Your Holiday Hosting Guide to Countertop Care & Maintenance

The holidays are the heart of the home — a season filled with family, cooking, baking, and memories made around the kitchen. But with all the activity, your countertops work overtime. Hot pans, red wine spills, food coloring, heavy platters, and constant wiping can take a toll if your surfaces aren’t properly protected.

Whether you have quartz, granite, quartzite, marble, or porcelain, here’s your Holiday Hosting Countertop Care Guide to help you get through the season without stress — and keep your kitchen looking beautiful long after the guests go home.

Start With a Clean Slate

Before the holiday cooking marathon begins, give your countertops a thorough cleaning. Use mild dish soap and warm water for quartz and porcelain surfaces. Avoid abrasive cleaners or scrub pads, and wipe dry to prevent streaking.

Natural stone counters may need a bit more care. Start by cleaning them with a stone-safe, pH-neutral cleaner. Then make sure your counters are properly sealed. Try to remember when you last sealed them — if it has been more than six months, it’s time to do it again (more on sealing below).

Mother Nature’s gift to us — our beloved marble countertops — always needs extra attention. Daily maintenance is essential, especially wiping spills immediately. Marble is sensitive to acids like lemon juice, wine, and tomato sauce. And if you have a family member who slices a lemon, leaves half face-down on the counter, and walks away — which has happened more than once in my house (I’m not naming names!) — marble may not be the best choice for you.

Anyway, back to holiday prep. After thoroughly cleaning your marble, it’s time to seal. There are many products designed for marble that help prevent etching and spotting. The holiday season is actually the perfect time to research your options if you have natural stone, since you’ll get to test the performance of your sealer sooner rather than later.

Protect Your Surfaces During the Holiday Rush

The holidays bring nonstop action to the kitchen — and your countertops often take the hit. Between hot pans coming out of the oven, last-minute chopping, spills from eager helpers, and buffet-style serving, it’s easy for surfaces to get damaged without you noticing. A few simple habits can go a long way in keeping your counters looking flawless throughout the season. Here’s how to protect your countertops when things get busy:

✔ Use trivets and hot padsHot trays, pots, and slow cookers can shock or discolor certain countertop materials — especially quartz. Always place a heat-safe barrier between any hot cookware and your stone.

✔ Use cutting boards (every time). Even if your countertop is marketed as scratch-resistant, cutting directly on stone will dull your knives and can create marks over time. A cutting board keeps both your blades and your counters safe.

✔ Don’t leave spills sittingHoliday favorites like wine, cranberry sauce, vinegar, gravy, oils, and tomato-based dishes can stain or etch natural stone. Wipe up spills as soon as they happen to prevent long-lasting damage.

✔ Use placemats during big gatherings. If you’re serving buffet-style or hosting a kids’ table, placemats create a protective layer that guards against accidental spills, scratches, and heat transfer from warm dishes.

✔ Know your countertop material’s holiday weak spots

• Quartz: Heat-resistant but not heat-proof — keep hot pans off the surface. Resistant to stains, but food dyes (hello, cookie icing!) should be cleaned up quickly.

• Granite & Quartzite: Both are heat-resistant, but I still avoid placing pots and pans directly on the counters — not because of heat, but because heavy cookware can scratch or even chip the surface, especially cast iron. Also, watch for oil spills; even sealed stone can absorb oils if left long enough.

• Marble: Sensitive to acids and dyes — stunning, but requires careful handling. Use plenty of protective coverings when baking, decorating, or handling acidic foods.

• Porcelain: Strong, durable, and heat-resistant — excellent for holiday stress. However, most porcelain surfaces have mitered edges (edges joined at a 45-degree angle to form a seamless 90-degree corner). These edges are your weak spot during the holidays. Also, avoid sudden temperature changes on the surface; trivets remain your best friend.

After the Holidays: Give Your Countertops a Reset

Your kitchen is the heart of your home — especially during the holiday season. With the right care and a little preparation, your countertops can stay beautiful, durable, and ready for every moment. When the guests are gone, and the last cookie has been eaten, give your countertops a post-holiday refresh:

• Deep clean with a stone-safe cleaner or mild soap.

• Check for any stains or marks and address them early.

• For natural stone, consider resealing if the surface looks thirsty.

• Polish (only if recommended for your stone type) to bring back the shine.

Your countertops will be ready to shine for the New Year.

If you need help repairing, cleaning, resealing, or upgrading your countertops before the holidays, Stonedge Kitchens & Baths is here to help. From fabrication to installation, we make your surfaces strong enough for every memory you create.