My solid wood worktops have developed a few stains around the sink area – am I doing something wrong? Question of the Week 13.12.14

‘My solid wood worktops have developed a few stains around the sink area – am I doing something wrong?’

Our next ‘Question of the Week’ this December is from Julia in Truro, who has had our solid wood worktops in situation for some time, and is worried that she is not maintaining them properly, as a few stains have developed around the sink. QUESTION: “Your worktops have been the centrepiece of my kitchen for a few years now, but over the recent months stains have started to develop around the sink area. Why is this, and what am I doing wrong?” ANSWER: Hi Julia, Thanks for getting in touch with us. We are not surprised that you have been so proud of your kitchen’s solid wood centrepiece, wood worktops really do bring a warmth and character that other worktop materials simply cannot replicate. To keep your worktops looking as good as the day that you bought them, they do require regular maintenance and care – especially around areas of high moisture such as sinks and above appliances. Firstly, ensure that you are following our aftercare instructions, which details the processes required to maintain wooden worktops to an appropriate standard. The most important part of which, is to ensure that the worktop is regularly oiled. A regularly oiled worktop should be resistant to water splashes and spills, causing the water to form ‘beads’ on the surface of the worktop rather than absorbing into the timber. A well-oiled surface will display a sheen and lustre, whilst a worktop that is overdue for re-oiling will appear dull. For a full guide to oiling your worktops, read through our Oiling Worktops Nutshell Guide. It is when the worktop does start to absorb water that these marks or stains start to appear. Sometimes, if the stains are newly formed, they can be removed by simply rubbing down the top surface of the worktop, then re-applying oil as necessary. On other occasions, the stain may require sanding away before re-applying a fresh coat of oil in order to fully remove it. In order to carry out this maintenance properly, we sell a Rustins Worktop Maintenance Kit which includes oil, a surface cleaning solution, denibbing pads and other handy accessories. You may also require further sanding paper of a coarser grit to initially remove the stain – depending how deep it has ingrained. To avoid future staining of your worktops, ensure that after using your sink you wipe the surface around it to remove any excess water with a dry cloth. We also recommend doing the same whenever you spill any liquids on other parts of the wooden worktop. Removing the moisture before it has a chance to stain the worktop will avoid any future marking and ensure your worktop looks like new for many years to come. If you have any other questions, feel free to get in touch. All the best, Ben @ Worktop Express

Do you have a question that you would like us to answer? Ask us now on , or send us a message.