Q: Fingerprints and smudges are a huge pet peeve of mine. Are there any surfaces or colors that help hide fingerprints? 

A: Unfortunately, there’s only way to completely avoid fingerprints and smudges on your countertops: Don’t use them. Even if you live in a household without children, you’re likely to find the occasional smudge or print. Regular wipe downs with soft clothes are the best way to tackle prints. However, that being said, there are some things you can keep in mind when choosing your countertop that may help you reduce the visual annoyance of fingerprints. 

First of all, if you’re looking for a countertop surface that will hide fingerprints, it’s probably best to avoid darker colors. Dirt, grime, and fingerprints tend to be more visible on darker color stone. 

The finish you choose makes a difference as well. Many think that a matte, or honed, finish will help the situation since a matte sheen doesn’t reflect light. However the opposite is true. A matte finish will show more fingerprints than a polished or glossy surface. Lighter colors won’t show as much as darker stone shades, but dark honed surfaces are probably the worst for showing grime and prints. 

Leathered finishes, also known as brushed finishes, are a bit better at hiding fingerprints than honed finishes. But again, it can be worse for darker colors—
and, ironically, leathered finishes tend to look best on darker granites. A leathered surface usually has a soft sheen to it, but it is much less shiny than the glossy look of a polished slab. Note: if you’re perusing our online inventory for leathered finishes, we label them as “brushed.” Brushed is the technical term, but some think “leathered” sounds more exotic and intriguing. 

Depending on the stone, sometimes a glossy countertop finish does a better job of hiding marks like fingerprint smudges. Most prints come from grease, which has a sheen similar to that of a glossy surface. So this helps greasy prints blend right in. They are still there, but you might not see them as much. 

When in doubt, test it out. Don’t be afraid to try out the material with a showroom sample. Take it home. See how it looks in your light. Make some greasy fingerprints and experiment with cleaning. This will help you gauge the situation. Our sales team at Marble & Granite, Inc. will be glad to show you which natural stone surfaces they recommend for your project. Give us a call at 877-39-STONE.