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Who else loves the look of brand new butcher block countertops? The natural wood gives a rich, cozy feel to a kitchen. But I've always wondered how these beauties hold up over time. Among folks who actually installed butcher block counters in their home, opinions tend to be sharply divided. After several years of heavy use, some call them a "disaster" while others have grown to love them even more over time. This polarization of opinion is related a number of factors: installation, type of surface treatment, and the level of care their owners are prepared to lavish on them.

What People Like About Butcher Block Countertops

Appearance is mentioned again and again as an enormous advantage of butcher block countertops. The wood complements every kitchen style and tends to grow deeper-colored and more attractive with the passing years. (NOTE: Because of the darkening as the wood develops a patina, choose a lighter color than you hope to end up with, when installing butcher block counters.)

Butcher block is often praised as "warm." This adjective does not apply only to its appearance, but also to its physical temperature. It is a very pleasant surface to work on, even in the depths of winter.

These countertops are equally easy on the ears -- they're sound-absorbent -- and on your dishes. If in the midst of hectic holiday meal prep, you slam down or drop your favorite ceramic platter onto butcher block, it's not likely to break as it would on, say, tile or quartz.

What's more, the smooth wood is fantastic for large-scale baking tasks like rolling pastry or kneading bread dough in quantity.

Perhaps best of all, butcher block countertops are easy to install and even to make yourself. Even if you order them from a contractor, they are very affordable.

What They Hate

Let's put it bluntly: butcher block requires a lot of maintenance.

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Butcher block countertops: how do they hold up?

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The Ebola virus travels from person to person through direct contact with infected body fluids. But how long can the virus survive on glass surfaces or countertops? How long can it live in wastewater when liquid wastes from a patient end up in the sewage system? In an article published Dec. 9 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, Kyle Bibby of the University of Pittsburgh reviews the latest research to find answers to these questions.

He and his co-investigators didn't find many answers.

"The World Health Organization has been saying you can put (human waste) in pit latrines or ordinary sanitary sewers and that the virus then dies," says Bibby, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering in Pitt's Swanson School of Engineering. "But the literature lacks evidence that it does. They may be right, but the evidence isn't there."

Bibby and colleagues from Pitt and Drexel University explain that knowing how long the deadly pathogen survives on surfaces, in water, or in liquid droplets is critical to developing effective disinfection practices to prevent the spread of the disease. Currently, the World Health Organization guidelines recommend to hospitals and health clinics that liquid wastes from patients be flushed down the toilet or disposed of in a latrine. However, Ebola research labs that use patients' liquid waste are supposed to disinfect the waste before it enters the sewage system. Bibby's team set out to determine what research can and can't tell us about these practices.

The researchers scoured scientific papers for data on how long the virus can live in the environment. They found a dearth of published studies on the matter. That means no one knows for sure whether the virus can survive on a surface and cause infection or how long it remains active in water, wastewater, or sludge. The team concluded that Ebola's persistence outside the body needs more careful investigation.

To that end, Bibby recently won a $110,000 National Science Foundation grant to explore the issue. His team will identify surrogate viruses that are physiologically similar to Ebola and study their survival rates in water and wastewater. The findings of this study will inform water treatment and waste-handling procedures in a timely manner while research on the Ebola virus is still being conducted.

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The above story is based on materials provided by University of Pittsburgh. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Care & Maintenance of Laminate by Brand

To clean the surface, use a damp cloth or sponge and a mild soap or detergent. Difficult stains such as coffee or tea can be removed using a mild household cleaner/detergent and a soft bristle brush, repeating as necessary. If a stain persists, use a paste of baking soda and water and apply with a soft bristled brush. Light scrubbing for 10 to 20 strokes should remove most stains.

Although baking soda is a low abrasive, excessive scrubbing or exerting too much force could damage the decorative surface, especially if it has a gloss finish. Drain cleaners containing lye will permanently damage any Wilsonart Laminate surface. If you spill a drain cleaner, wipe it up immediately and rinse several times with water. Hair, textile and food dyes can cause permanent stains. If dye should happen to spill, wipe it up immediately with dishwashing detergent or an all-purpose cleaner.

Never place pots or dishes directly from the oven or burner on an unprotected laminate surface; such extreme heat can cause cracking or blistering. Do not work with oven cleaners on an unprotected countertop. Wipe spills away promptly and rinse several times with water. Rust removers contain harsh chemicals which will quickly cause permanent damage. If a spill occurs, wipe off all residue immediately, wash thoroughly with soapy water and rinse several times.

Toilet bowl cleaners contain harsh chemicals that can cause permanent damage. If spills occur, wipe up immediately, wash surface with soapy water and rinse several times. Steel wool and other abrasive pads will damage Wilsonart Laminate. Dont use them for cleaning and dont store steel wool pads on your countertop; the metal can rust and leave stains. Should you need help with an unusual problem, please call us at 858-693-0228.

Formica brand laminate is designed for beauty and durability. Like any surfacing materials, however, it can be damaged by abuse and carelessness. When you use it where recommended and care for it properly, it will give you years of satisfaction.

PROTECTING THE SURFACEBefore selecting the surface material, consider the type of use it will receive, as well as its texture, color, and reflective values. A rough-textured surface has different advantages, depending upon use, than a smooth-textured surface. High gloss finish laminates, for example, are not recommended for use in heavy-duty applications such as countertops.

Scratch and Impact ProtectionFormica brand laminate is resistant to scratches and impacts under normal use conditions. Use cutting boards, chopping blocks, or other protective surfaces.

Use place mats, doilies, and trivets on laminate surfaces when necessary.

Follow recommendations for cleaning do not use abrasive cleaners, powders, steel wool, sandpaper, or Scotch-Brite scouring pads (see Cleaning section).

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