How to: Clean Granite Countertops - Best Cleaning Products

This morning, we considered the steps a stone counter owner can take to keep things streak free and shiny. Now here's a look at the best cleaning products for stone counters.

Method granite + marble cleaner: We've already heard some praise for this product this morning ("Magic" says Sara). I've only been using this new product for a couple of days, but it is already my top pick. It might seem expensive at first($7.99 for 12 oz at Gristedes, $5 plus shipping at Method Store, on sale for $4.19 at drugstore.com), but the bottle's sprayer sends out a fine mist across a large surface area so you don't use very much with each cleaning. The smell is clean, but slightly chemical. We wish the bottle was as high design as some of Method's other work. Method's site assures us that the product is biodegradable and safe.

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Kitchen (Bleach Free): After the spinach E.coli scare, we're re-considering how we disinfect kitchen work surfaces. The Clorox package says the product kills salmonella and E.coli. We don't like using harsh chemicals often, so we use these wipes only when doing a deeper cleaning. They are also great for the stainless steel sink; its great when the same product can do more than one job. Though they are convenient, the environmental implications of using a one time use wipe that comes inside a big plastic tub can't be great. I'm hoping someone has an alternative recommendation. The wipes are $3.19 for 35 wipes at Fresh Direct.

Mrs. Meyers Counter Top Spray: Mrs. Meyer's brings the strongest smelling product and the prettiest bottle to the party. While testing these, we were sometimes overwhelmed by the smell of the lavender, especially when it clashed with the smell of the chocolate cake in the oven, but other times guests commented on how refreshing it smelled. Mrs. Meyer's has the least amount of confusing chemical ingredients and has no chemical smell. The spray is "cruelty-free", biodegradable, and costs $5 plus shipping on her site and $4.99 at Drugstore.com. I stopped using Mrs. Meyer's because she leaves streaks.

This article in Real Simple recommends Weiman wipes, so we're going to check them out soon too.

We suggest buying a couple products that are marked as safe for granite countertops. Try them out in an inconspicuous area of your counter first and test them out. Consider one product for daily tidy-ups and streak removal and another for deeper cleaning.

A couple people told us they stick to good old dish soap and water to keep their stone countertops clean. How about you?

Comments (10)

I'm sold on the Method cleaner. It works well. It's environmentally friendly(ish). The clorox wipes are awful for granite- they leave a gray streaky film. They are REALLY bad for the environment. And REALLY bad for your sinuses. At the very least all the aforementioned product containers are recyclable. I have never tried Ms. Meyers, but now I will! Thanks for the suggestions!

What I honestly think works the BEST is a 25/75 solution of white vinegar and hot water. It leaves a perfect shine. If you can take the smell for about 10 minutes.

I've had no problems just using the general purpose Method cleaners on my granite.

I am a fan of the Method Granite cleaner as well. I've been using it for about a year now and I'm still on the original bottle. I use it twice each week and wipe up spills, etc. immediately.

Cheers,
Sean

Has anyone tried "Holy Cow" degrease cleaner on their granite or stainless steel appliances??

It might not be for everyone because it's multiple steps, but I used (when I had granite) soapy water or chlorox anywhere spray to clean and then when I was done cooking and ready for the place to sparkle, I would wipe down already cleaned surfaces with windex. Then when I would go back to cook again, if anything was going to touch the counters, I used the chlorox anywhere spray again to wipe off the windex and any accumulated dust. I never tried the method spray but the windex gets the surface shiny with no streaks.

Using acids like Windex and vinegar will eventually etch the granite surface and you will need to have the entire surface refinished.

Ours was treated with something and we were told it would be fine to use windex. My dad bought it so I unfortunately don't have details!

@Mlle Kate, most granites won't etch. You might be confusing granite with marble or travertine? Both marble and travertine are very sensitive to acid, even when sealed.

I used to work for a company that makes cleaning and sealing products for natural stone. Granite is really easy to take care of. You can buy the specialty cleaners, which are "gentle" and pH balanced, but I would save my money and just use Windex or an all purpose cleaner like 401. For reference, I use Windex to clean my granite counters.

As long as it's a pH balanced cleaner it can be used on granite, marble and other natural stones. Several good cleaners ore available on the market but they don't all work the same. The best granite cleaners Like Supreme Surface Granite Cleaner and conditioner are a little more expensive but offer several qualities. Streak free even on black granite, non-toxic, 100% organic, and smells really good too. It's also a conditioner for the stone so it fills the stones pores making it more resistant against stains and it's non-toxic! It comes with an ultra fine mist sprayer so it lasts a very long time and microfiber cloth. Granite Cleaner