With its aesthetic streak and gleaming surface, granite countertop may be the fanciest appliance in your kitchen. Apart from enhancing the quality of your kitchen decoration, granite countertops are also durable for usage and resistant to heat. Unfortunately, a spilled BBQ sauce may leave a red stain on your beautiful granite countertop or the water […]
With its aesthetic streak and gleaming surface, granite countertop may be the fanciest appliance in your kitchen. Apart from enhancing the quality of your kitchen decoration, granite countertops are also durable for usage and resistant to heat. Unfortunately, a spilled BBQ sauce may leave a red stain on your beautiful granite countertop or the water scales just refuse to be wiped away. The good news is, Sparkling and Beyond knows the cleaning secrets and we are going to share them with you. Once you know how to take care of your granite countertop, it will be shiny again in no time.
Before you start cleaning, it is important to keep some cleaning no-nos in mind. Granite countertops should not be polished with any acid-based cleaners like vinegar, lemon, orange as well as bleach. These cleaning products will damage the sealant on the surface of your granite. Since the sealant can prevent any liquid from penetrating into the granite, without the protection of such sealer, there will be stains stucking in your granite countertop and they are hard to be seen.
Cleaning granite countertops does not require something complicated. You simply need a cloth, a bowl of dish soap solution and a hand towel. To clean the countertop, dampen the cloth with the dish soap mix and wipe away any stains and other dirt on the counter surface. Next, rinse the surface to remove any soap residue. Finally, quickly wipe the surface dry with the hand towel and the cleaning is done. If you want your countertops to be disinfected, you can make a solution of isopropyl alcohol and warm water with equal portions and pour it into spray. Sprinkle the mixture all over the countertop and wait for 2 to 3 minutes before wiping the countertop with a cloth. This process of disinfection can also recover the granite’s beautiful gloss.
If you encounter more obstinate oily stains that cannot be wiped off by soapy cloth, you need baking soda to do the job. You need to make a baking soda paste as the cleaner first. Mix the baking soda and water with the portion of 3 to 1 to form the paste. After this, spread the paste on the stains to cover them for several hours. Finally, wipe off the paste with a soapy cloth.
If the water you usually use in the house is “hard water”, chances are, there may be water stains piling up on your countertop from time to time.
Hard water means the mineral level in the water is high. If this kind of water is left on the countertop, the water will evaporate but the minerals will stay and pile up.
Also, when you deep clean the countertop with soap, the minerals in the water will mix with the soap and create a layer of soap scum on the surface.
These are the two sources of the water stains on your precious granite countertop. If these stains are not cleaned properly, they will cover the shine of your granite.
The water stains are usually cleaned by acid-based cleaners as the acid can dissolve the mineral. However, granite countertops cannot be cleaned by acidic products as we mentioned earlier.
Therefore, baking soda is a perfect candidate to handle this situation. The deep cleaning method we provided earlier already contains measures to prevent the piling up of water stains.
For example, rising the countertop surface to remove soap residue can effectively prevent soap scum from building up. Also, wiping dry the counter with a hand towel can also get rid of water leftover so that the mineral in the water will not stay on the counter when the water evaporates.
If the water stains have gathered and become scales you can use the baking soda to solve this problem.
Firstly, make the baking soda paste the same as the procedure before. Blend the baking soda and water with the portion of 3 to 1 to create the paste.
After this, spread the paste on the water spots and scrape off the stains with a soft brush before rinse the area again and wipe the counter dry with a microfiber rag.
Conclusion
Granite countertops may be the prettiest decoration in our kitchen. Therefore, it is important to keep it spotless and shiny to impress your guests. Cleaning the granite countertops is relatively easy as you only need soap and baking soda to polish them. Remember to keep the water and soap scum off the countertop as they will create water scales. Hope these tips can make your granite as glossy as new. Want more cleaning tips? Visit our website sparklingandbeyond.com for more articles or dial 415-966-1101 to book our amazing cleaning services today!
As the admin of Sparkling & Beyond, I bring a wealth of knowledge and passion for excellence in the cleaning industry. With years of experience in providing top-notch cleaning solutions, I am dedicated to sharing valuable insights and tips to help maintain pristine and healthy living environments. My mission is to ensure every home and office we service sparkles with cleanliness and comfort.