Kitchen counters take the brunt of the food spills and oils from food preparations. Over time, these food particles and grease can cause stains on your countertops, and damage the material as well, which is why regular cleaning is a must to keep your kitchen countertops durable.
Just wiping is not enough to get your kitchen countertops clean, especially with grease and oils from cooking. The best way to combat stains on a countertop is to use an effective cleaner that will get rid of dust and dirt, while breaking down grease to make it easy for you to clean your counters. Here are 5 homemade countertop cleaners that will refresh your kitchen counter:
5 DIY Cleaners to Refresh Your Kitchen Counters
These homemade cleaners are perfect for cleaning your kitchen counter as they are non-toxic, and contain no harsh chemicals that would damage the material of your countertops. These cleaning solutions are safe to use for daily cleaning, but are just as effective as commercial kitchen cleaners and disinfectants.
#1 DIY All-Purpose Cleaner
An effective all-purpose countertop cleaner only uses two ingredients: dish soap and warm water. This cleaner is a basic solution that breaks down grease and oils from your countertops, and is a simple, homemade cleaner that is accessible to most households.
Mix 2-4 tablespoons of liquid dish soap into a bucket of warm water, and keep the mixture in a spray bottle. Use this solution on your wooden, natural stone, glass, and even laminate countertops without any problems, and wipe the solution on the surface to clean your countertops. The dish soap should break down grease, and lift dirt from the counter.
#2 Homemade Counter Cleaner for Natural Stone Countertops
Natural stone countertops, like marble and granite, are popular choices for their elegant look and natural aesthetic, but are high maintenance when it comes to cleaning as acidic solutions like vinegar and lemon juice can easily etch the material. Etch marks appear as rough, cloudy-white patches on your countertops, losing the luster that natural stone surfaces are known for.
Instead of using white vinegar and lemon-based cleaning solutions, use castile soap. Castile soap is made from vegetable oils, which won't etch marble or granite surfaces. To create this homemade kitchen cleaner, mix 2-4 tablespoons of castile soap with 1 liter of warm water in a spray bottle. Use this mixture all over your countertops to clean them.
#3 Homemade All-Natural Cleaner
For an all-natural cleaner that will get rid of dirt and oils effectively, reach for the distilled white vinegar in your pantry. Mix the vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Diluted white vinegar breaks down stains like soap scum and hard water stains from your countertops, and removes oils. Vinegar also deodorizes and shines, leaving you with a squeaky clean countertop!
Not fond of the vinegar smell? Adding essential oils, such as tea tree oil and eucalyptus essential oil, will help mask the smell of vinegar. Add your preferred essential oils to your diluted vinegar spray, adding around 20-30 drops of essential oils per 1 liter of cleaning solution. Citrus essential oils are popular options, as are floral-scented essential oils.
Besides adding an essential oil, you can also mix in citrus peels such as lemon peels, as well as herbs like rosemary, thyme, and mint to mask the vinegar smell. These will not affect the cleaning abilities of the solution, but will leave a refreshing scent once the cleaner has dried on your countertops.
#4 Homemade Countertop Cleaner and Disinfectant
Plain, 70% rubbing alcohol can be used on most countertop materials, and disinfects as it cleans your kitchen counters. Mix 1 cup of rubbing alcohol and 1 cup of water to dilute the disinfectant. Add in 10-20 drops of tea tree, bergamot, or lavender essential oil, as these oils have antibacterial properties that will aid in sanitizing your countertops.
Place the solution in a spray bottle, and use it to sanitize your countertops. Spray a liberal amount on the surface, and wipe with a clean cloth to cover every area. Allow the solution to dry on the surface for the full sanitizing effect.
#5 DIY Cleaner for Spot Treatments and Stains
If you have stains and grease spots on your countertops, a baking soda paste will get those stains right out! Mix baking soda with vinegar, water, or hydrogen peroxide to remove stains, lift grease off the surface, and clean the kitchen counter.
Mix together enough baking soda with vinegar, water, or hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. Using vinegar is safe for most surfaces, but for natural stone counters, you will need to substitute vinegar with water to avoid etching the material. Using peroxide, however, will provide a bleaching agent, so best not to use this for dark countertops.
Apply the paste directly on stained spots, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Use a clean cloth to scrub the paste out, and the stains should be gone. Wipe any cleaning paste residue away with a damp cloth.
Make Cleaning Easy
Creating a kitchen counter cleaner is just one of the chores you need to do to keep your home clean. Ease up on your cleaning tasks with Luce's weekly home cleaning service. Let us tackle those chores for you, while you stay comfortable in a pristine, spotless abode!
Contact us today, and we'll get those stains out of your house in no time.
