Q. I have a shaila for you. We are moving into a condo previously owned by a non jew.It could be close to a year vacant as the owner went into a nursing home many months ago.We are going to redo the kitchen but in the meantime what do we do with formica countertops? Can they koshered ( they can as per the CRC website) or do we have to cover them?
A. Not only cRc but OU also permits. Star K and COR however, do not. Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l (quoted by Halachos of Pesach p. 140) maintains that one should not kasher formica countertops for Pesach use.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that you can kasher (since it is not for Pesach use.)
To kasher wait 24 hours after last use, clean the countertops well especially on the joints and then pour boiling water from a still connected electric kettle (leave some water in the kettle.) The Rov also recommends not to place hot food directly on the counter but rather, as it is anyway usually done, on a plate or a mat.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
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