Cleaners to Avoid For Natural Stone
Installing stone in your home is a pretty big investment. You want to make sure you keep your stone safe and in the best condition possible. While some household cleaners are gentle enough to clean your counters, others should be avoided at all costs.
Vinegar
Never use a cleaner that contains vinegar on your stone counters. Vinegar is very harsh, and will eat away at the stone. Using vinegar on stone will eat through any sealant you have applied, stain the rock, and etch into the pores. It is therefore important to wipe up any spilled vinegar immediately to avoid these same issues.
Lemon Juice
Much like vinegar, lemon juice has a low pH, meaning it is very acidic. Acid and natural stone never mix. Sealed or unsealed, your countertops should not be exposed to lemon juice. Of course, the sealant does protect the countertops to a point, but they are easily corroded with acidic cleaners.
Abrasive Cleaners
Any cleaner that contains gritty elements is not suitable for use on stone. When you wash a counter with an abrasive cleaner, you effectively deteriorate the sealant, etch into the pores of the stone, and dulls the sheen. You don’t want to destroy your gorgeous countertops, so always read the label to avoid abrasive dry and soft cleaners.
Grout Cleaner
Grout cleaner is dangerous for stone for a few reasons. One, they typically contain acids that destroy the stone, and two, they are too abrasive for the stone to handle. If you have grout between stone tiles, always use special, non-acidic, non-abrasive cleaners designed specifically for use with stones.
If you have made the mistake of using any of these cleaners and have ruined your countertop, we can help. We offer discounted stone countertops, fully installed. Planet Stone is your one-stop-shop for high-quality stone. Let our professionals take your home to the next level. Give us a call at (818) 860-7142.
