Household Connections: Before You Buy Stone Cleaner

Stone is a beautiful addition to your home. It's very common to find stone floors or countertops in many homes today. Find out what you should be looking for before you buy stone cleaner for your surfaces.

The milder the stone cleaner, the better.

Adding stone to your home is a big investment. And although stone countertops and flooring are durable, using a tough cleaner can stain, pit, or dull the surface. Many times, water alone is enough to clean stone surfaces. A mild dish soap that doesn't contain acids is also a great choice. We often think of cleaners as being heavy-hitters, but for stone, you don't need tough. Choose the mildest cleaner to get the job done.

Avoid acidic ingredients in your stone cleaner.

Acids are bad for stone. While lemons and vinegar might work great in other areas of your home, they aren't good for stone. Avoid any cleaners that have lemon or vinegar as part of their ingredients.

Less stone cleaner is more.

The more stone cleaner that is used, the more likely it is that you will have streaks on your stone when you are finished. A little bit of stone cleaner goes a long way. Choose a product that is going to allow you to control how much cleaner you apply.

Check manufacturer's recommendations before purchasing stone cleaner.

If you want to make sure that you treat your individual stone the way it's supposed to be treated, your best bet is to refer to the manufacturer. You probably got a care guide for your stone. Take a look at it and determine any special instructions. There may be instructions for sealing your stone, recommended products, or tips on what not to do.