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I have 4 year old granite countertops. I recently moved into a house with these granite countertops--I don't know if/how long ago they were sealed, though water doesn't penetrate the surface.
I was cleaning one are of them today and noticed lots of "sparkly" bits on the wet paper towel. Could this mean that the coating on top is wearing away? I also noticed tiny "hair-like" things on the paper towel--very short bits of hair-like substances. Not sure how else to describe it. Maybe 2 mm. long. Not sure if this is something that is coming off the counter. The countertop is a dark green and black mixed granite. Thanks!
If I were you, I would call the installer of the countertops. If you can't do that, go to a large, regional home improvement store (Lowe's, Home Depot) and see if they can help you.
It could be that your counter was just dirty. There are polishes that contain sealer and there are sealers. Call or visit a local fabricator and ask what they would recommend.
Any good fabricator will be able to tell you how to seal your granite - you don't need to go to the person who sold or installed your granite - this isn't rocket science and there is tons of good information around to guide you to a good sealer. Granite is granite for Heaven's sake. In fact some fabricators have a separate person from the installer who seals the granite. Some use a solvent based sealer, others use water based. Talk to an expert (or several experts) about it.
Make sure that you wipe up as soon as possible acid-based foods (lemon, lime, etc.) and fat based foods (butter, shortening, oils, etc.). I do that even though our granite is sealed (using polish with sealer). Acid based foods will etch some granite and fat will soak into some granite (even when sealed) if left long enough. If you have a dense granite like Absolute Black - don't seal it - it doesn't need it.
Most granite is extremely hard - so don't worry that there are things coming off the granite - your granite was dirty that is all. If water puddles, then you don't need to seal right now.
Honestly, for me the easiest thing to do is to polish my granite with a granite polish that has sealer in it - I do this about once a month and it is the only sealing our granite has ever had since it was intalled two years ago. I cook quite a bit and I have no stains on my granite counters. I use Rock Doctor products from Lowes - their granite cleaner and also their granite polish which applies a thin coat of sealer whenever you use it are both great.
Here's a fabricator checking in ........ I've been called out on service calls for "gritty" granite, and other things like this. More than once I just "cleaned" it up with single blade razors, fine 00 steel wool, and several applications of granite cleaner and paper towels. One time when I was pulled in as a consultant, I booked for a four hour appointment, and cleaned up what I suspect was either wall paper paste or perhaps pancake batter in about 15 minutes.
Other times, the granite was slowly crumbling apart. Once I suspect that there was just the sludge/granite dust from the sawing process stuck in the naturally occurring air pockets. These require several cleanings that utilize the strongest wet/dry shop vac you can find, and a "hail Mary" with a granite sealer that's on steroids like the sealer available from STT Surface Treatments Technology. [url=http://www.stt-sealers.com]Surface Treatment Technologies Granite Marble Stone Sealers Cleaners (864) 322-2860[/url]
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