Instead, use a soft, microfiber cloth. While dish soap and water are your best bet in most cases, there are, of course, some kitchen messes that require a tougher approach. If you need to perform a deep clean or work on a stubborn stain, here's what experts recommend for seven common countertop materials.
Counters – Microfibers are highly absorbent and great for soaking up messes. A micro cloth dampened with warm water can also be used to remove grime and give your counter a shine. Baseboards – A dry microfiber towel is your best bet for tackling dust.
Using just microfiber cloths or mop pads with water to clean can give your counters, glass, floors, and appliances a like-new appearance. It traps more dirt than you might think, all without chemical cleaning agents. Here's why you should switch to cleaning with microfiber cloths and water to in your home.
For a quick clean, dish soap, warm water and a microfiber cloth are the best way to clean quartz countertops. Wipe the soapy mixture in circular motions and be sure to remove any residue with warm water and a dry cloth.
Harsh, abrasive cleaners, pads, and sponges should be avoided since they can permanently harm countertops. Scrubbing too hard can leave a dull surface or cause superficial scratches. Oven cleansers, grill cleaners, paint removers, dishwashing detergent, and other high pH cleaners should not be used on quartz surfaces.
Lysol wipes may be acceptable for quick cleaning as long as they are bleach free but use them sparingly. The last thing you want to do is permanently damage your countertop when you're simply trying to deal with a temporary spill.
Due to how microfiber is created, they also have a high absorbency level, which means you can clean more frequently and faster using a microfiber mop or cloth than if you were using a regular cotton or polyester mop or cloth.
Terry Cloth Towels
As a result, they outperform cotton cloth in several ways. Terry cloth towels can be used in place of microfiber towels after a bath. These are excellent water absorbents and one of the finest alternatives to microfiber towels.
Wiping cloths should be stored in fresh sanitizer when they are not in use. Change the cloths and the solution frequently; food debris uses up the sanitizer quickly.
All you need is vinegar, olive oil, and a touch of soap to recreate my grandmother's dust-repellant spray recipe. The coating the spray leaves helps more dust propel off surfaces and onto the floor, which means you'll have to clean those hard to dust places a little less.
Kitchen Counters: Daily
Wiping down and sanitizing kitchen surfaces after each time you use them ensures stray germs from last night's dinner prep don't end up in your next sandwich.
Use a soft microfiber cloth or soft non-abrasive sponge and dip it into the sudsy water. Wring out the excess water. Clean your granite countertops, wiping in a circular motion. Dry with another clean soft microfiber cloth or paper towel.
Synthetic fibers such as rayon, polyester melt on heating. Therefore it is not safe while cooking. It the clothes catch fire it can be disastrous. Cotton cloth is best and safe to wear in such conditions.
Cotton sheets are more breathable than microfiber and won't trap heat as easily, providing a more comfortable sleep.
1) Light colors look dirty right away 2) “Swirl” marks are quite annoying and make the furniture look stained even if it isn't 3) There is resistance between the microfiber and the fabric of your clothes — you rather stick to it and can't adjust your position easily 4) STATIC!
In fact, a UC Davis study showed that microfiber cloths can pick up to 99% of bacteria on surfaces compared to 30% with their cotton counterparts. This means that good quality microfiber cloths make cleaning easy and eliminates the need to clean with harsh chemicals.
Wash lightly soiled cloths in cool water. If your microfiber towels are heavily soiled, use warm water. For washing machine settings, choose a gentle or delicate cycle.
Machine wash a load of microfiber cloths in cold or warm water. Do not use hot water. If using detergent, choose a gentle detergent with no scent or laundry additives. Use a small amount of detergent, no more than one or two teaspoons.
Many microfiber cloths can take up to 500 washings. That's up to two years in a typical household. Unfortunately, they don't last forever; at some point, microfiber cloth cleaning won't have the same revitalizing effect it once did.
If you have a quartz countertop, you should be able to use Dawn Dish Soap without any issues. However, if you notice any discoloration or staining, you might need to switch to another brand of dish soap.
They can cause damage
If you're using Clorox wipes to disinfect surfaces around the house, here are some things to consider. By incorrectly wiping your kitchen countertops with Clorox wipes, you're actually spreading germs around, not eliminating them.
For most effective cleaning, fill a small spray bottle with gentle soap and water. You may also use a vinegar-based spray or make your own mild concoction. Then spray it over the countertop and wipe from side to side in full motions.