Granite is the preferred material for countertops by many people because it not only is beautiful but is durable and resistant to bacteria. It’s a surface that can take a beating and still look good for years to come. However, just because this material is resilient doesn’t mean that it doesn’t need to be properly cared for and maintained. For that purpose, the consumer is going to want to buy the best granite cleaner that they can buy. A cleaner that removes tough stains and helps to keep the countertop looking its best. We’ve found a few cleaning products that fit the bill and should provide the consumer with the tools they need to keep their granite counters looking good.
Quick Summary of Best Granite Cleaners
Weiman Granite Cleaner & Polish 2-Pack
Editor’s Choice
Anyone looking to get the most out of their granite counter is going to want to clean it regularly, otherwise, it’s going to dull and not hold up to expectations. Unfortunately, far too many people don’t clean their granite regularly, or if they do, they clean it improperly. We don’t know how many people we’ve seen use a cleaner that isn’t suitable for granite on their counters, or just plain soap and water. We’ve even seen DIY magazines, so-called experts on the subject, recommend that consumers use soap and water. In our opinion, that’s some truly bad advice. The only way to clean a granite counter is to use a cleaner like this product from Weiman.
This product is a specialized formula that’s designed for daily cleaning. It’s a product that’s easy-to-use and removes not only grime but also grease, watermarks, and stains as well. And since it’s a pH-balanced formula, it will perform its cleaning without discoloring the granite or causing it to deteriorate. Cleaning granite isn’t the only benefit this product provides, however. It’s also capable of gently polishing the natural stone surface so that it looks its best. When you use it regularly, this product will not only maintain the look of granite but it will also help to enhance it.
Of course, this product isn’t as inexpensive as other types of cleaners, but we believe that once consumers begin using it they won’t want to use any other cleaner on their granite surfaces. It’s also worth mentioning that this product isn’t just suitable for cleaning granite surfaces, but you can use it on a variety of natural stone surfaces as well. This includes marble, quartz, soapstone, limestone, slate, and Corian laminate. You can even use it on concrete if you so desire. All of this makes this cleaner one of the best granite cleaners available and one that anyone with granite in their kitchen is going to want to consider.
PROS:
- Specifically designed for day-to-day cleaning.
- Never leaves streaks or watermarks on surfaces.
CONS:
- Costs more than some other cleaners.
Granite Gold Daily Cleaner & Spray
Also Recommended
While we were reviewing some of the best granite cleaners available, we came across this product from Granite Gold and decided to not only give it a try but to research the company behind this product. And what we discovered was quite remarkable. This company goes back to its founding in the 1950s. This is when the co-founders Mr. Pellegrino and Mr. Sciarrino decided to create stone care products. You see, these two manufactured, installed, and restored stone surfaces, and they had problems finding products that took care of granite and other stone surfaces, so they decided to create it themselves.
Over the years, Granite Gold has continued to make high-quality products that did an excellent job of cleaning and maintaining granite, and this is one of their premier products. Although we didn’t find that this product polished granite very well because we had to use a separate polish after using it to clean, but we did find that it did an amazing job cleaning. This product was able to remove watermarks, stains, and smudges quickly and efficiently. And it cleaned without leaving smudges or streaks. Another thing we’d like to mention about this product was that it didn’t have a terrible chemical scent like so many cleaners. Instead, it had a citrus scent that we found quite pleasant.
Unlike some other granite cleaners that we’d rather not mention here, this product does not contain phosphates or ammonia. That makes it a non-acidic and non-toxic cleaner that’s safe for daily use on granite counters. It also makes it a biodegradable formula that’s been properly pH-balanced to account for the needs of granite and other natural stones. And speaking of natural stones, you can use this product on a wide variety of surfaces such as marble, quartz, and travertine. You can even use it on porcelain and ceramic tile surfaces.
PROS:
- Cleans granite extremely well.
- It’s the best value among granite cleaners.
CONS:
- Doesn’t work well as a polish.
Hope’s Perfect 100% Streak-Free Granite & Marble Cleaner
Also Consider
Hope’s Cleaner is probably the most inexpensive product on this list, so, understandably, many people will think that it’s probably an inferior product—an assertion that we would strongly have to disagree with. While this product didn’t polish the surfaces it cleaned, and we had to use a separate polish for that purpose, we found that it did a good job of cleaning granite. We found that this product had a nice smell, was easy to spray and left a streak-free surface. We also found that it was capable of removing a variety of messes from granite counters, including not only watermarks and smudges, but also grime and grease as well.
Probably the best thing about this product, however, is how it’s formulated. Unlike some other granite cleaners that use harmful formulations that are either too acidic or too alkaline, this cleaner is pH-balanced. That means that it’s capable of removing stains and messes from granite without removing the granite’s seal. We found that it also did a great job on not only granite but on marble and other natural stone surfaces. That means that you can also use it for bar counters, bathroom tile, and kitchen backsplashes.
When we factor all of these things together, we conclude that this product might not be the best overall granite cleaner, but it is most certainly the most affordable. We’re quite sure that anyone who is looking to take care of their natural stone surfaces and remain on a budget, is going to want to try this product out. We know that we found it to be quite a competent cleaning product that we would use again without question.
