Looking to save some money on Diy granite cleaner?
Granite countertops are a popular choice among homeowners for their kitchens and bathrooms. They are beautiful to look at and are ultra-durable and low maintenance. Being a hard substance, they are resistant to heat and scratches. However, this does not mean that they don't need care. Besides getting Granite resealed yearly, you must clean your granite countertops regularly to keep them grime-free and shiny.
Many granite cleaners on the market claim to be pH neutral and chemical-free formulations, but they really can't match DIY granite cleaners. The biggest advantage of homemade granite cleaners is that you can choose what goes into them. You can play around, decide what works for you, and change the recipe accordingly.
You can make most of my granite cleaner recipes with materials that you already have in your home, like dish soap, baking soda, vodka, and rubbing alcohol. So, making DIY countertop cleaners is an affordable alternative to expensive granite cleaners on the market.
Here are some of the best DIY granite cleaner recipes for your home –
DIY countertop cleaner with rubbing alcohol
Ingredients
- Rubbing alcohol – ½ cup
- Water – 2 cups
- Dawn dish soap – ½ teaspoon
- Lemon essential oil – 3 to 4 drops
- Spray bottle
Method
Add water, rubbing alcohol, and dish soap to a spray bottle. Add a few drops of lemon essential oil. Shake well to combine all the ingredients.
Spray the mixture of rubbing alcohol on granite countertops and clean with a microfibre cloth.
The key ingredient in this homemade counter cleaner is rubbing alcohol. It doesn’t linger on the counters and doesn't leave a residue. Plus it cleans and dries quickly. It removes the soapy build-up and brings the shine back. Compared to store-bought cleaners, this rubbing alcohol cleaner recipe is safe, non-irritating, and a gentle cleaner. I love its fresh lemon scent.
DIY counter spray with castile soap
Ingredients
- Cheap vodka – ¼ cup
- Castile soap – 3 drops
- Water -2 cups
- Lavender essential oil – 10 drops
- Spray bottle
Method
Pour water, vodka, and castile soap into a spray bottle. Add ten drops of lavender essential oil. Shake the bottle to mix the DIY cleaner ingredients.
Spray on the granite counter tops and scrub in a circular motion. Wipe clean with a dry clean microfiber cloth.
Alcohol is a natural disinfectant, so vodka works well as a granite cleaner. You don't need to use expensive vodka; a cheaper one will work just as well. It also has almost no scent of its own. But what little bit of alcohol smell there is will be covered up by the drops of essential oil that is added to the homemade recipe.
Essential oil granite cleaner
- Ingredients
- isopropyl alcohol – ½ cup
- Castile soap – 1 tablespoon
- Distilled water – 2 cups
- Sweet orange essential oil – 6 drops
- Eucalyptus essential oil – 4 drops
- Lime essential oil – 4 drops
- Spray bottle
Method
Pour all ingredients for the natural granite cleaner into a glass spray bottle and shake well to mix. Spray the DIY counter spray on the granite and clean surface.
Essential oils are safe to use and do not cause any damage to the countertops making them a granite-safe cleaner. They also help prevent the growth of mold and fungi.
Thieves cleaner for granite
Ingredients
- Rubbing alcohol – 1/3 cup
- Distilled water – 3 cups
- Thieves cleaner – 1 teaspoon
- Spray bottle
Method
Pour the rubbing alcohol, water, and thieves cleaner in a spray bottle and shake to mix. Spray the solution of thieves cleaner on the granite counter and wipe clean with a dry cloth.
Thieves cleaner is excellent for melting away greasy stuff, and it smells great. Thieves oil is a blend of clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon, and rosemary essential oils. These oils have amazing cleaning properties, which makes is blend an excellent choice as a household cleaner. and granite spray
Diy granite polish
Ingredients
- Liquid dish soap – 2 tablespoons
- Rubbing alcohol – ¼ cup
- Warm water – 2 cups
- Baking soda – ¼ cup
- Spray bottle/ glass bottle
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well.
After cleaning the granite counters with one of the granite recipes mentioned above, spray on this mixture. Take a clean, soft cloth and work this polish onto the counters using a circular motion.
