Comments on: Homemade Granite & Marble Cleaner

By: Patsy

Patsy — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:52:14 +0000

Do you think it’s absolutely necessary to use the castile soap in the recipe or will ordinary dish soap work as well? Thanks

By: TipNut

TipNut — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 02:21:01 +0000

Thanks for sharing that information GraniteGuy

By: GraniteGuy

GraniteGuy — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:51:46 +0000

Susan, I’m in the stone industry. There are unfortunately many misconceptions about what can and can’t be used on stone surfaces. This mis-education is usually started by competing products of stone surfaces, and is often propagated unto a broader audiences by DIY programs and blogs like this one. The only (and I mean ONLY) stones that might be sensitive to acids like vinegar or citrus would be calcium-based stones (limestone, travertine, and many marbles).

For kitchen countertops, granite is the surface leader by a long shot over other types of stone. Few granites contain much (if any) calcium and are NOT affected by vinegar or any normal household acids. For those who are still unsure, they can always test any “alternative” cleaners (or even straight vinegar) in an inconspicuous location before using it everywhere.

TipNut – Thanks for the site! Lots of helpful info here.

By: susan

susan — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:08:02 +0000

have to warn that those in the stone care industry warn that vinegar should NEVER be used on stone, sealed or otherwise, as it can etch the surface over time. i wouldn’t use this on a granite countertop even with the small amount of vinegar in this recipe.

By: TipNut

TipNut — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 05:55:36 +0000

Just received an email that this recipe is from Sophie Uliano, author of Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life. I’ll update the recipe to include the info. The recipe states it is suitable for acrylic, ceramic tile, wood, marble and granite.

By: TipNut

TipNut — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:24:55 +0000

I understood it to be straight vinegar that can be a problem Tonya (too acidic). There's a lot of dilution in this recipe between the water & the hydrogen peroxide. I did a quick search and found other recipes that contained distilled vinegar including this one from the NY Times for cleaning granite: "Or you can make a homemade solution of equal parts water and distilled white vinegar. Beth Haley, a Nashville interior designer who frequently works on kitchens, recommended it as simple and effective."

By: Tonya

Tonya — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:42:19 +0000

I always heared not to use vinegar on marble or gramite are you sure this is ok?

By: meredith

meredith — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:18:04 +0000

This is a great recipe for cleaning. I’m still waiting to see if it leaves a film on my granite counter tops, but so far I’m pretty happy with it!
I used lemongrass essential oil instead of lavender and like the scent even more (hides the vinegar smell quite well).

By: Friday wrap: Cabin fever, gentle cleaner, cheaper tax deals « Cheap Like Me

Friday wrap: Cabin fever, gentle cleaner, cheaper tax deals « Cheap Like Me — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:13:18 +0000

[...] is quite abrasive. Fortunately, TipNut slides to the rescue on a soapy, eco-friendly cloth with a recipe for homemade granite cleaner. The cleaner also is appropriate for marble, acrylic, wood, ceramic tile and more. And it probably [...]