How to Clean Your Stone Countertops

Stone countertops are very popular, and for good reason. You have a virtually limitless option of stone slabs offering a wide range of beautiful colors, subtle vein patterns and unique textures, allowing you to choose the right option that aligns with your aesthetic preferences. In addition, they provide the durability required for a long lasting kitchen countertop.

While most stone countertops are highly durable, it’s important to be careful when you clean them. Using the wrong cleaners or cleaning tools can potentially damage your kitchen countertop. The following best practices will help ensure you clean your stone surfaces correctly and keep them looking beautiful for years to come.

What Are the Best Cleaning Products for Stone Countertops?

It’s always best to use the cleaner recommended by the professional who installed your kitchen countertop. These cleaners will be effective, yet gentle enough to avoid damage to your stone slab. If you’re unable to find the recommended cleaner for your specific stone countertop, mild dish soap and warm water will generally be an effective option.

If you prefer to purchase your own cleaner, keep the following points in mind:

• Avoid using highly acidic cleaners such as lemon juice, vinegar or bathtub cleaners since they can damage your stone or erode the sealant you applied to your countertop.
• Avoid souring pads, creams or powders, as well as any other abrasive cleaning materials that may damage or scratch your kitchen countertop.
• Avoid rust removers since they typically contain hydrofluoric acid which will attack the minerals in your stone countertop.

Daily Cleaning and Maintenance of Stone Countertops

What Are the Best Cleaning Products for Stone Countertops?

To keep your countertops clean, wipe them down every day using either mild dish soap and warm water, the cleaner recommended by your stone provider or a gentle cleaner that meets the criteria discussed above. Using a soft, damp, microfiber rag, gently rub the soap or cleaner along the surface of your countertop. Rinse the rag to wash off all the soap before taking a second pass over the surface of your counter.

Clean up any spills as soon as they occur to prevent staining. This is particularly important if you spill an acidic material on your countertop.

Removing Stains on Kitchen Countertops

Even when you’re extremely careful, stains may occur on occasion. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to remove them and restore a beautiful countertop surface. Clear the staining material from the counter by blotting it up. Don’t wipe it since this will spread the staining material across a larger area of your kitchen countertop. After clearing the stain, wash the region using mild soap and warm water to remove any discoloration that remains.

If the stain still remains, there are additional steps you can take. It’s important to use the right cleaner for the material that caused the stain:

• Organic stains – Coffee, tea and other food-based stains should be cleaned using 12% hydrogen peroxide with a few drops of ammonia added into the solution.
• Oil-based stains – Cooking oil, grease, cosmetics and other oil-based stains must be dissolved with chemicals. Use a gentle liquid cleanser containing acetone or mineral spirits.
• Water spots – Hard water can create water spots when it comes into contact with the surface of a stone countertop. Buff the countertop using dry 0000 steel wool to get rid of the water spot.
• Ink stains – Ink stains are very common, especially in homes with young children. Use hydrogen peroxide or bleach to remove ink from a light-colored stone countertop, or acetone or lacquer thinner on a dark stone slab.

If these methods don’t remove the stain or if you’re trying to remove a stain caused by a different material, contact your countertop provider for assistance.

Removing Scratches from Countertops

If you get a minor scratch on your countertop, you can most likely buff it out yourself using a buffing powder or a solution specially designed for a stone surface. Always use a soft cloth or buffing pad, and buff the area using a gentle motion until the scratch disappears. If you have a deeper scratch, contact your countertop provider for assistance, and don’t use that section of your counter until the scratch has been repaired by a professional.

Tips for Maintaining Your Stone Countertops

There are several steps you can take to prevent your stone countertop from becoming stained or scratched:

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  How to Clean Your Stone Countertops

  Seal the countertop as directed by your stone provider – Some types of stone slabs, such as granite countertops, require sealing while other materials, such as quartz countertops, don’t. Sealing your stone surface, when the material calls for it, will add a level of stain resistance. Keep in mind that sealant needs to be reapplied periodically. Check with your provider for guidance on how often to reseal your countertop.

• Don’t place hot objects directly on the countertop – This can cause your counter to crack, create heat marks on the counter or damage the sealant. Place trivets underneath any hot object to protect your counter and avoid these issues.
• Don’t cut directly on the countertop – While many stone countertop surfaces are highly durable, they can still scratch if you cut directly on the stone. Use a cutting board to protect your kitchen countertop from damage.

The Stone Collection Can Help You Choose the Right Countertop

If you’re considering installing a new stone countertop in your kitchen, bathroom or any other area of the house, the Stone Collection is here to help. We carry the largest selection of natural and engineered stone products available. You’ll also benefit from our Get Inspired™ Experience which guides you through the process of choosing the right stone slab for your specific application.

Our expert surface specialists will work with you to understand your goals for the project and explain the different stone options to you in detail. You’ll have the opportunity to ask as many questions as necessary to fully understand your options. Then, our surface specialists will recommend the ideal solution to deliver the beautiful outcome you desire.

Stop by one of our gigantic, gallery-style, climate-controlled showrooms anytime. We have locations in Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Dallas and Fort Worth, and no appointment is necessary. Viewing your options in person will help inspire ideas and help you see firsthand what these materials will look like when installed in your home. Once you decide on a slab, we’ll hold it for 14 days for free so that your installer has plenty of time to pick it up.

Contact us today or visit one of our showrooms to find the right stone slab for your next project.