Caring for Corian Worktops

Corian worktops manufactured by DuPont are beautiful to look at and extremely practical in the kitchen. However, a Corian worktop is not a cheap investment so it makes sense to look after it. With a little care and common sense your worktop will last for years, so follow these simple rules.

First never chop foods directly on the surface of your Corian because not only might you damage the knife blade but you may scratch the surface. Always use a chopping board. The best chopping boards to use are wooden ones; you can buy chopping boards made of other materials such as toughened glass, for instance, but these will wear out your knife blade far more quickly.

Next, never place hot pans straight from the hob or the oven directly on the surface. Always use a trivet, preferably one with rubber feet, or a heat pad.

Try not to drop anything on the surface of your Corian, especially heavy objects such as cast iron cookware. These can be extremely heavy and for this reason it is best not to store them in cupboards over the worktop in case one should slip out of your hand. Store saucepans and casseroles in cupboards under the worktop or away from it, or use a saucepan stand; this way, if you should drop anything it will only hit the floor.

Wipe up any spills or splashes as soon as they are seen. In a hard water area even leaving water on the surface can cause a film to develop and make the surface appear dull and blotchy. Wipe up any water spills with kitchen paper and dry the surface with a tea towel or more paper. If by any chance you should get a film on the surface of Corian there is a cleaner called Lime-A-Way which should resolve the problem.

Avoid using products such as paint thinners, oven cleaner or other harsh chemicals on or near the worktop. If you should get a spill wash off with warm water immediately and dry the surface; never leave Corian wet or damp.

Cleaning Your Corian Worktop

• Use warm water with a little washing up liquid or an ammonia based cleaner. DuPont also recommend a commercial cleaner called Clean EnCounters. To disinfect the surface of Corian use one part bleach to one part of water. Rinse well and dry.
• For difficult residues there is a product called Deep Cleaner For DuPont Corian which is available from Stone Care International and is recommended by DuPont. Simply follow the instructions on the label then wash off with soapy water and wipe dry. Never leave the surface of Corian wet or damp.
• In addition, DuPont recommend polishing their high gloss or semi gloss surfaces occasionally with Countertop Magic or Hope’s Countertop Polish.

Should your Corian worktop suffer scratching it is often possible to repair it yourself. The colour of Corian goes all the way through the product so scratches can be gently sanded out; there is information about this on the DuPont website. The alternative, which is probably easier, is to call in the registered DuPont installer who supplied your worktop in the first place (such as ourselves). Your Corian worktop is an investment, so it is worth looking after it.