COVID-19 has made a significant impact on the lives of people around the world. Like many homeowners, you want a safe and sanitary environment for your family. If you have stone countertops, you want to find the right way to keep these surfaces clean. With a few tips, you can disinfect these counters and minimize the risk of exposure to harmful viruses, such as COVID-19.

Never Clean With Bleach

If you have a granite countertop, you never want to reach for an abrasive or bleach cleaner. These cleansers have abrasive particles that contain small amounts of metal, steel wool, and copper. If you rub them against the surface of your stone countertops, they will end up damaging the stone. You also want to stay away from a natural cleaner like vinegar. This cleaning solution has acidic substances that are known to weaken your countertop’s sealer. Once again, you are left with a dull and dingy surface.

Seal Your Stone Countertops

If you want to stop germs, bacteria, and viruses from developing on your countertop, then you need to start with a sealer. Your countertops should already be sealed to protect from water seepage and other damages. However, you need to maintain that sealer with a reapplication about every other year.

For those who have granite and marble, these stones are naturally resistant to bacteria. You still should look for a high-quality sealer to prevent other issues, like staining or etching. Those engineered surfaces, such as quartz, are not porous. These countertops will not need any type of sealing application. If you need to seal or reseal your stone countertops, make sure to call a professional to handle the job.

Tips To Clean Your Countertops

There are a few things you can do to clean the countertops in your home. The CDC recommends that you use disposable or reusable gloves when cleaning. These gloves can cut down on any transmission of viruses or bacteria to your hands. While soap can dull the look of your stone countertops, you might want to use mild soap and water as the first cleaning step. You can then disinfect your countertop with an additional cleanser designed for your stone.

Any soapy lather will kill the coronavirus. That is why the CDC has been stressing the importance of washing hands with soap. The outer layer of the virus is drawn to those soap molecules. When the virus binds to the soap, the mixture splits it open. In turn, the virus is incapable of penetrating human cells.

If you are concerned about using mild soap on your countertops, you can follow a few tips to keep your home sanitized and protect your stone. First, fill your sink with a gentle antibacterial cleanser and hot water. It is vital to create a rich lather for the best disinfection of those surfaces.

When you wash your countertops, you want to create plenty of foam and work in small sections for about 20 seconds. You have better cleaning power with more bubbles. It is also acceptable to leave the soapy water on the surface for a few minutes. After that, make sure to wipe it off the countertop.

After the surface is rinsed with warm water, you can use a stone cleaner. With this cleaner, you will eliminate any film or streaks left behind by the soap.

Using Alcohol-Based Cleansers

The mild soap and hot water will remove germs and dirt, but you need to disinfect to kill any viruses and bacteria. As stated, you never want to use ammonia, bleach, or abrasive cleaners on your countertops. However, you can use rubbing alcohol. This solution has been effective at killing all types of nasty germs, including the coronavirus. If you look at any hand sanitizer, the main ingredient contains alcohol.

If you want to rid your surfaces of those germs, use products with at least a 70 percent alcohol concentration. Anything below 50 percent is not effective at killing these germs. You might be tempted to use straight alcohol, but it can evaporate too quickly. In turn, the alcohol does not have enough time to kill those viruses. Any type of isopropyl alcohol in the store contains this 70 percent mixture, and it is already mixed with water. You can simply open the bottle and clean your countertops.

Cleaning your countertops only requires a few easy steps. First, you can add the alcohol mixture to a spray bottle. You might want to double the efficacy by combining a little soap to the mix. If you are cleaning a natural stone, make sure to mix four tablespoons of isopropyl alcohol with antibacterial dish soap. Fill the spray bottle with hot water to start cleaning your surfaces.

Make sure to give the bottle a good shake and spray over your surface. For the best results, you should allow the solution to sit for about five minutes. After that, you want to rinse the counters with water. To finish the cleaning process, make sure to dry it with a soft cloth.

Keep Your Family Safe

During these times, you want to keep your family safe as you maintain the look of your stone countertops. These countertops are an investment, and you want to keep them protected. Harsh chemicals can remove germs and bacteria, but they can also damage the surface of your counters.

The CDC has issued guidelines to disinfect your hard surfaces. You can find many of these ingredients in your local hardware store, or you might have them around your home. With a few tricks, you can disinfect your house without harming these surfaces. In the end, you can keep up the beauty and functionality of your stone countertops.

Find Granite Companies Nearby

Now that you know how to protect the appearance of stone countertops, you might want to add these surfaces to your home. You can find a variety of natural and artificial products at Marble Concepts. We can help you find just the right option for your countertops. Whether you need stone in your kitchen or bathroom, make sure to reach out to us. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please give us a call at 215-396-7393.