Cleaning products unsuitable for granite
Soap based cleaners
Avoid using soap-based cleaners on granite surfaces. Soap tends to leave behind a film that can cloud up the granite. This film makes the granite look dull and dirty even after just cleaning it.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a popular cleaning ingredient, but it is best to keep it away from granite. To explain, vinegar is highly acidic and can eat into granite. Acidic cleaners like vinegar can leave the surface etched and pitted and make the granite surface look rough and dull instead of shiny. It is best to avoid acidic ingredients when making a homemade granite cleaner recipe.
Bleach
Bleach should never be used on granite as it can cause staining and wear off the sealant. Due to the fact that Bleach can dull the finish of the granite and, in some cases, change its color.
Glass cleaners
Glass cleaners like Windex can make windows and mirrors clean and shiny but cause extreme discoloration to granite. Most window cleaners contain ammonia which is not suitable for natural stone surfaces.
Is it safe to use essential oils on granite surfaces?
Essential oils can be a great addition to any DIY granite cleaner recipe. They add a clean and fresh scent to the product and have cleansing and purifying properties.
Citrus oils like lemon, lime, and wild orange essential oils are my favorite cleaning products. These citric oils do not contain citric acid and are safe to be used on granite.
You can also use basil, tea tree, lavender, and rosemary essential oils for cleaning granite surfaces.
Best essential oils for granite cleaning
Here's a list of some different essential oils that are best suited to granite cleaning and leave a clean scent –
- Lemon
- Orange
- Grapefruit
- Lavender
- Tea tree
- Rosemary
- Eucalyptus
- Peppermint
- Cinnamon
- Basil
You can add any of these oils to your homemade granite cleaner recipes and even mix and match the oils.
How to clean granite countertops with homemade granite cleaner?
Granite countertops
Wipe the granite surface with a clean microfibre cloth.
Spray the countertop with your DIY granite cleaner and scrub in a circular motion with the microfibre cloth. Once it is clean, wipe off any excess homemade granite counter cleaner with the fabric. Leaving it to air dry can cause streaks.
Granite flooring
Clean the floor with a mop. Spray your homemade granite cleaner on the floor and use a microfibre mop to wipe it clean.
Granite backsplashes
Use the same technique that you used for cleaning the kitchen countertops. However, avoid spraying this homemade kitchen counter cleaner on finished wood surrounding the backsplash. Rubbing alcohol can erode the paint or lacquer on the wood surface.
Granite fireplace surrounds
You can use this same DIY granite cleaner to clean soot and fingerprints from a granite fireplace surround. Clean the area and then spray on the DIY counter spray. Wipe it clean with a microfibre cloth.
Marble surfaces
You can use this countertop cleaner DIY spray on other stone surfaces like marble as well. This cleaner is pH neutral, so it will not harm the stone.
Some FAQs on Homemade granite cleaner
What to do if I have an oil stain on a granite surface?
Though most liquids evaporate or dry off at the top of the granite surface, spilled oil can leave a mark. To remove a tough stain from oil on your granite countertop, sprinkle some baking soda on it. Leave it there for a few minutes, and then use a damp cloth to wipe it away.
You can also make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the stain. Let it dry completely, and then scrape the paste away.
How often should I clean my granite countertop?
It would be best to use a homemade granite cleaner weekly to clean your granite countertop. It is a good idea to polish your countertops once a month and check to see any resealing issues once a year.
However, if you spill something acidic on your countertops like soda, wine, or coffee, you must wipe it up as soon as possible.
How can I tell if my countertop needs resealing?
Pour 60 ml of water on the countertop. If it gets absorbed within 10 minutes, you need to apply a sealer. To illustrate if the water soaks up within five minutes, you will need two coats of sealer. If it takes more than 30 minutes, your countertop is fine, and you do not need to reseal it.
Final thoughts
Granite countertops look great and make a great addition to a home. However, you must take care of them properly after installation. You don’t want to ruin these countertops with unsuitable products it is always smart to test any cleaner on a small section of the countertop first to insure it's the right cleaner and it will not damage your granite.
Luckily, it is easy to make homemade granite cleaners at home. Use any DIY granite cleaner recipes mentioned above to create a solution for your home. Follow it up with a DIY granite polish. Always use a microfibre cloth to clean. Avoid harsh ingredients like vinegar, bleach, and glass cleaners. Use these homemade granite cleaners, and your granite countertops will remain cleaning and sparkling for years to come.