Eliminate Water Marks On Granite Countertops With This Cleaning Essential

If you're someone who takes a pause before putting any cleaning solution on your kitchen counters, then you are definitely not alone. There's nothing more frightening than the idea of staining your surfaces, especially when they're made from a particularly expensive stone like granite. The next time you're trying to battle something like stubborn water marks, you can stir up a simple solution using ingredients you probably already have on hand — and you won't need to worry about committing any granite countertop mistakes.

All you have to do is mix together the age-old classic — hydrogen peroxide and baking soda — with a little water until it creates a paste. Then, just spread it over the water marks in a deep layer. The solution should help lift the stains right away, but for an even better impact, you can leave it on overnight and cover the counter with cling film.

Once you've waited for a sufficient amount of time, lift the wrap and allow the paste to dry. When it's dry, just wipe it off with water. Repeat the process as needed, but hopefully the marks will be gone by the time you wipe down the counter.

The hydrogen peroxide-baking soda trick works on other stains, too, like red wine stains or dark food spills. You just need to make sure that the counters are sealed, especially if you're using a lot of hydrogen peroxide. In fact, if you don't dilute the peroxide enough with water, it can actually break down the sealant and lighten the color of the granite over time.

For similar reasons, you don't want to add any vinegar to the mix, and try to avoid getting anything acidic on the stone too. Some other things to avoid using on granite include any abrasive sponges and cleaning sprays that contain ammonia or bleach. Don't store these common items on granite countertops either. 

For everyday cleaning, just use a homemade cleaning solution of diluted dish soap and a microfiber cloth. About a teaspoon of soap for every few cups of water should do, and you can put it in a spray bottle for easy access. Make sure to wipe up any spills right away, especially if you have hard water. Hopefully, you won't need to whip the peroxide out too often.