One of the busiest and dirtiest parts of your house is your kitchen. The stove range where you cook your meals, the sink where you wash your plates, and there’s the countertop. When you are not cooking, you are still using your countertop for other things like opening and segregating your groceries, preparing your meals, waiting for your coffee, and sometimes using it as a desk when you need to work.
Steps in Cleaning Countertops
- Clear the area: We tend to put things on our countertop, the groceries, cookbook, plates, food, and some appliances. Before cleaning your countertop, remove everything on it. Clear the area before you start your work to avoid missing a spot while cleaning it.
- Wipe: After removing everything on top of your counter, you will see all the crumbs and left debris. Wipe those crumbs and debris into the trash bin. You might also see some food residue that got stuck on your counter. Scrap off it with a plastic putty knife to avoid damaging the surface.
- Spray with a cleaning mixture: Use your go-to cleaning mixture on your countertop. You can spray it section-by-section so that it will not dry on the countertop.
- Scrub: If your countertop needs a scrub, use a soft cloth or a non-abrasive sponge to avoid leaving scratches all over your countertop. Using soft scrubbing creams like Easy Soft Deep Cleaning Cream can help you a lot without damaging your counter.
- Wipe Away: Wipe everything. You can use a micro-fiber cloth, a damp sponge, or a paper towel to remove all the residue from the surface.
- Let it dry: Before putting back everything on your countertop, let it completely dry.
Choose the suitable method for your countertop
Countertops are made with different types of materials. Most countertops are made either from wood, marble, granite, concrete, and others. Each type of material also needs a certain kind of care, but the most important thing is to clean the countertop without causing discoloration or damaging the surface. Some cleaning methods work well on most countertops but can cause damage to other types. Granite, marble, quartz, and laminated countertops are the usual types that have certain do’s and don’ts when cleaning. Knowing what hurts your countertop will be a great help in maintaining a clean and good-looking countertop that lasts.
These are a few tips on how to clean different countertops:
Granite, Quartz, and Marble Countertops
Granite, quartz, and Marble countertops are popular in most modern households. They can resist stains and bacteria and gives a classy ambiance with their glossy shine. But these countertops need specific cleaning rules to maintain their luster.
- Avoid using acidic cleaners, harsh chemicals, and abrasive scrubbers: The vinegar mixture works well with other countertops but can cause dullness to granite countertops and ruin its sealant. Warm water and mild dish soap are enough to clean your granite countertops perfectly. Replace your abrasive scrubbers with a soft microfiber cloth.
- Dry it with a microfiber cloth: Avoid leaving your granite countertop wet. Dry it using a microfiber cloth to avoid water spots.
- Use special cleaner: These countertops are made from natural stone and need special attention to maintain their glossy shine. Warm water and dish soap work fine, but you can use a unique cleaning mixture made for granites. You can also make your mixture. All you need is 50 parts water and 50 parts alcohol. Add some drops of essential oil if you want.
Laminated Countertops
A cheaper way to get a natural stone-looking countertop is getting a Laminated Countertop. It can last longer than you think if you maintained and clean it properly.
Keep it dry
Laminated countertops are from plastic, board, and paper. Wipe away spills immediately to avoid stains.
Use baking soda for stains
As much as possible, avoid staining your countertops. But if this happens, baking soda is your best friend. You can mix it with a mild cleaner to create a paste and apply it to the stained spot. Leave it for a couple of od minutes and rinse off with a soft cloth.
Stainless countertops
The most common countertop that you will see in a kitchen is a stainless countertop. Restaurants, bakers, and culinary schools usually use stainless countertops. It easy to clean and does not require some special needs. However, stainless countertops are sensitive to fingerprints. To prevent fingerprints on your stainless countertops, use a paper towel with a bit of olive oil to wipe it.
Cleaning is not as easy as you think. One wrong move, and you might ruin your appliances or furniture rather than make it clean. Warm water, mild dish soap, and a microfiber cloth are your best tool for your everyday cleaning. Also, Easy Scrub Deep Cleaning Cream can be a game-changer for cleaning countertops. It can remove soap film, water sports, and other specks of dirt and residues that most cleaners can’t do on most countertops. Regular cleaning and proper maintenance can make your countertop last long.