It's essential to only use cleaners which are appropriate for natural stone surfaces. This means avoiding using vinegar. Stones like limestone, marble, or travertine will react to vinegar because it's an acidic cleaner with harsh effects.
On lighter stone, white stones use hydrogen peroxide. On darker, black stones use acetone or lacquer thinner. Use small amounts and remove immediately with a cloth and rinse with a damp cloth, particularly on marble, limestone, onyx, and travertine.
Vinegar spells trouble for granite countertops (and any other natural stone countertop). The acid in vinegar wears away at the protective sealant that prevents spills from penetrating the stone and causing permanent stains. In addition, over time vinegar can cause etching in the granite itself.
What you should Not Do: Don't use vinegar, lemon juice, or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine, or onyx surfaces. Don't use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners, or tub & tile cleaners. Don't use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
Clean stone surfaces with warm water and a mild soap such as a clear Dawn Liquid Soap. Do not use products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids on marble or limestone. Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft cloth. Change the rinse water frequently.
Rocks that contain calcium carbonate can erode when they encounter acids, and limestone contains calcium carbonate. Vinegar is acetic acid, and limestone is a base. An acid plus a base causes a chemical reaction. So, vinegar combined with limestone creates a chemical reaction.
Just like stone floor tiles, using vinegar to clean your granite or marble countertops can ruin their smooth, shiny surface. “The acidic cleaners may etch the granite top and leave a dull or discolored spot behind,” says Lily Cameron, a cleaning professional and supervisor at Fantastic Services.
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. Frequent use of these chemicals will dull and weaken the sealant over time.
Simple Green Granite & Stone Polish is safe for use on granite, marble, travertine, limestone, porcelain, ceramic, quartz, Corian®*, Silestone®*, and other natural and engineered stone surfaces.
Baking soda is known as a stain remover. It can help to remove liquid stains such as tea, wine or coffee. It also helps to remove the unpleasant smells. It is quite affective on solid surfaces in general but it is not advised to use baking soda directly on natural stone surfaces.
Water-based Silicone or Polycrylic
Spray silicone coatings penetrate rocks to produce a shiny, wet look. However, a silicone spray finish may dull over time. A more permanent shine may be attained with a polycrylic or polyurethane coating.
Pour or spray 3% to 4% hydrogen peroxide over the area with rust stains. Use a nylon brush or a cleaning pad safe to use on natural stones to agitate the solution. Let it sit for at least 24 hours, and then rinse afterward.
Rinsing is not necessary! If you're simply using a vinegar and water solution to wipe and disinfect, you won't need to rinse. However, if there's also plenty of dirt and grime you're wiping away, you may also want to rinse with some extra water.
General bathroom cleaning: Use straight vinegar or a diluted vinegar solution to scrub away bacteria, especially around the toilet, where it can curb urine stains and odor. Toilet: Cleaning with vinegar and baking soda in the bathroom can work wonders.
Vinegar is a solid workhorse when it comes to cleaning. However, it is acidic and can cause damage to some surfaces, including when it's used for cleaning floors.
Staining agents commonly present in the kitchen, bathroom and other areas where natural stone is used include: Organic materials, such as wine, fruit juice, food scraps, tea/coffee and leaves. Oils, such as cooking oil, cosmetics, grease and oil-based paint. Ink, such as pen or marker.
Add undiluted vinegar to a bucket and apply it to your stone with the plastic brush. See if it removes the white residue. If it does then you don't need to use muriatic acid. If you need the muriatic acid you'll have to dilute it according to the directions on the bottle.
Cleaning your stone shower once a week can help reduce grime, water deposits, and mildew build-up. Use stone-safe products, rather than vinegar or ammonia. Such products are too harsh on stone; their acids break down sealants and discolor surfaces.
It's possible to clean rocks with vinegar alone by leaving them to soak in a cup of vinegar for 2-3 days. If you find that your stone starts to produce tiny bubbles when you add it to the vinegar, this is probably because it contains calcite.
Mechanical- Hydrogen peroxide bubbles can dislodge dust, clay, and other remnants left behind from digging the stone out. It works better than just soap and water in many cases, especially when you've got a lot of small cracks and crevices to deal with.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Vinegar
“Combining these two creates peracetic acid or corrosive acid, an irritant that, in high concentrations, can harm the skin, eyes, throat, nose, and lungs,” says Bock.
I had no idea you could use a few drops of simple dish soap like Dawn or Palmolive to a liberal amount of water will clean your marble floors/vanities and counter tops. A simple everyday household product sitting on your sink. It cuts through grease yet it's mild and rinses and will not harm stone.