Credit: kitchenmagic
Granite countertops are the best home improvement options on the market today. They can add thousands of dollars to the value of your home, improve the look of your kitchen and bathrooms, and can last for decades if they’re cared for properly. Making sure that they’re taken care of, however, can be difficult. While granite countertops that are professionally sealed require relatively little maintenance, it is important to clean them with a soap that won’t eat away at the finish.
There are a number of commercial products available that will clean your granite countertops, but many of these can cost a lot of money, especially considering that it is a product you’re likely to use everyday. It can be also be hard to know exactly what is in these commercial cleaners. Unlike food and beverages, manufacturers of these products don’t have to list all of their ingredients on the label. For these reasons, many people choose to make their own granite cleaners at home.
The following recipes work great on practically any type of sealed granite. Start with a clean, plastic spray bottle (reuse one from another cleaning product, or pick one up in the cleaning aisle). Then add the following items:
• 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons of dish soap
• one teaspoon of scented oil, optional
This formula costs about fifty cents to make, and it should last for about a month if you clean your counters on a daily basis. On a shelf, it should last for about six months.
Compared to the cleaning products for other types of counters, granite countertops require relatively little maintenance. A simple spray cleaner such as this one takes just a few minutes to make, and it costs a fraction of what other commercial cleaners can cost. Best of all, it’s all a homeowner has to do to take care of their granite countertops. No other cleaning products or periodic treatments are required. By using this formula, the investment you make in your granite countertops will pay off for decades.
