Table of Contents

  • Homemade Granite Cleaner That's Safety For Your Countertop
  • What You lot Need To Make Granite Cleaner at Domicile
  • The Best Means to Properly Make clean Your Granite Countertops
  • How to Protect Granite Counters
  • What Non to Use For Granite Cleaner
  • The Importance of Proper Granite Countertop Care
  • Contact United states if You Need New Granite Countertops

Granite kitchen countertops are an appealing choice for many homeowners. If you're looking for a beautiful countertop material, granite is a great pick. In addition to its skillful looks, granite is renowned for its exceptional durability and relatively minor maintenance requirements over time. The material easily withstands high temperatures and resists most types of stains when information technology's properly sealed.

While granite has a lot to offering, it likewise has a few shortcomings. As with any countertop cloth, granite can show signs of wear and tear over fourth dimension — especially when it isn't properly maintained. If it's unsealed or poorly sealed, granite can absorb liquids such as wine, oil, and water. Although it can be expensive to reseal granite countertops once a year, doing so can significantly extend the countertop's life and appearance.

Likewise resealing, regular countertop cleaning keeps granite countertops shiny and minimizes clay, grime, and bacteria buildup. However, the specialty granite countertop cleaners sold in stores can exist quite expensive, forcing homeowners to use them sparingly. A homemade granite cleaner is a great way to go along your countertops looking their all-time without breaking the bank. In fact, there's a growing interest in DIY or homemade granite cleaning solutions, and for skilful reasons. Let's explore some of the best — and worst — ways to clean your elegant granite countertops.

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Bootleg Granite Cleaner That's Safe For Your Countertop

Ultimately, making your own cleaning solution can be a fun and rewarding process when done correctly. Bootleg granite cleaner is easy to make and tin can save you money in the long run. Here are some reasons why you should endeavour making your ain cleaner:

ingredients to make homemade granite cleaner
  • Information technology has all-natural ingredients: For starters, nigh homemade cleaners are made with a handful of mutual household materials such as dish lather and rubbing alcohol. Some store-bought granite countertop cleaners have harsh chemicals that can harm yous and your indoor air quality. When you brand your own cleaners, y'all know what's going into them. You can trust the ingredients are safe and natural.
  • It's easy to brand: If you're thinking about making your own homemade granite counter cleaner, you'll be relieved to know that most homemade recipes are quite uncomplicated and straightforward. In fact, in that location's a good run a risk yous already have what you need to whip up your first recipe. You can even customize the recipe to suit your needs, such as adding more or less booze or adding several drops of essential oil for a more pleasant olfactory property.
  • Information technology's inexpensive: Bootleg solutions are an affordable alternative to traditional granite cleaners, which can set you dorsum several dollars per ounce. Instead of spending coin on expensive ingredients, you tin usually use materials that yous already have to make homemade cleaner.
  • Information technology can effectively clean your countertops: Since the ingredients in homemade countertop cleaners are natural and safety, they'll remove the stains from your countertops without leaving stains of their own.

What You Need To Make Granite Cleaner at Domicile

Everything yous'll need to make homemade granite cleaner is probable already in your house. Although many recipes suggest adding in essential oils, you lot can get out them out if desired. Regardless of which recipe you utilize, yous'll desire to have a relatively large, 12-16 ounce spray canteen on mitt for like shooting fish in a barrel application. Here are 2 ways you can make granite cleaner at home.

Recipe ane: Ingredients

Collect these ingredients from your kitchen or hallway closet:

  • ane/four cup booze — rubbing or cheap vodka
  • 3 drops of dish or Castile soap
  • Water
  • 5-ten drops of your favorite essential oil

Recipe 1: Step-past-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to make your granite cleaner recipe:

  1. Outset by pouring the alcohol into the spray bottle, followed by the dish soap.
  2. Add together several drops of essential oil.
  3. Fill the rest of the bottle upwards with water.
  4. Shake to combine the ingredients.

Recipe 2: Ingredients

Some other recipe uses almost the aforementioned ingredients but in slightly different amounts:

  • ane/2 cup rubbing alcohol
  • 2 cups of water
  • half-dozen-viii drops dish soap
  • 3-4 drops scented oil, optional

Recipe two: Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to brand this 2d blazon of granite countertop cleaner:

  1. Start by calculation the rubbing alcohol kickoff, followed past the water and dish soap.
  2. So, add in several drops of scented oil if you're using it. Y'all may demand to add a fleck more than or less depending on personal preference.
  3. Once all the ingredients are in the bottle, simply shake vigorously to mix them together, and you're ready to clean!

