Looking for the best granite countertop cleaner for your granite kitchen countertops? With the popularity of granite kitchen countertops, so have many specialty granite countertop cleaners been introduced. Some say they will help prevent stains from soaking into the granite. Others claim to be best at the removal of tough stains.
First of all, granite is one of the harder and denser natural countertop materials. It is very rare that it will scratch or stain at all. So I find it laughable that these granite cleansers are often marketed as though granite stained as easily as white synthetic laminate countertops.
Though many people swear by this or that specialty granite countertop cleaner, we maintain that cleaning and maintaining a granite countertop is simpler than deciding on a commercially prepared granite countertop cleaner.
The hardness and density of granite are some of the things that make it such a suitable material for countertops, along with the aesthetics of the beautiful designs in the granite itself. Granite countertops can last generations upon generations with very little maintenance. The amount of cleaning and maintenance that is required to properly maintain a granite countertop may surprise you.
The best granite countertop cleaner is simply warm water and dish soap. If you require extra stain or odor removal power, then try a mixture of white vinegar and warm water. Use one part white vinegar for each two parts of warm or hot water. The disinfectant powers of vinegar are amazing, and will keep your countertops safe for food preparation.
Using soap, water and vinegar to care for your granite countertops is a safe and natural way to keep your family safe from germs, as they do not contain any harmful chemicals like so many of the commercially prepared granite countertop cleaners out there. Not only are soap and water simpler to use, but they are natural and completely non-toxic. This should be no small consideration when it comes to areas for food preparation.
Soap, water and vinegar are non-toxic, readily available and very inexpensive when compared to the cost of prepared granite countertop cleaners. Do your pocketbook, the environment and your family’s food preparation areas a favor, and stick with these simple granite countertop cleaners.
Though it is very unlikely that you will ever have to deal with a scratch in your granite countertop, you can use a very fine steel wool to diminish the appearance of the scratch. This is a simple, yet effective way to make scratches seemingly disappear.
And if you need something more abrasive, try one of the gentlest, yet most effective soaps out there: borax. This stuff is so gentle even those with extremely sensitive skin can use it, yet granular such that it scrubs out the toughest stains with the smallest amount of elbow grease.
As long as you wash your granite countertop regularly with warm water and dish soap, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about any additional maintenance or treatment procedures.
