Best way to clean your granite countertop
Keeping your granite countertops clean on a regular basis is a great way to prevent stains and bacterial growth whether your granite countertops are in the kitchen, bathroom, office, or elsewhere. Edmonton granite suppliers are a great resource for learning how to keep granite countertops clean, and we have great suggestions for natural do-it-yourself cleaning solutions, without the use of harsh chemicals.
Before we start, consider as a preventative measure, cleaning up spills immediately. If anything is caked on, place a warm damp cloth on the debris and then remove it when soft. A simple soapy dishcloth is enough to wipe away most spills before they have a chance to set in.
The first thing you want to find out is if your granite countertop is sealed. Granite, unlike quartz or marble, is a natural stone that is not manufactured and therefore contains no built-in protection from liquids and bacteria. Granite, as a rock, is porous, and without being sealed granite will absorb any liquids placed on its surface. Most manufacturers will seal the granite before selling the stone, especially when you visit a local Edmonton granite supplier like K & J’s Custom Granite. Granite used for the home or office should always be sealed due to the environment they will be used in, such as the kitchen, bathroom, or boardroom (coffee spills!). A quick way to test if your granite is sealed is to place a drop of water on the surface and wait a few minutes. If the drop remains on the surface, the granite is sealed. If it soaks into the surface, the granite is not sealed or needs to be sealed, or resealed. Granite should be resealed every two years to maintain its stain resistance and reduce permanent marks.
What you will need
- A clean bucket or spray bottle containing no prior cleaning chemicals
- Two microfiber cloths or similar non-abrasive cloth that is designed to prevent scratches
- Rubbing alcohol, dish soap, or another soft pH-balanced (pH of 7) cleaner
Create your homemade granite countertop cleaning formula
Even though sealed Granite is incredibly durable, acids or alkaline solutions can eat away at the surface, making resealing sooner a necessity and risking staining the granite over time. Ensure that you find a cleaning product that is neither acid nor alkaline, which is considered a neutral pH solution. A pH of 7 is what you are looking for. Dish soap is generally pH neutral. Rubbing alcohol is also pH neutral and is very good at handling stains and is also a disinfectant.
First, combine three parts cleaning solution (dish soap, for example) with one part standard rubbing alcohol. Then mix about three to five parts very warm water to one part of your mixed cleaning solution. Either use a spray bottle or bucket to hold your solution. We recommend you use a spray bottle so you can store the leftover homemade solution for later use. Make sure you don’t use scalding hot water for obvious safety reasons.
Next, take out your microfiber cloth, or other non-abrasive cloth, as you will use this to clean and wipe down the surface of the granite countertop. DO NOT use abrasive scrubbers or cloths, no matter how stuck on the debris are. Abrasive products can quickly scratch and wear down the surface of granite countertops, causing even more of a chance for future stains to set into your granite. We want to treat the sealed surface with care to extend its life.
Soak your first cloth in the solution and start using that elbow grease to wipe down the entire countertop (keep your second cloth dry!). Do not simply clean the area that appears to have spills, as you may not be able to pick up with your eye hard to see spills, stains, or debris in other areas.
Once done, use your second cloth as a buffing and drying cloth. Using a dry cloth will allow you to wipe of any streaks left behind by the cleaning solution and give your granite countertop a nice shine.
That’s it! Enjoy your cleaned, disinfected granite countertop.
For more cleaning advice, or cleaning advice for quartz or marble, please check out our other blogs on the K & J’s Custom Granite website.
