Cleaning Guide for Countertops: Granite, Quartz, Laminate, and More

Are your countertops in need of a good cleaning? In this article, we’ll go over how to clean the following countertop materials:

We’ll cover the materials you’ll need and tips for cleaning each countertop material.

What you’ll need:

• Spray bottle
• Hot water
• Dish soap
• Microfiber cloths

To clean marble and granite countertops:

1. Spray the countertops with a mixture of hot water and dish soap.
2. Wipe the mixture off the countertop with a damp microfiber cloth.
3. Dry counters using a dry microfiber cloth.

Tips for cleaning marble and granite countertops:

• Don’t use acidic solutions. Acidic solutions—even natural ones like lemon juice or vinegar—will strip the sealer and eat away at the natural stone.
• To remove stains, mix a paste of water and baking soda. Apply the paste to the stain, cover it with plastic wrap and tape the edges, and let the paste sit for 24 hours.
• To help protect granite and marble countertops from stains, have them sealed annually. Granite and marble are porous, which means the stone has tiny holes, making it more prone to stains and mildew than other non-porous countertop materials. Sealing helps prevent liquids and mildew from staining the stone.

What you’ll need:

• Spray bottle
• Hot water
• Dish soap
• Gentle glass or all-purpose cleaner
• Microfiber cloths
• Soft sponge

To clean quartz and laminate countertops:

1. Spray the countertops with a mixture of hot water and dish soap.
2. Wipe the mixture off the countertop with a damp microfiber cloth.
3. Dry counters using a dry microfiber cloth.

Tips for cleaning laminate and quartz countertops:

• For a deeper clean, spray a gentle glass or all-purpose cleaner on the countertops and wipe the counter down with a soft sponge.
• To remove stains, apply a paste of water and baking soda to the stain. Baking soda is abrasive, so avoid scrubbing the paste into the stain, or you can damage the laminate or quartz. For stubborn stains, cover the paste with plastic wrap and tape the edges, and let it sit for 24 hours.

What you’ll need:

• Spray bottle
• Hot water
• Vinegar
• Microfiber cloths
• Lemon
• Salt

To clean wood countertops (also called butcher block countertops):

1. Spray the countertops with a mixture of hot water and vinegar.
2. Wipe the mixture off the countertop with a damp microfiber cloth.
3. Dry counters using a dry microfiber cloth. This is especially important for preventing water damage to butcher block countertops.

Tips for cleaning wood countertops:

• To remove stains, cut a lemon in half and sprinkle salt onto the stain. Gently rub the lemon on the salt to work out the stain. Clean off the lemon juice and salt with the water-vinegar mixture and dry the counter.
• Keep the counter as dry as possible. Wood in any form will eventually start warping and splitting when in contact with excessive amounts of water. After cleaning wood countertops, wipe them down with a dry cloth.
• Oil butcher block countertops monthly. Use a soft cloth to rub a thin layer of food-grade oil or wax into the wood and let it soak in. This helps prevent the wood from drying out, cracking, or warping.

Need to clean your wood cabinets too? Check out our blog, “How to Clean Wood Cabinet: Do’s and Dont's.”

What you’ll need:

• Spray bottle
• Hot water
• Dish soap
• Microfiber cloths

To clean concrete countertops:

1. Spray the countertops with a mixture of hot water and dish soap.
2. Wipe the mixture off the countertop with a damp microfiber cloth.
3. Dry counters using a dry microfiber cloth.

Tips for cleaning concrete countertops:

• Don’t use acidic solutions. Even natural acidic solutions, like lemon juice or vinegar, will strip the sealer and eat away at the concrete.
• To help protect concrete countertops from stains, have them resealed annually. Like granite and marble, concrete is porous, so it should be sealed regularly to prevent stains and scratches.

What you’ll need:

• Spray bottle
• Hot water
• Dish soap
• Microfiber cloths
• Stainless steel cleaner
• Stainless steel polish or lemon oil

To clean stainless steel countertops:

1. Spray the countertops with a mixture of hot water and dish soap or a stainless steel cleaner.
2. Wipe the mixture off the countertop with a damp microfiber cloth.
3. Dry counters using a dry microfiber cloth to prevent water marks.

Tips for cleaning stainless steel countertops:

• To remove stains, apply a paste of water and baking soda on the stain and gently rub it in with a microfiber cloth. Avoid using an abrasive sponge or steel wool—you can scratch the metal.
• To polish stainless steel countertops, apply a stainless steel polish or lemon oil and rub it on the counter.

What you’ll need:

• Spray bottle
• Hot water
• Dish soap
• Microfiber cloths
• Tile and grout cleaner
• Toothbrush

To clean tile countertops:

1. Spray the countertops with a mixture of hot water and dish soap or a tile and grout cleaner.
2. Wipe the mixture off the countertop with a damp microfiber cloth.
3. Dry counters using a dry microfiber cloth.

Tips for cleaning tile countertops:

• For a deeper clean or to remove stains, use a toothbrush to scrub the grout. This removes any mildew or build-up on the porous surface. Tile doesn’t stain easily, but if it does, spray your cleaning solution on the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes or so before wiping off.
• To help protect tile countertops from stains, have the grout and unglazed tile countertops sealed annually. Grout and unglazed tile are porous, so sealing them helps prevent stains and damage. Glazed tile countertops don’t need to be sealed, but you should still seal the grout regularly.