Maintain a Corian Countertop

Corian countertops are a registered trademark material made by the DuPont company. It is also known as "solid-surface" countertop, meaning that the entire countertop is made of alumina tri-hydrate and acrylic polymer. It comes in 3 finishes: matte (satin), semi-gloss and high-gloss. It is also available in a number of solid colors or patterns that resemble stone countertops. It can be cleaned with cleansers found in a supermarket, and further maintained by protecting it during stages of the cooking process. It also can be renewed to maintain the finish. Read on to find out how to maintain a Corian countertop.

Steps

Cleaning Corian

  1. Wipe up spills with soapy water made with an ammonia-based cleaner and a soft sponge. Rinse the countertop.
  2. Clean the entire countertop weekly with the same ammonia-based cleaner and water to ensure that dirt and spills do not harden. Rinse the countertop after cleaning it.
    • Do not use abrasive cleansers or scouring pads to clean your countertops, even if you have the matte finish.
    • Consider buying a solid-surface cleanser to clean high-gloss countertops. A high-gloss finish can dull more easily.
  3. Wipe the surfaces dry with a soft rag every time you clean them or get them wet. According to DuPont, this is the most important way to keep Corian looking like new. A film builds up on the surface if you do not wipe it clean and dry.
    • This will also prevent hard water marks from developing on the counter's surface.
  4. Remove stubborn hard water marks with Lime-A-Way.
  5. Disinfect your counters every 1 to 2 weeks with a bleach solution. Use a 1 to 1 ratio of bleach to water. Rinse well with water and wipe dry.
  6. Polish semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes with a countertop polish. Buff the surface until it shines after cleaning it.

Preventing Corian Damage

  1. Always set hot pots, pans and plates on a trivet, rather than directly on the Corian countertop. Unlike granite and stainless steel countertops, Corian will be marred by high heat.
  2. Never cut with a knife directly onto the Corian countertop. Use a cutting board instead, or you will have nicks in the surface of your counter.
  3. Never use harsh or acidic products like paint stripper or oven cleaner on a Corian countertop. If you spill them on the counter, rinse the counter thoroughly and dry it.
  4. Avoid dropping heavy pots or pans on the countertop. An advantage of Corian is that plates and dishes are unlikely to break if they are dropped on your counter; however, pots and pans can leave dents in the surface.

Restoring Corian

  1. Remove scratches using the following method:
    • Wash the area over the scratch.
    • Use an abrasive pad to buff the scratch. Use a steady, gentle motion, going back and forth in a straight line.
    • Switch directions 90 degrees from time to time.
    • Rinse the abrasive pad occasionally to remove built up residue from the counter.
    • Continue until the scratch is removed.
    • Clean and dry the counter.
    • If the area does not match very well, buff over a larger portion of the countertop in the same manner.

Tips

  • If you have many dents and scratches, you can hire a professional restorer to buff the entire countertop to like-new condition.
  • Most Corian countertops come with a warranty; however, it is voided if you use abrasive cleaners.
  • Clean dark Corian countertops more often than light countertops.

Things You'll Need

  • Soft cloth
  • Ammonia cleaner
  • Water
  • Sponge
  • Abrasive pad
  • Solid-surface cleanser (optional)
  • Counter top polish
  • Bleach
  • Trivet

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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