleaning, add a household bleach disinfectant like Clorox wipes to stop bacteria and germs from spreading.
On the Corian counter, spray the cleaner directly on it. Grab a clean microfiber cloth and clean the countertop in a circular motion. Afterward, remove the spray cleaner with clean water and wipe the counter dry thoroughly to avoid film build-up.
A dedicated countertop cleaner like ammonia or a white vinegar and water mix is better than window cleaners because it avoids waxy build-up. Mix one cup of vinegar with two cups of water to make the vinegar-water cleaner. A combination quartz counter can use a 2-in-1 polisher and cleaner called granite gold quartz brite.
If you prefer soap and warm water, the soap you use is dish soap or dishwashing liquid. It’s necessary to prep the water before use by adding three drops of dish liquid inside a bowl of warm water.
Now, place a dry microfiber cloth inside the soap water mixture. Wash the Corian counter with the damp cloth in a circular motion. Like the cleaning step above, you must use clean water and wipe it completely dry; it removes sticky soap residue from the counter.
A dry surface ensures that any polish added will stick and stay on. It doesn’t stay on with a dirty countertop. If you have a Corian sink, the cleaning steps work there too.
Remove Imperfections
That is the spot cleaning section, and it is best not to dry the countertop if stains, blots, and scratches exist. Do this immediately after adding clean water to the countertop while the counter is wet. Otherwise, go through the previous step again before you can spot clean.
Most minor stains, blots, and scratches should leave after the first step. Tough stains disappear after this step. Finding each blot, stain, and scratched area of the counter need time and effort.
Before you begin, grab an abrasive cleaner, wet-dry sandpaper, micromesh pads, and an abrasive pad because you will need to scrub these spots gently off the counter. Dark-colored countertop materials take more time during this step than lighter-colored countertops. Like the cleaning step, there are two approaches: a gentle scrub or sanding it down.
On the Corian counter, scrub off scratches side-to-side and up-to-down using a pad with an abrasive cleaner. Alternate between the two every four movements. The product Soft Scrub can assist with removing minor or small scratches.
The sanding method uses sandpaper to sand off fine scratches. To sand scratches down means buffing scratches until they are no longer visible. Rinse the blotted, scratched, and stained area with water and dry thoroughly.
For stains and blots, scrub in circular motions with a damp sponge filled with an abrasive cleanser. Countertop magic erasers like Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Kitchen are a safe choice for grease, grime, and turmeric stain removal. Eco-friendly cleaner Bar Keepers Friend cleans scum, residue, scale, rust, and lime.
Use lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda mixture for rust stains. Hydrogen peroxide and oxalic acid solutions are perfect for brown blotches on a white or light-colored surface. Solution of half bleach and half water blends removes bleach stains on Corian surfaces.
If you notice water stains on the countertop, it’s probably because of water damage. Hard water stains need lime scale remover safe on Corian counters. A suggestion is using Viakal spray cleaner on the area, leaving it there for a few minutes, and using a damp microfiber cloth to wipe up the cleaner.
Repeat this step until all visible imperfections are gone. Once they leave, rinse the countertop with water for the last time and dry it thoroughly. Should the scrubbed sections appear different from the surface, clean the entire countertop again in a circular motion to blend it in.
Add Corian Polish
A fully dry and clean countertop is ready for the finishing touch of polish. The best polish for Corian counters is commercial countertop polish that mentions Corian counters on the label. An alternative option is using polish from granite countertops or granite countertop repair kits for solids and quartz countertop polish for quartz Corian counters.
After pouring the mixture onto the countertop, apply it to every inch of the Corian counter with a clean cloth. In a circular motion, rotate between counterclockwise and clockwise. It’s alright to switch out the dirty rag for a fresh one.
An orbital sander is the easiest way to polish off the countertop. It is also great for sanding down fine scratches when you don’t have sandpaper. Polishing the counter keeps faded or damaged Corian material in good shape.
Preventative Tips
- Do not use oven cleaners, paint removers, strong detergents, acid drain cleaners, acidic drain cleaners, and cleaners with methylene chloride in the ingredient list. They damage the Corian finish, especially a high gloss finish. A mild abrasive cleaning product is best for the Corian counter space.
- Use a mildly abrasive scrubbing pad for Corian counters. A blue scotch-brite pad works for scrubbing a hot pan, but it is too rough for cleaning the counter.
- Corian counter space is not heat resistant. The best way to make Corian heat resistant is by placing trivets, a hot pad, a rack, oven mitts, pot holders, and thick towels under hot pots, utensils, and appliances.
- Do not cut food on the Corian counter. Use a cutting board instead.
- Clean spills on the counter immediately with a household kitchen cleaning spray to avoid stains.
- About the Author
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Tonya Jones Reynolds, Senior Writer
Eleven years of writing experience and counting, Tonya is a master of the home, especially in the home improvement and interior design area. She continues to earn our respect and gets positive reviews from our readers for her writing style on all things for the home. Before her writing career, she interned at Reflect and Refresh. When she is not writing about the home space, you will find her exercising, working on Sudoku puzzles, and enjoying the outdoors. Visit here for the rest of Our Team.