PROS:
- It’s pH-balanced, so it won’t remove the granite’s sealant.
- Does a good job cleaning.
CONS:
- It doesn’t polish the granite’s surface.
A Guide to Maintaining Granite Counters
The whole point of use reviewing the best granite cleaners is to give our readers the tools they need to maintain their granite counters. Although some DIY guides make it seem like maintaining granite is easy or fool-proof, the truth is that if you don’t properly maintain granite, it can stain. Therefore, consumers need to do everything in their power to maintain their granite counters. To help our readers achieve that aim, we decided to write this guide on the subject. A guide that will help all of our readers achieve their aim of maintaining a perfect granite counter.
Choosing The Best Granite Cleaner
Let’s face facts, there are a lot of different granite care products available, and each of them works in a particular way. There are polishes and sealants, all-in-one granite cleaners and day-to-day cleaners. For this guide, however, we’re going to keep it simple. We’re only going to talk about the two products that are the easiest for consumers to use effectively, and those two products are all-in-one and day-to-day granite cleaners. Let’s examine each of these in a little bit more detail.
All-In-One Granite Cleaners
These products are designed to not only clean the granite’s surface but are also designed to polish and seal them at the same time. Although we like the idea, in theory, we found that in actual practice that these products didn’t work as well as they advertised they did. We found that many of these products didn’t clean well, while others left a cloudy residue on the surface. In our opinion, consumers are better off setting this product aside and choosing a day-to-day cleaner.
Day-To-Day Granite Cleaners
These products are designed to provide the user with the cleaning power they need, but do it in a way that isn’t too harsh. These formulas are usually pH balanced so that they can strip away dirt and grime but do it without stripping away the protective sealant found on the counter. Some of these products are only designed to clean, while others are designed to clean and polish.
Taking Care Of Natural Stone Surfaces
The next thing that we want to discuss with our readers is how to use granite cleaners to get their natural stone surfaces nice and clean. You’ll notice that we said natural stone surfaces and not just granite. That’s because we feel that granite cleaners aren’t just suitable for granite but can be used on a variety of different surfaces if the consumer uses them properly. Having said that, let’s find out some of the more common ways that granite cleaners can be used to clean stone surfaces.
Cleaning Natural Stone Backsplashes
The first thing that we would like to examine is cleaning natural stone backsplashes. Although some people spend a considerable amount of time cleaning their counters, they often neglect their backsplashes and that’s probably the worst thing that they can do. That’s because grease is not only corrosive and staining by itself, but it also traps moisture that can pit the stone’s surface. Therefore, the backsplash should be cleaned as often as the counters are—daily, if possible. This surface can be cleaned using the same technique as stone counters, and the technique can be found below.
Cleaning Stone Counters
Regardless of whether the counter is granite or marble, it needs to be cleaned regularly to ensure that it not only stays clean but doesn’t stain or pit. And cleaning counters isn’t very difficult. All the consumer has to do is follow the below directions and they’ll keep their counter not only looking great but will also keep it in good condition for many years to come.
Items Needed:
- The best granite cleaner available
- Microfiber cloth
- Cleaning cloth
- Paper towel
How To Clean Stone Surfaces
- Use a paper towel to remove crumbs from the surface.
- Spray the counter with granite cleaner evenly and thoroughly.
- Moisten the cleaning cloth and wipe down the entire surface.
- Allow the product to sit for a few seconds before proceeding.
- Now use the microfiber cloth to dry off the surface.
Cleaning Granite Tombstones
Okay, it might seem a bit jarring to switch from kitchen surfaces and head towards tombstones, but the fact of the matter is that many headstones are made out of granite. And since they’re granite, you need to properly care for them to keep them looking their best. Below are some tips for maintaining granite tombstones so they always look their best.
Items Needed:
- Masking tape (for covering ceramic photos or bronze fixtures)
- Newspaper (for protecting the grass)
- Nylon fiber brush
- Spray bottle of plain water
- Spray bottle of granite cleaner
- Microfiber towel
How To Clean Granite Headstones
- Cover bronze fixtures and ceramic photographs with masking tape to avoid getting cleaner on them.
- Lay down newspaper to prevent the cleaner from getting on it.
- Spray down the granite headstone with granite cleaner, making sure to cover the entire stone.
- Allow the cleaner to sit approximately 20 to 30-minutes, or according to the product’s instructions.
- After the allotted time has expired, use the spray bottle of water to spray down the headstone.
- Use the microfiber cloth to remove the water and polish the stone’s surface.
- Remove the masking tape and remove the newspaper.
Additional Granite Cleaning Tips
We’ve decided to end this article by listing some of the things that consumers should keep in mind when caring for their granite. Let’s call this a list of precautions that consumers should consider before they even begin cleaning their stone surfaces.
General Granite Precautions:
- Never use bleach, ammonia, lemon juice, vinegar or other acids on granite.
- Never use a stainless-steel brush or scrub pad on the surface.
- For heavy granite surfaces, such as headstones, only use nylon brushes.
- For kitchen granite, the consumer should never use anything other than cloth for cleaning.
- Always follow the granite cleaner’s instructions and recommendations.
- Be sure to test an inconspicuous spot on the counter before using any new cleaner.
