Bleach: While bleach is a great disinfectant, it can dull the finish of your granite and in some cases even change its color. There are other, safer, ways to disinfect your stone, so avoid bleach and any products that contain it when cleaning your granite.
You should avoid using acid-based cleaners -- lemon, orange, vinegar or bleach-based -- on granite. The acids contained in these cleaners will degrade the sealant and can leave unsightly stains on the countertop.
Clorox All-Purpose Cleaner with Bleach
This all-purpose cleaner contains harsh chemicals, including bleach. Bleach, as mentioned above, can cause damage to granite countertops, so this cleaner isn't recommended for use either. The fragrances used in this cleaner can also cause the sealant on your countertops to wear.
Although granite is harder and less porous than marble or limestone, it is even more vulnerable to strong alkaline chemicals, including ammonia and harsh detergents.
Clorox and Lysol sprays and wipes are convenient, but they are not safe for granite countertops. They rarely contain bleach, but they do generally contain citric acid to help remove soap scum. Avoid using bleach as well.
Do use a mild detergent soap. Regular Dawn or other dish soaps work well. Do use a soft cloth. No special tools needed here: a soft cloth will help remove all grime and dirt without damaging countertops.
If after a few minutes the water has soaked into the granite, then it's time to reseal the stone. DON'T: Use harsh or abrasive cleaners and sponges. Windex; acidic cleaners, like vinegar, lemon, lime; or anything with ammonia or bleach should be avoided.
Watch out for red wine rings if you leave your glass on the countertop, or a leaking carton of fresh blueberries. Some other culprits include coffee, tomato juice, grape juice, mustard, citrus products, toothpaste, and anything with chemicals.
Frequent use of vinegar, Windex or bleach will dull the granite and weaken the sealant. Instead, a little soap and water should do the trick. Add dish soap and warm water to a sponge, get a good lather and begin cleaning. Avoid using abrasive pads, as granite can be scratched.
How to Remove Tough Stains From Granite Surfaces. Baking soda is a really wonderful ingredient that is extremely useful for removing stains from granite without damaging the surface with harsh and abrasive chemicals. Step 1: For cleaning oil-based stains, mix baking soda and water to form a paste.
Mix the bleach and water solution: 1/3 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water. Sponge the bleach and water solution onto the countertop. Let it stand for six minutes. Rinse with clean water.
Vinegar is made up of acids that can severely harm your granite. Even if it is diluted, vinegar may still leave acids on your granite countertops. This can cause your natural stone countertops to etch. You can tell that your granite countertops have begun to etch by seeing a small ring or some sign of a watermark.
Don't use it on countertops
Most bathroom and kitchen countertops are either laminate or stone, both of which bleach can erode, discolor, or damage, according to Wasson.
Bleach and Countertop Surfaces
As you're well aware, even when diluted, bleach is a strong and abrasive cleaner. Because of this fact, it just doesn't play well with most kitchen countertops. For example, counters made of stone materials like concrete or granite are protected with sealants.
Can you use disinfecting wipes on granite? No, you can't use disinfecting wipes on granite countertops. This is because disinfecting wipes contain citric acid as their primary ingredient. This is highly acidic and weakens the seal on your countertop's surface leaving them vulnerable to stains and discoloration.
A mild dish soap is the handiest cleaner you have that is safe for granite. Alternatively, consider a commercial cleaner that's specifically formulated for granite. Many natural cleaning products are also safe for use on this surface, but read the label for confirmation before using them.
Quartz countertops are non-porous, making them resistant to bacteria and staining. For this reason, harsh cleaners like bleach aren't required. In reality, bleach can damage the surface of your quartz or cause permanent discoloration to the slab.
Though commonly used as a wound disinfectant, hydrogen peroxide also works wonders on your granite tops. A solution of hydrogen peroxide removes stains without bleaching or discoloring your countertops.
Granite is impervious to water, but the polished surface may be exposing one or more of these minerals that can oxidize and change color when exposed to water. Granite and marble can also be etched slightly by mild acidic fruits and juices or discolored from a hot pan set out on the counter to cool.
If granite has a stain it means a substance is absorbed into the pores of granite and will require a poultice, like the ones offered by Stone Care International, to remove it. Poultice are extremely absorbent substances. The poultice enters the pores of the stone and chemically draws the stone into the poultice.
Whether you have laminate, quartz, granite or another hard, non-porous countertop, follow the disinfection directions on OxiClean™ 3-in-1 Deep Clean Multi-Purpose Disinfectant to kill 99.9% of bacteria and the virus that causes COVID-19, without abrasives or chlorine bleach.
As good as a cleaner for windows and other glass surfaces, Windex has some elements on its compositions that can permanently damage granite when used for a long time. For that reason, you should never use Windex on granite.
Rubbing alcohol is a natural bactericide and can also kill fungus and viruses. It has no ill effects on your granite or the seal on your granite so it's an ideal way to keep countertops clean. The list of disinfectants that are harmful for granite countertops is very long.