One of the things that you might love about your granite countertops is the fact that they are more durable than many other types of countertops. For example, you can put a hot pan down on them without worrying about burning them. Even though your granite countertops are tough, though, you should still use a cutting board. Here's why.
You Could Damage the Sealer
Having your granite countertops sealed every now and then is a good thing to do. It helps make your granite countertops really shine just like they did when they were brand new, so you'll love them that much more. The sealer also helps provide protection against spills and stains, keeping your granite countertops looking good.
Even if you don't actually damage the countertops themselves if you use them as a cutting surface, your knives could scratch through the sealer. This can leave an uneven finish, taking away from the beautiful shine of sealed granite countertops.
Perhaps more importantly, if the sealer is damaged, then areas of your granite countertops will not be protected. This means that if there's a spill, your countertops could stain, particularly if you don't clean the spill up fast enough.
You Could Scratch Your Granite
Even though granite is tougher than many other countertop materials, it's not completely indestructible. Granite can be scratched with a sharp enough knife. Even though the damage might not be significant, it may be visible. Cutting directly on your granite surfaces might not cause any damage right away, but as time goes on, some scratches can appear if you don't use a cutting board.
Plus, if you wear diamond jewelry when you're cutting, your jewelry is more likely to come in contact repeatedly with the granite surface if you aren't using a cutting board. Because diamonds are so strong, they can actually leave more serious scratches and damage to your granite countertops. In fact, diamond-tipped blades are often used to cut granite!
You Could Damage Your Knives
One of the best tools that a home cook should have is a nice set of knives. Good knives aren't cheap, and you have to take care of them if you want to keep them sharp.
When you use your knives to cut things directly on your granite countertops, the constant contact with the hard granite can wear down your knives. Sharpening them regularly can help mitigate the damage, but you're going to keep your knives in much better shape for much longer if you always use a plastic or wood cutting board.
Acids Can Damage Your Granite Countertops
When you're cutting up a big piece of steak, you don't have to worry about acid. If you're going to be cutting up lemons, limes, or oranges directly on your granite countertops, though, you have to worry about the acids from the fruit damaging your countertops.
Just as you aren't supposed to use acidic cleansers to clean your granite countertops because of potential acid damage, you'll want to prevent citric acid from foods from getting on your granite countertops if you can help it, too.
You Can Make Cleanup Easier
Cleaning spills and messes off of your granite countertops promptly helps prevent stains and helps you maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen. If you use a cutting board, you can help keep messes better contained, making it easier for you to clean up after a chopping session.
Your granite countertops are important to you, so make sure you use a cutting board when cutting produce, meat, or anything else. For more help with your granite countertops, contact us at
Best Marble & Granite Company, today.
