Products You Shouldn’t Use on Granite Countertops in Phoenix, AZ

If you’re new to having granite countertops in Phoenix, AZ, you might be used to cleaning your counters with any type of cleaning solution you have around the house. It could be vinegar and baking soda, or any of those chemical cleaners you’ll find lining the aisles at supermarkets. However, it’s important to realize that granite is entirely different, meaning not just any type of cleaner is going to fly.

Granite, like other natural stones, is susceptible to damage that can be caused by many types of chemical cleaners and abrasive cleaners you have in your home. The more abrasive the cleaner, the more likely it is it will eat away at the sealant covering the stone, which makes your countertop more susceptible to stains and other types of damage.

Here’s a quick look at some specific products you should never use on granite:

• Bleach: It might seem to make sense to use bleach on your countertops in the sense that it is an extremely effective disinfectant. However, there are plenty of other ways you can disinfect your countertops without using a material as abrasive and potentially harmful as bleach, so avoid using any products that contain it.
• Glass cleaner: A lot of people take glass cleaning supplies like Windex and use it on their countertops. These are great products for removing fingerprints and leaving a shiny surface, but over time they can dull the surface of the stone in a manner that is patchy and uneven, which will very much harm the countertop’s aesthetic value and durability.
• Formula 409: This product and products like it are designed to disinfect surfaces and provide a nice shine to porcelain and ceramic. These products are not designed for stone surfaces, and can damage the surface of the granite. Just because you’re using the cleaner in a bathroom does not mean you should use it on your bathroom countertops.
• Vinegar or citrus cleaners: These types of products are extremely acidic, which means they can do some irreparable damage to the sealant of the granite.

Each one of these types of products can eat away at the sealant on your granite. While you can reseal your granite countertops, why spend all the time and money having to redo that over and over? You should be able to enjoy a well-sealed granite countertop for years without having to deal with patches and dull spots, and without having to worry about spills seeping through the sealant and getting into the stone.

So, what should you use instead of these types of cleaners? It’s simple: a mixture of warm water and a mild dish soap is going to be perfectly fine for cleaning your countertops. If you want something a little more potent for disinfecting the surface, an isopropyl alcohol mixture with water is also perfectly effective and safe for your stone material.
Need more information about cleaning products that are and are not good for granite countertops in Phoenix, AZ? Contact Petrus Granite & Tile Services today with your questions.

Categorised in: Granite Countertops