Have you ever asked yourself if you are cleaning your kitchen countertops properly? When you think about it, your kitchen countertops are one of the most used surfaces in your house. It’s usually where you put your groceries and where you prepare your food.
Since anything you put on your kitchen countertops might finish in your stomach, it’s essential to have them properly cleaned. Here’s your expert guide to learn how to clean kitchen countertops
General Kitchen Countertops Cleaning Tools You Will Need
Depending on the material, your kitchen countertop could have a low or a high porosity level. This means that, if not properly cleaned, your kitchen countertop could be harbouring bacteria, which is why you should know how to clean kitchen countertops. To properly clean your kitchen countertop, you’re going to need the following basic cleaning products:
- Water
- Mild dish soap
- Cleansing cloths
Most kitchen countertops can be cleaned with some lukewarm water and a mild dish soap, although for stubborn stains, you could also need the following products:
- Kosher salt and lemon
- Glass cleaner
- Baking soda
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Plastic wrap and tape
How to Clean Marble and Granite Countertops
Since not all kitchen countertops are made the same, your cleaning technique should vary depending on the material you’re working with. Here’s what you need to know on how to clean marble and granite countertops :
- Marble and granite are on the porous side of kitchen countertops, which means that they can absorb more bacteria than other materials.
- This doesn’t mean that you should go all in with aggressive antibacterial products, which can damage the beautiful stone. Avoid acidic cleaning products at all costs.
- Cleaning marble and granite countertops with some mild soap and lukewarm water does just the trick to maintain a hygienic kitchen countertop surface.
How to Clean Quartz or Engineered Stone Countertops
Quartz and engineered stone countertops are highly durable. Contrarily to marble and granite, they’re non-porous, so they’re very easy to maintain. To clean them, you just need to use some lukewarm water and a mild soap.
Advice: just avoid using abrasive sponges.
How to Clean Stainless Steel Countertops
Stainless steel is extremely easy to clean. Just wipe it down with some water and mild soap. To avoid any scratches, use a microfiber towel when going over smudges, to maintain it for years to come.
How to Remove the Stains From Granite & Marble Countertops?
If you have granite or marble countertops, you shouldn’t use just any product to clean them. In fact, acidic products can leave burn stains on your beautiful granite or marble countertops, so you want to avoid those. Here’s how you can remove stains from granite and marble countertops:
- Mix some baking soda with lukewarm water.
- Let the paste rest on the stain for a few minutes.
- Gently scrub the stain with a microfiber cloth.
- Avoid scrubbing for too long, as this can damage the material.
- Rinse the area with warm water.
If a stain seems like it just won’t leave, apply some baking soda mixture on it, cover it with some plastic wrap and tape in to the surface. Leave it overnight, and gently scrub it the next day.
Advice : if the stain is water-based, you can try hydrogen peroxide, which is also a very effective cleaning product.
How to Remove Stains on Quartz and Engineered Stone Countertops?
Quartz and engineered stone kitchen countertops are usually extremely stain-resistant. However, if a particularly stubborn stain won’t come off the surface, apply some glass cleaner, and gently wipe it with a soft cloth.
Advice : If the stain is located int the grount between your kitchen tiles and your countertops, you can use grout cleaner.
How to Disinfect Countertops?
Using water and mild soap to clean your kitchen countertops is usually enough to keep your kitchen countertops hygienic and safe to use.
However, it’s important to note that this technique doesn’t always get rid of all types of viruses and bacteria, which is why it’s important to know how to disinfect countertops. The disinfecting technique can vary depending on the surface’s material.
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Granite: you can safely use bleach.
Advice : make sure to dilute the bleach with some warm water before using, and to rinse off the surface after disinfecting it.
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Marble and stainless steel: get a disinfecting spray that was made for these precise materials, and follow the directions.
Advice: avoid acidic products and bleach at all costs, to avoid leaving permanent marks.
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Quartz and engineered stone: dilute some rubbing alcohol with warm water and wipe the surface with a cleansing cloth.
Advice: use a fresh cloth to rinse the surface with water after disinfecting it.
How to Seal Countertops
Kitchen countertops materials are usually highly durable and need little maintenance. While quartz and stainless steel don’t require sealing, granite and marble do.
Sealing helps protect these materials against stains and scratches, and it makes them last longer. To know if your kitchen countertop needs a reseal, put some water on the surface, and observe if it disappears after a few minutes. If it does, spray some material-specific sealer on the countertops, following the bottle’s instructions.
Need advice on how to clean your kitchen countertops? Contact us, our experts will be happy to help.