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DIY

Kitchen Countertop Cleaners

Whether or not you have a Pinterest account, you know that DIY hacks are all the rage when it comes from to everything from décor to organization. Why should cleaning your kitchen countertops be any different?

At Merry Maids, we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves when it comes to DIY kitchen countertop cleaners. And if you like working with simple household products or green cleaning, we think you’ll like what we’ve come up with. Take a look.

Dishwashing Liquid and Water

This DIY kitchen counter cleaner may be the easiest cleaning solution you’ve ever whipped up. It’s also an excellent way to keep your kitchen countertop clean on a daily basis, regardless of whether your counters are granite, Corian® or laminate. Here’s what you do:
  • Mix your dishwashing liquid and warm water together in a bucket or sink.
  • Dip a clean microfiber cloth into the DIY kitchen counter cleaner, and wipe down your countertops.
  • Rinse your cloth regularly with clean water as you go so that you’re actually cleaning and not just spreading gunk and grease around.
  • Buff, polish or just plain old dry your kitchen countertops using a fresh—and dry—microfiber cloth.
  • Stand back and admire those shining kitchen countertops, cleaned with a DIY kitchen counter cleaner that took less than a minute to make.
Pretty easy, right? Well, we’re just getting started.

Baking Soda and Water

If you have a stain on your kitchen countertop, you may need something more than dishwashing liquid and water. When you find yourself in these scenarios, just reach over into your kitchen cabinets and grab your trusty baking soda.

Before you apply this DIY kitchen counter cleaner, however, it’s important to check your manufacturer’s instructions to make sure that it’s safe to use baking soda on whatever material your countertop is made from. In addition, you’ll want to spot test this solution on a small out-of-the-way part of the countertop before applying it to larger areas. Now for the instructions:
  • Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with a two to three tablespoons of water. You want to form a paste, so the amount of water you need may be a little more or less.
  • After checking your manufacturer’s instructions and conducting your spot test, spread the paste over the stain. Let that sit for three to five minutes.
  • Wipe the paste off with a damp microfiber cloth. You want to be gentle. If you scrub, the baking soda could scratch your countertop or sealant.
  • that aren’t fazed by this solution may require something a bit stronger. In that situation, your best bet is to see what products your countertop’s manufacturer recommends for stain removal.

Ammonia and- You Guessed It - Water

Ammonia isn’t appropriate for all types of countertops, so you’ll want to avoid using it on concrete, granite, Silestone® or laminate. However, you can use it on Corian® or quartz countertops, after you've checked those manufacturer's instructions, of course.

And this cleaner isn’t for everyday use. It’s something you want to break out when company is coming over or you’re trying to restore some shine to your counters. Using ammonia regularly can actually cause a waxy build-up on your countertops, and nobody wants that.

Ready to learn how to use this DIY kitchen counter cleaner? Let’s go.<>
  • Make sure the space you’re working in is well ventilated.
  • Combine the ammonia and water in a spray bottle. You want the ammonia to be diluted, so your mixture should contain a lot more water than it does ammonia. Also, certain household chemicals should never be mixed. So if you’ve used bleach, vinegar or other cleaners in this spray bottle, don’t put ammonia in it.
  • Spray down your countertop with the solution, wiping it up with a microfiber cloth as you go.
  • Buff or polish your counters dry with a fresh microfiber cloth.
So there have it. Three simple and effective DIY kitchen counter cleaners, all of which you can make in just a few minutes. You’ll have so much time left over, you may be inspired to tackle the rest of the kitchen. If you are, we’ve got the kitchen-cleaning tips you need to get the job done right.