Warm water and dish soap: The best way to clean granite countertops is to use a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap, such as cleaning with Dawn Powerwash, says Ahmed Jamal, cleaning expert behind CleaningAdvisor.
Luckily, everything you'll need to clean your hard surfaces can already be found in your home: Concentrated dish soap that's tough on stains and grease while staying gentle on stainless steel, granite, and glassware, like Dawn® Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray. Soft cloth and sponge.
When using Dawn Powerwash, you should avoid cleaning porous surfaces such as marble and other soft natural stones or untreated wood. It is also best to keep Dawn Powerwash away from painted surfaces, too.
Scrub the Surface
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.
Granite that is not sealed is far more likely to develop stains, especially from soap. Sealing your granite closes the pores of the stone to prevent liquids from penetrating the surface. If you're unsure how to seal natural stone, you can seal it yourself in a few easy steps.
A few hacks from various cleaning influencers: Clean Freak & Germaphobe on YouTube combines 5 to 6 sprays of Dawn Platinum Powerwash with water in a spray bottle and uses the formula to clean countertops (along with 10 other uses for the product).
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.
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.
Make your own granite countertop cleaner: Mix 50/50 rubbing alcohol and water and add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil. Voila, you have your own DIY granite cleaner! Soap and water usually do the trick, but if you want a quick way to disinfect or clean the granite, this spray works great.
When you learn how to make Dawn Powerwash, you'll be shocked that it only has three ingredients! It's just blue Dawn dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol.
To use the Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray on only slightly dirty dishes, simply spray the soap on and wash as normal with hot water. For dirtier dishes, spray the dish spray on and let it sit so it can really soak and cut grease. Then rinse with water and simply dry dishes and put them away.
Dawn Powerwash is almost the same as regular Dawn, but it also has rubbing alcohol. This helps it remove more stains. It also spray in a foam, so it's easy to dispense and small amount.
Can you clean quartz with Dawn Power Wash? Dawn Power Wash is safe quartz. Use it for extra cleaning power or as your daily cleaner.
Granite polishing powder: Also called stone polishing compound, powder offers a quick and easy way to put a fresh gleam on granite while removing minor scratches and stains. If using it dry, choose a buff polishing pad to work the polish over the surface of the granite in a steady, circular pattern.
Mix a poultice paste of baking soda and water (for oil-based stains), or baking soda and peroxide (for others), until it's as thick as peanut butter. Spread the mixture over the spot, cover it with plastic wrap that you've poked a few holes in, and secure it with masking tape. Let the poultice paste stand for 24 hours.
Clean granite with soft cotton cloths or clean rag mops along with neutral cleaners, mild liquid dishwashing detergent, and water. After washing with a soap solution, rinse the surface with water and dry with a soft cloth to eliminate water spots and streaking.
Fancy cleaners aren't necessary for cleaning granite counters on a daily basis. You really only need three things: Warm water, mild dishwashing liquid and a microfiber cloth. Tip: Make sure your dishwashing liquid doesn't contain citrus extracts, as they're too acidic for granite countertops.
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.
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.
Note: Some experts will recommend sealing granite countertops every “6-12 months” or “3-5 years”, but there is no hard and fast rule.