How to Clean Granite Countertops

Afterwards finding an ideal combination of ingredients, spray the mixture onto your countertops and wipe the area clean using a soft dry out cloth. Most materials are sufficient, but many homeowners prefer microfiber for its rapid absorption. If the surface is taking a long time to dry, endeavor buffing it with a dry out cloth to speed upwards the process. Yous tin can also use a archetype sponge to mop up any remaining wet.

Although these ingredients work well for cleaning and sanitizing, your granite countertops may need a chip more care to make them truly sparkle. A water and isopropyl alcohol solution is an fantabulous pick for shining and disinfecting fifty-fifty the dirtiest surfaces. An effective solution contains equal parts water and isopropyl booze. Simply mix the ingredients together and spray them onto the granite surface. Let it sit down for iii to 5 minutes, rinse the area dry out, and promptly dry it with a clean microfiber cloth.

Cleaning Other Surfaces

Now that you've made your own cleaning solution, you're probably wondering if it will work on other surfaces around the business firm. It'southward a prophylactic bet to utilize on most surfaces and appliances, specially considering homemade granite cleaners are gentle and effectively make clean upwardly crud and dirt in most settings. They're likewise safe plenty for marble and other calcareous stones, which don't practice well with acidic ingredients.

The All-time Ways to Properly Clean Your Granite Countertops

After you find the right balance of ingredients for your natural granite cleaner, you'll as well need to know how to properly clean granite countertops. Wiping down these rock surfaces is a quick and simple process that you'll chief in no time.

It's all-time to avert the following products to successfully clean your granite countertops without damaging them:

  • Household cleaners: Avoid harsh, acidic cleaners and abrasive materials. Over time, these chemicals and materials tin can habiliment away the surface, making your countertops more prone to staining. Even though bleach won't harm granite, it's best to dilute it if you lot want to utilize it to clean your countertops.
  • Bath cleaners: Many bath or tile cleaners take abrasive substances that scratch and dull the granite's surface.
  • Other household products: Diverse substances and toiletries, such every bit cooking oils, nail products, creams, and lotions, tin can stain your granite's surface, even if the chapeau is on and the product is kept on the countertop for an extended period.

Well-nigh general household cleaners are safe to utilise on granite, but opting for gentle and non-annoying options can keep your counters make clean and unharmed. Afterward because which products are harmful to the surface of your countertops, follow some of these uncomplicated all-time practices for cleaning granite countertops and maintaining their sparkle and shine:

  • Wipe up spills immediately: Basic intendance, such as cleaning up spills as presently as possible, is essential. Spills can mar the surface, potentially leading to dark or tedious spots. Clean up spills with warm h2o and balmy dish soap. Wipe down any bit of wetness on the countertop with a dry out material immediately to go along cruddy water streaks at bay. Depending on the countertop's overall status and level of dirtiness, y'all may need to repeat the process more than once.
  • Clean your surfaces regularly: Keeping up with various daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning regimens can boost your countertop'southward advent and prolong its life. At the end of each day — or sooner, if your countertop is especially messy — catch a sponge or dishcloth and some hot water. Utilize your favorite homemade granite cleaner to spray down any parts that look especially dirty, then wipe away the solution with a dry cloth. Not only will this proceed your countertops in pristine condition, only it also helps to disinfect and protect them.
  • Scrub stubborn stains weekly: For sufficient weekly cleaning, clear off the countertop infinite so you tin can reach even those tougher spots. Spray the granite cleaner over the whole surface and along the edges, where crumbs tend to collect over time. Yous can besides take this opportunity to clean up the dust and debris accumulated in other parts of the kitchen, such every bit your appliances and containers.

How to Protect Granite Counters

Granite is a relatively durable countertop cloth, resistant to rut and other elements you'd find in the kitchen. Nevertheless, since it'south porous, liquids tin stain the surface if they've been sitting for a long time. Information technology can as well go scratched when you use precipitous objects on them. Besides cleaning the countertops often, a few other ways to keep your countertops in the best shape include using:

  • Coasters: Coasters prevent mugs, glasses, and other objects from dripping condensation onto your granite's surface. They also provide a buffer confronting scratches and other article of clothing and tear. Although granite is generally resistant to scratches, it won't hurt to give your precious countertop an extra layer of protection.
  • Cutting boards: Granite is durable enough to handle chopping, cutting, and preparing food direct on its surface. But granite is as well difficult enough that it will rapidly dull and ruin your kitchen knives. Proceed the other working elements of your kitchen in proficient shape by using a cut board.
  • Oil dishes: Continue bottles, like olive oils, that sit down on the counters on a decorative dish or plate. Since these containers tend to leak or drip, keeping them on a dish will reduce the chance of them staining the countertops.

