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.
Some use more potassium, thereby increasing the pH level as high as 9.5, higher than saltwater and just below solutions containing ammonia. At such pH levels, baking soda can be described as being caustic, which means it isn't safe to use on natural stone.
When cleaning natural stones like marble, limestone, and onyx, you can't reach for your regular cleaners like white vinegar, lemon juice, bleach, or abrasive cleansers. These cleaners are too acidic for natural stone and can damage or etch the stone (although some can help remove rust from concrete).
Apply a paste of baking soda and water over the stain and leave it for 24 hours. Gently scrub the area and rinse it with plain water. Stains on Sandstone pavers, Travertine floor tiles, and Marble floors can easily be cleaned with a baking soda solution.
Use a 1/2 cup of any of the following: ammonia, bleach, or hydrogen peroxide and a gallon of water. Reminder: do not mix bleach and ammonia. On light colored stones, clean with bleach or hydrogen peroxide. On dark colored stones, clean with lacquer thinner or acetone.
Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap (specific products from Lithofin for example), or a dishwashing detergent and warm water. Use a clean soft cloth for best results. Too much cleaner or soap may leave a film and cause streaks.
And in this case, this mixture does not work well with the natural stone countertops. Due to the fact that vinegar is acidic substance and baking soda is caustic, the result of mixing the two can have an unstable effect on stones that are porous.
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.
Avoid citrus or vinegar cleaning agents
Both these elements will cause the Travertine surface to dull. Acidic substances like lemon, orange peels, baking soda, vinegar slowly may penetrate the surface to cause irreparable damage.
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.
Not sealing a stone countertop or floor tiles — which get the heaviest traffic and are the most susceptible to wear and tear — leaves the surface vulnerable to absorbing foreign substances, which can weaken the stone and potentially lead to the growth of bacteria.
To maintain the luster and shine of your natural stone, use a stone-safe polish about once a week. To polish stone, simply spray the polish directly onto the surface, then buff the surface until it's dry with a lint-free cloth or dry paper towel.
Baking soda can usually be used on many metal surfaces but take caution with aluminum. You may be able to get away with using it if you quickly apply it and rinse it off. Leaving it on can cause it to oxidize which would change the aluminum's surface color.
NOTE: Don't use baking soda for cleaning glass surfaces, silverware, stone countertops, and wooden floors or furniture. Also, dermatologists warn against using baking soda routinely as a dry shampoo or underarm deodorant, because its alkalinity will disrupt the natural acidity of skin and scalp.
Baking Soda + Vinegar
We're calling you out, Pinterest: Although these pantry staples are handy on their own — both baking soda and vinegar can help clean all over the house — you should skip any DIY cleaner recipe that involves this not-so-dynamic duo. "Baking soda is basic and vinegar is acidic," says Bock.
Keep It Simple to Clean Natural Stone
You can use any type of mild soap detergent, such as dish or hand soap, and mix it with a little water. Wet the stone first, and then use a bristle brush and soap solution to wipe the stone clean. The last step is to make sure you rinse thoroughly.
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.
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.
Countertops. If you want to keep your stone countertops looking beautiful, don't reach for vinegar. The acid etches and dulls natural stone such as marble and limestone. It can slowly dissolve them, according to Beckman.
You could also use bubbling to loosen any dirt on the stone. This involves soaking the rock in baking soda before adding vinegar. The introduction of an acid to the alkaline solution cause vigorous bubbling, which may help to lift off grime from 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. Frequent use of these chemicals will dull and weaken the sealant over time.
Vacuum or sweep the floor to remove any dirt particles. Fill a bucket with a gallon of warm water and use just the water or mix in a small amount of Neutral All-Purpose-Cleaner, Dish Soap or the manufacturers recommended cleaning solution. Change the solution when it gets cloudy or dirty.