How To Clean Granite Countertops

Soap? Ammonia? Glass Cleaners?

There is a lot of controversy on how to clean granite countertops among the stone specialists. Some say it's necessary to ALWAYS use a special granite cleaner, some say soap and water and others say to use glass cleaner.

Almost everyone agrees that harsh cleaning products are not the answer.

So how do you clean granite countertops? To start, use stone friendly cleaners. Soap and water does work. It's a safe, convenient, and inexpensive way to clean your countertops. But, problems in the future will occur.

What type of problems?

1. Soap scum. It's difficult if not impossible to rinse all of the soap suds off. Using soap and water will eventually lead to a soap build up. This is that dingy film that sits on your tops and makes them look dull and lifeless.


2. Soap and water will not bring out the luster and shine like a granite cleaner will.


3. And, with the darker stones, you'll be buffing your tops to remove streaks.

Plus, it's more work using soap & water! With stone cleaners - no rinsing required. With dish soap - lots and lots of rinsing needed!

We use stone friendly cleaners to clean our granite counter tops. There's no rinsing, no scum left behind and it's safe to use on ALL stones which means - No Worries.

In addition to stone, this cleaner cleans stainless appliances better than other stainless steel cleaners we've tried, it's great for getting rid of the grease on stainless steel hoods without streaking and it cleans mirrors.

And, if you need to thoroughly clean your tops or get rid of soap scum, use this deep cleaner. It safely removes soap film AND hard water deposits from stone.

What about glass cleaners? There are so many different brands of glass cleaner with varying ingredients that it's hard to know which ones are safe to use on stone.

Using a glass cleaner? Read the label. Is it safe for all granite, marble or limestone? What minerals are in your particular stone? Is it safe if your granite happens to be one which contains calcite? Granite cleaners are simple and safe to use on a day to day basis.

Cleaning products such as Lysol, 409, Magic Eraser and windex are not the answer. These products contain harsh chemicals which could cause damage to your stone.

For Example: Products containing ammonia tend to break down the sealer on granite quicker.

The harsher the cleaning product, the quicker the sealer breaks down, and the sooner it will need to be re-applied.

And products such as Lysol and Magic eraser will etch your marble or limestone quickly.

Great Rule Of Thumb - The cleaning products you use should only be strong enough to do the required task and no more. And, always call your professional stone supplier, installer or restoration specialist for problems that appear too difficult to treat yourself.

ADD Shine

ERASE Scratches

Get Rid of Mold & Mildew

REPAIR Etch Marks

Here's MORE Granite STUFF:

• Granite care guides for the cleaning care of natural stones.
• Step by step help on how to clean granite with granite cleaners.
• Do you know the Top 13 granite Myths? Get your granite facts here.