How to Clean and Maintain Your Porcelain Panel Benchtop
Credits
Author
Michelle Thompson
Material
Laminam Porcelain
A porcelain panel benchtop is one of the most practical and beautiful choices for a modern kitchen, bathroom, laundry or outdoor entertaining area. Sleek, durable and low maintenance, it provides the refined appearance of natural stone with the performance benefits of advanced porcelain technology.
At Studio Porcelain, we specialise in Laminam porcelain panels, a premium Italian-made surface suitable for benchtops, splashbacks, wall cladding, vanities, flooring and furniture. As the exclusive NSW distributor of Laminam, Studio Porcelain offers large-format porcelain slabs that are heat-resistant, easy to maintain and available in more than 160 colours.
Caring for a Laminam porcelain panel benchtop is refreshingly simple. With the right everyday cleaning habits and a few basic maintenance precautions, your surface can continue looking beautiful for years.
Why Porcelain Benchtops Are Easy to Maintain
Porcelain benchtops combine luxurious design with everyday practicality. Laminam is a sintered porcelain slab produced in large formats and thicknesses ranging from 2mm to 20mm. This makes it suitable for a wide variety of applications, including benchtops, splashbacks, wall cladding, flooring, furniture and facades.
Laminam porcelain benchtops are particularly well suited to kitchens because they are durable, heat-resistant and easy to maintain. They are available in an extensive selection of colours and finishes, making them a practical choice for busy households without limiting your design options.
Daily Cleaning: The Simple Routine
When it comes to everyday cleaning, less is usually more. Laminam recommends using a soft microfibre cloth dampened with water and a small amount of neutral detergent for routine care.
For most daily spills, crumbs, splashes and marks, begin by wiping the benchtop with a soft microfibre cloth. Use warm water with a small amount of neutral detergent, then rinse the surface with clean water. Finish by drying it with a clean cloth to prevent streaks or water marks. This simple routine is suitable for common household messes such as coffee rings, food splashes, fingerprints, cooking oil residue and the marks left by general kitchen use.
Clean Spills Quickly for the Best Results
Although Laminam porcelain is designed to be easy to clean, stains are generally easier to remove when they are treated early. Cleaning is most effective while dirt or liquid is still fresh and has not dried onto the surface.
Whenever practical, wipe up coffee, tea, red wine, cooking oil, sauces and citrus juice soon after they are spilled. The same advice applies to makeup, soap residue, toothpaste and hard water marks in bathrooms or vanities.
A porcelain benchtop is highly practical, but prompt cleaning will help preserve its appearance and finish.
What Cleaning Products Should You Use?
For regular cleaning, warm water and a neutral detergent are usually all that is required. Apply the solution using a soft microfibre cloth or a non-abrasive sponge. A small amount of mild dishwashing liquid diluted in water may also be suitable for everyday cleaning.
More persistent marks may require an extraordinary cleaning method designed for residual dirt. Before applying a stronger cleaning product across the entire benchtop, test it on a small and inconspicuous area.
This is particularly important when treating stains involving limescale, wax, silicone residue or metallic marks. Always follow the instructions for the selected cleaning product and make sure it is suitable for porcelain surfaces.
What to Avoid When Cleaning a Porcelain Benchtop
A Laminam porcelain benchtop is highly durable, but appropriate care will help it maintain its best appearance. Harsh or unnecessary cleaning methods can leave residue, create streaks or cause visible surface marks.
Avoid using steel wool or highly abrasive scouring pads. Wax-based polishes and oily cleaning products should also be avoided because they may leave a film across the surface. Porcelain does not require unnecessary sealers, and strong chemical products should never be applied without first testing them on a small area.
Cleaning products should not be allowed to dry on the surface. Rinse the benchtop thoroughly after cleaning to remove any remaining residue.
Unlike some natural stones, porcelain does not need to be polished or regularly sealed. In most situations, simple cleaning with warm water and a neutral detergent is enough.
How to Remove Stubborn Marks and Stains
When dealing with stubborn marks, always begin with the mildest cleaning method. This is a sensible approach for any premium surface and will often be enough to remove the mark without the need for stronger products.
Start by cleaning the area with warm water and a neutral detergent. Rinse it thoroughly and dry the surface with a clean cloth. When the mark remains, apply a suitable porcelain-safe cleaner after testing it on a small, inconspicuous area. Once the treatment is complete, rinse the area again using plenty of clean water.
Studio Porcelain’s Laminam cleaning and maintenance guide recommends checking the effectiveness of any cleaning product on a small area before treating the entire surface. It also recommends thoroughly rinsing the surface after stains have been treated.
Different types of residue may require different cleaning approaches. Food, grease, limescale, rust, wax, silicone and metallic marks can behave differently, so the cleaning method should be selected according to the type of mark being removed.
Cleaning Different Laminam Finishes
Not every Laminam finish behaves in exactly the same way. Laminam surfaces are available in several textures and finishes, including natural, polished, soft-touch and textured options.
Studio Porcelain’s cleaning guidance provides different extraordinary cleaning recommendations for matt, polished and soft Laminam surfaces. This is important because a highly polished surface may display streaks differently from a matt or textured finish. A tactile surface may also require slightly more attention when removing residue from its textured structure.
When you are unsure how to clean a particular finish, refer to Studio Porcelain’s Laminam cleaning and maintenance guide or speak with the Studio Porcelain team for advice specific to your surface.
Common Porcelain Benchtop Cleaning Questions
For everyday cleaning, bleach is usually unnecessary. Warm water, neutral detergent and a microfibre cloth are generally sufficient. Stronger products should only be used when appropriate for the type of stain and finish, and should always be tested first.
Laminam porcelain benchtops do not require sealing in the way that many natural stone benchtops do.
This is one of the major advantages of choosing porcelain for kitchens and bathrooms. Laminam panels are stain-resistant, hygienic and easy to clean without the recurring sealing treatments associated with some porous natural materials.
For homeowners, this means less ongoing maintenance and fewer long-term upkeep costs.
For routine cleaning, no. A microfibre cloth, warm water and neutral detergent are usually all you need. For stubborn stains or residue, refer to Studio Porcelain’s Laminam cleaning and maintenance guide.
Laminam porcelain benchtops are heat-resistant, but using trivets or heat mats is still best practice for very hot cookware.
Laminam porcelain is designed to be low maintenance and resistant to everyday staining. However, prompt cleaning is recommended because dirt and spills are easier to remove before they dry.
Laminam porcelain benchtops are heat-resistant, but using trivets or heat mats is still best practice for very hot cookware.
Porcelain is highly durable, but using a chopping board is still recommended. This protects the benchtop, helps preserve the finish and also protects your knives.
Planning your next project?
Explore Studio Porcelain’s Laminam porcelain benchtop range, order a sample or speak with our team for advice on choosing the right surface for your kitchen, bathroom or next design project.
