“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

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 detail 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, and then re-applying oil as necessary. On other occasions, the stain may require sanding away before reapplying a fresh coat of oil in order to fully remove it. You may also require a further sanding paper of a coarser grit to initially remove the stain – depending on 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 further queries about fitting worktops, don’t hesitate to contact us.