Man, my granite countertops were looking rough last week. I mean, they used to sparkle when we first got 'em installed, but now? Dull as dishwater. Spills from coffee and cooking oil left these ugly stains. So I decided, screw it, I ain't messing with DIY hacks anymore. Time to find a pro.

Started Hunting for Cleaning Companies

Grabbed my phone, typed "granite cleaning near me" like crazy. Scrolled through pages - ugh, so many options. Finally picked three that had decent reviews about stone care. Called 'em up one by one:

• First company sounded clueless. Dude kept saying, "Yeah we clean everything, no problem!" Nope. Didn’t trust that.
• Second place actually asked me what type of granite sealant was used last time. Got me thinking... wait, sealant? Forgot that existed! They sent a quote later, but man, priced like they’d polish it with unicorn tears.
• Third company nailed it. Lady asked specific things: "You got Etna Gold granite? Acidic stains? When’s the last seal?" Felt legit.

Choosing a Maintenance Plan

Went down to their office. Showed 'em pictures of my counters. Guy named Tom explained their plans:

• Basic: Just cleaning twice a year. Meh.
• Gold Plan: Cleaning + resealing every 6 months. Tom showed me how sealant beads water - blew my mind.
• Platinum: All that plus stain treatments. Extra $40/month? Nah, my wallet cried.

Picked Gold Plan. Tom threw in a free pH-neutral cleaner spray bottle too. Nice touch.

Letting Them Work Their Magic

Two guys showed up yesterday. Watched 'em like a hawk (hey, it’s my kitchen!). Step-by-step:

1. Vacuumed crumbs like they were handling diamonds.
2. Pre-soaked stains with some citrus-smelling gel.
3. Used zero-scratch pads (they emphasized this!) to scrub.
4. Finally applied sealant that smelled like wet rocks. Dried in an hour.

Paid 'em. Totally worth it - countertops look factory-fresh now. I even spilled wine on purpose later (don’t judge) to test - rolled right off!

What I Learned

• Never use vinegar or bleach again. Tom looked horrified when I admitted that.
• Sealing matters more than I thought. That shininess? It’s armor against gunk.
• Cheapest quote ain’t always best. That second company? Found online complaints about streaks.

Honestly, I’ll stick with this maintenance plan. Easy on the budget, keeps my granite looking flashy without me lifting a finger. Next goal? Train my kids to wipe spills BEFORE they turn into stains. Yeah, good luck with that.