How To Clean Countertops

Your countertop is your workstation. You need this area to look good so that when the guests come over, it is spotless. Yet, you also need to have a clean and stain free countertop to keep your food preparations safe. There are plenty of ways to stain a countertop. Some are harder to wash clean than others. Whether you thought of this or not when the countertop was installed is another story. Most types of countertops are easy to clean if you know how to do so.

There are several ways to clean countertops. Here, we will talk first about how to give a general clean to most any type of countertop. Here are some tips to remember.

Regular Cleaning Process:

• Always use a mild dish washing detergent on the countertop. Plastic laminated countertops need to be washed in this manner. Use clean water to rinse off any soap that is left behind.
• When cleaning a countertop, make sure to remove any types of appliances or cutting boards from it before you attempt to clean it.
• Then, make sure that you wipe off the bottoms of these items before putting them back in place later.
• Use a soft sponge to wash the countertop. Use this to wash the entire counter.
• Make sure to get under the lip of the countertop and the backsplash area as well. Get in right next to the edges to clean the entire thing well.
• Now, you will want to work on another area of the countertop so that the solution of soap will be allowed to sit for a moment or two on the countertop. This will make cleaning it much easier in the long run.
• If there is debris or particles that are not coming off easily, apply pressure and use a more abrasive sponge. Be careful as you do not want them to cause scratches in the countertop.
• Next, use hot water to rinse down the area. You are removing all of the soap as well as anything that has come off in the process. Then, use a terry cloth to dry it down. Or, you can allow it to air dry as well.
• If it is recommended by the maker, you an often use a furniture style polish to give your countertops a bit of luster.
  

Heavy Duty Countertop Cleaning

• Now, sometimes it may be a bit harder to get the grime off of your countertops. If this is the case, here are some things that you will want to consider.
• Get a soft bristled brush as well as a pH balanced cleaner. There are commercial brands of them that will work well. They are scouring cleaners. Make sure that you test these out in a hidden area to make sure that they will not damage the surface of your countertops. You should always do this. If all is well, use them to scrub down the surfaces.
• Follow the directions provided with the solution to insure that it is used correctly as well as cleaned off correctly.
• You should be able to use a sulfuric or phosphoric acid to clean if this does not work. Make sure to follow the directions provided on these solutions to insure that they are used in the proper manner.

Article Source: Mrs. Clean