All Purpose Cleaning Sprays are not meant for All Surfaces especially Granite. That’s of course on the back of the bottle in the finest font that you can barely see. 🧐 What you can see over time however is the damage that the All Purpose spray has done. 😳
Granite is installed in kitchens and bathrooms with a high gloss applied to the stone to protect it from stains and heat, but it does not protect it from acidic items such as cutting limes for your margarita or red wine spills that have set overnight. Most of us know this part, but what we don’t know is that the cleaning solutions under our sink could be damaging the protective shiny coat on the counters.
How To Clean Granite
If you have hard water please don’t use it to clean the counters. Use a spray bottle filled with:
- 3 parts distilled water,
- 1 teaspoon of mild eco-friendly soap,
- 1 part rubbing alcohol.
- dry microfiber rag
Rubbing alcohol has antiseptic cleaning properties to disinfect the chicken juices that may spill while cooking dinner. But, it is also safe because the pH balance of 7.0 is the same pH level in water and won’t dull your granite.
f you notice your granite has become dull over time you should call a stone care Pro to reseal the surfaces. This will bring the gloss that wore off from abrasive cleaners over time and add the protection back to the granite.
Why Does My Granite Streak When I Clean It?
Granite streaks because a cleaner has dried on its surface. You want to spray and wipe it immediately! Using a dry microfiber rag, turning it a few times to basically buff it dry. Wet rags leave dry surfaces streaky.
Remember that although granite is shiny, it does need to be disinfected and not just polished. So before you go and look for that cleaner that promotes shiny new gloss to granite think about E.coli, Salmonella and the flu viruses. Then, spray to disinfect and wipe to buff out the stone’s sealants gloss.
If you have a stain that has set in (like red wine) we recommend using a baking soda and hot water solution combined to make a paste. Rub the paste into the stain in a circular motion until you see it lightening. If the stain is still there, call a professional to buff it out. If you aren’t able to do that (financially or otherwise), then simply move a decorative item to the stained area to hide the blemish.
How Not To Clean Granite
Windex, anything with bleach, or any so called All Purpose Chemical cleaner is too abrasive for the sealant applied to the granite.
We’ve been providing housecleaning in Behrens Ranch and Walsh Creek in RoundRock for over 10 years. The picture below is of our clients counters that we’ve helped maintain. She’s never had to reseal them because of our knowledge in how to care for them.
With proper maintenance your granite will stay shiny and streak-free for many years to come. You can be proud of the beautiful stone in your home!
Do you have questions about how to clean your granite countertops? I would love to hear from you! Please leave your question in the comments section below.
