If you’ve just had your kitchen or bathroom redone and installed brand new granite counter tops, you may have questions on how to maintain your new counter surface. First, it’s important to understand that cleaning a granite counter top is different than cleaning all other counter surfaces. You don’t need any special heavy duty cleaners for granite counter tops, but there are specific do’s and don’ts of how to properly clean a granite counter top.
DO make sure your granite counter top is sealed. To test, leave a few drops of water on the surface. If it beads up, it is sealed. If it soaks in the granite, then it’s time to get it sealed!
DON’T use abrasive or harsh cleaners and sponges, Windex, acidic cleaners like vinegar, lime, lemon or anything with ammonia or bleach. Frequent use of products such as these weakens the sealant over time and can cause your counter tops to fade or erode.
DO wipe up spills immediately. Use warm water and dish soap with a microfiber cloth for daily wipe downs. Hot water and dish soap should be sufficient enough for daily sanitizing. While there are “granite-safe cleansers” out there, you don’t have to buy any special cleanser for granite cleansing. There are simple, cheaper alternative ways that do the trick just fine!
- Step 1: Wet a dish cloth with warm, soapy water.
- Step 2: Wipe down the granite counter top.
- Step 3: Dry with a microfiber cloth to avoid streaking.
- Step 4: Shine and disinfect with a water and isopropyl alcohol solution: To restore shine and remove soap residue, mix together a 50/50 solution of water and 91% isopropyl alcohol. Spray the solution onto the granite and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, rinse with water and re-dry again with a clean microfiber cloth.
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