The Downside To Brick Or Stone Kitchen Backsplash No One Thinks About

Brick and stone backsplashes are the crown jewels of kitchen design. With their textured beauty and timeless appeal, they instantly make your kitchen feel like the heart of the home. But wait -– before you grab your hammer and chisel, know that these rugged surfaces have one tiny problem that can turn your cooking haven into a cleaning nightmare. They might make stellar backsplash options for a rustic kitchen, but have you ever tried scrubbing sauce out of brick or wiping oil splatter off of stone? It's not fun. The biggest drawback no one thinks about is how incredibly hard to clean these materials are.

Cooking is a messy business. You've got sizzling bacon, splattering pasta sauce, and exploding blender lids. Now imagine all that mess landing on a brick or stone backsplash. The tiny holes, cracks, and crevices of the uneven texture act like magnets for grease, liquids, crumbs, and dust. A quick wipe down? Forget about it. You'll need special tools, like a stiff-bristled brush or even a vacuum, to de-gunk these deep nooks.

The rugged surface of brick and stone isn't the only challenge. If your backsplash has grout lines, get ready for another cleaning headache. Grout also attracts dirt because it's porous. You can try cleaning it with a toothbrush and grout cleaner, but who has the time or patience for that? Not to mention, repeatedly scrubbing the surface with harsh cleaners also wears down the grout over time, making the backsplash look old and discolored.

If cleaning isn't your favorite hobby, don't worry. There are plenty of creative backsplash ideas for your kitchen that are both beautiful and easy to clean. Laminate tiles are one of them. They may not have the same rugged charm as stone, but they are low maintenance. A quick wipe with a damp cloth and mild soap is all you need to clean this backsplash. Plus, laminate tiles come in all kinds of patterns and colors, even some that mimic the look of brick or stone. It's also one of the most budget-friendly options, so your wallet will thank you, too.

For something more upscale, consider a granite slab backsplash. Once sealed, it is smooth and non-porous, which means no tiny cracks or grout to trap food stains. Granite is also heat resistant, so it can handle all the splatters from your cooking experiment without breaking a sweat. Cleaning is as simple as a swipe with a sponge. Further, the natural patterns in the stone give your kitchen a polished look. Granite is one of the pricier backsplashes, but its easy maintenance and durability make it worth every penny.

Ceramic tile backsplashes are a classic of kitchen design. They are available in countless colors, sizes, and styles to create anything from a timeless subway tile look to a bold, colorful mosaic. Ceramic backsplashes are also super simple to clean. Just use your favorite all-purpose solution to make them shine. You might need to use a cleaning hack to tackle the dirty grout lines, but that's nothing compared to the nightmare of brick or stone.