Using proper cleaning practices and products keeps your countertops looking skillful, only fifty-fifty the most demanding cleaning regimen tin't preclude harm that occurs due to improper sealing. Despite what some experts might advise, it's not always necessary to seal your granite countertops at the end of each year. The rock's assimilation rate, and the type and quality of any granite sealer you've previously used, plays a vital role in determining how often you lot'll need to reseal your countertops.

How well the initial sealer was applied and whether the countertops have been damaged by harsh cleaners or cleaning products also have an affect. The best style to decide whether the countertop requires resealing is to bank check for signs of liquid assimilation. One obvious sign of a weakened surface is a darker advent around the sink, which suggests that h2o is seeping into the granite.

When it'south fourth dimension to reseal, consider using a loftier-quality product that can protect the surface for years to come. Some of the cheaper products may wear down faster, requiring more than frequent replacement. If you don't know if your granite is sealed, outset by dropping a scrap of water onto the surface. The h2o will either bead, significant that the countertop is sealed correctly, or information technology volition soak into the stone and indicate that you lot need a new seal.

What Not to Employ For Granite Cleaner

Using the wrong type of product or cleaning supplies may quickly harm your granite countertops, potentially leaving them in worse shape than when you started. In some cases, the damage might be relatively minor, but if information technology'south bad plenty, information technology tin lead to a costly repair. Avert using the following products:

  • Acidic or citrus: One of the biggest offenders in natural granite countertop cleaners is citrus or acidic products such as vinegar. Over fourth dimension, these materials slow the granite'due south appearance and cease.
  • Commercial cleaners: You should as well stay away from Windex or similar products. In near cases, a product like this is too harsh for granite and can remove the rock's valuable seal, making information technology more than prone to buildup of dirt, crud, and bacteria.
  • Water: It may seem harmless, just water is likewise problematic when used on its ain or in larger quantities. This substance tends to leave streaks behind, temporarily smudging your countertop's beautiful surface. Nonetheless, dissimilar acidic substances, water-related streaking is normally reversible. If yous accidentally spill h2o on the countertop or observe that yous need to get rid of water streaks, merely mix together a small corporeality of alcohol and a few drops of soap. Feel free to utilise whatever type of balmy soap that you accept on paw.

When yous brand them with the correct ingredients, natural granite countertop cleaners will clean and restore your countertops and keep the surfaces shiny — without leaving behind streaks or smudges. Don't be agape to experiment a bit when you're making your own solution for the first fourth dimension. It may take a few trial and mistake batches before you lot detect the recipe that works best for your kitchen.

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The Importance of Proper Granite Countertop Care

It'southward no secret that granite countertops are a significant investment for your kitchen. They're famous for their immovability, heat- and scratch-resistant properties, and overall toughness. You can also observe this textile in many different colors and textures to enhance your kitchen'south aesthetic. Granite is considered the oldest building material in the world and is widely used in kitchens, stairs, thresholds, and other household spaces.

You'll want to take care of your granite countertops consistently to get the nigh out of your investment and avoid future replacements. Proper maintenance is crucial for extending the life of your countertops and maintaining their beauty for decades. When you lot remove the spills from the surface and practice safety precautions, yous can avoid staining or damaging them. As a consequence, you lot'll have a reliable countertop for cooking, preparing, and serving meals.

Knowing how to make the correct homemade granite cleaner can potentially save yous lots of time and money, as long every bit yous exercise it correctly. Retrieve to use natural granite countertop cleaners consistently. Steer clear of harmful ingredients, including vinegar and anything acidic, such as lemon juice. Sealing the surface once a year, or as needed, is also vital for granite countertop maintenance.

Contact Us if Yous Demand New Granite Countertops

At Lesher Natural Stone, Quartz, & Tile, we provide durable, long-lasting stone surfaces for homes in Central Pennsylvania. Now that you know how to brand your own homemade granite cleaner, visit our showroom to see how you can contain granite or like products into your kitchen! Contact us online or telephone call 1-717-944-4431 today to learn more about how to clean granite countertops and the products nosotros offer for your home.