Our survey of countertop picks among our readers shown that an overwhelming majority of you've laminate in the kitchen. Laminate is a manmade, composite material made of paper or alternative substances bonded at high heat and pressure between plastic or resins. It is inexpensive, mass-produced, and extremely adaptable. But how can you clean it?

Laminate isn't the most exciting of kitchen surfaces. It is not terribly durable, as distintegrates over time, spots, and it splits. It doesn't stand up well to high heat, and you can easily make scorch marks burning away the top layer to reveal the wood below. (Laminate is just a very, very thin top layer glued onto inexpensive plywood or MDF.)

One nice thing about laminate, however, is that it is really quite easy to wash!

My own white marble countertops are the ugliest ones I've ever seen; they have a raised texture that's sort of like skin that is old or awful faux leather. I haven't any idea precisely what the people who set this kitchen in were believing. Therefore I utilize a scrub brush to wash up after kneading dough or serious baking. It is the only real way to get the texture really clean; otherwise dehydrated flecks of dough will just linger. For lighter cleanup I just use very hot water, a sponge, and possibly a touch of dish soap.