When it comes to cleaning your granite countertops, don’t bother purchasing overpriced cleaning solutions. The five items you need to disinfect your granite countertops and keep your granite germ-free are likely in your home already!
Before You Start
Before you get started, it is important to make sure that your granite countertops are properly sealed. Stone countertops should be resealed every 2-4 years. How do you know when it’s time? Spills become harder to wipe up and water droplets no longer form beads. Once your countertops are protected with sealant, they will be better armed to protect against natural wear and tear from appropriate cleaning supplies.
The Items You’ll Need to Disinfect Granite Countertops
You only need five household items to disinfect your granite countertops: water, dish soap, isopropyl alcohol, a soft cloth, and a spray bottle. All of these items can be purchased from your local grocery, home improvement store, or online retailer (like Amazon).
The first step involves mixing your cleaning solution. Combine two tablespoons of isopropyl alcohol and a few drops of dish soap in a new spray bottle, then fill the remainder of the bottle with warm water. You can always add an equal number of additional isopropyl tablespoons and drops of dish soap – we suggest starting small so as not to overpower a weaker sealant.
Harmful Ingredients
Make sure that your dish soap does not contain any harmful ingredients, like bleach, ammonia, or citric acid. These chemicals are also found in products like Clorox, Windex, Pledge, Formula 409, and Lysol – they wear down the sealant on granite and other natural stones at a significantly higher rate than other cleaning chemicals. Acidic cleansers and items like vinegar have the same dulling effect on granite.
Let’s Get Started
Fortunately, it takes little time to whip up this simple disinfecting solution. Ideally, you want to clean your spills as quickly as possible – the faster you clean your counters, the less time germs have to penetrate pores in the granite via weak spots in the sealant.
A soft, microfiber cloth is your best option for disinfecting granite countertops. More abrasive scrubbers like sponges and steel wool are likely to scratch the stone. For stains, allow your countertops to absorb the cleaning solution for 2-3 minutes before you wipe them clean. If you’re dealing with a particularly messy spill, wring your cloth out in clean water several times to prevent the spread of dirt, food particles, or grease.
It’s Time to Rinse
After you’ve completed an initial scrub, rinse the granite countertops with water to remove any excess soap and dry them with the clean side of the microfiber cloth. Voila – your clean kitchen counters are now ready for your next culinary endeavor!
Store Bought Options
If you’re in a hurry, granite cleaning solutions are usually fine to use. Make sure that they do not contain any of the harmful chemicals we described. Prevention is the best way to avoid bacteria-ridden granite countertops. A large cutting board is your best friend when it comes to preparing food – particularly uncooked meat.
That being said, it is good practice to disinfect your countertops even if you diligently used your cutting board. After all, harmful bacteria are naked to the human eye. Forming a habit of disinfecting your granite countertops will preserve their quality and save you money in the long run!