What cleaners will damage your granite countertops?
As we have mentioned before, granite is a natural stone, and being so, it needs some type of maintenance. Part of this maintenance is also cleaning the granite countertops. The thing however is that there are hundreds of cleaners in the market. So which one do you choose?
First of all let’s talk about what you should avoid on your granite countertops. Here’s a list of the stuff that’s an enemy of granite countertops:
- Ammonia
- Bleach
- Vinegar
- Grout Cleaners
- Bath tile cleaners
- Orange / orange juice
- Lemon / lemon juice
- Citrus cleaners
- Glass cleaners
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Disinfectants
What these cleaners tend to do is strip the sealer from granite. The sealer or sealant is what fills up the pores of your granite, so nothing gets inside, and cause damage. Once the sealer has weakened, the types of cleaners mentioned above will get in the stone, and eventually dull it.
Furthermore, here are some more cleaners that you should avoid on your granite countertops:
- Windex – it contains ingredients that can damage granite permanently. Windex can also cause pitting, by dulling the shine on the granite countertops
- Bleach – it can be extremely harsh on granite sealers, which will eventually degrade it. This could lead to staining on the surface
- Lysol lemon all-purpose cleaner – the acid in lemons is known to break down the sealer. As a matter of fact, you should avoid using any all-purpose cleaners
- Disinfecting wipes – the citric acid on the wipes will damage the sealant
Share
Also worth reading:
How to maintain a beautiful kitchen by sealing your countertops
Do you know how long granite has been around? Longer than you! Click here to learn 10 fun facts about granite and granite countertops! Counter Tops in Michigan
Today we take a look at whether it’s necessary to seal stone. While it is true that granite countertops are very durable, you still have to maintain them, and take care of them periodically, by cleaning, and also sealing them.