Granite countertop cleaner

[gossamer]

Hi,
I've searched around quite a bit, and would like some advice on the best granite countertop cleaner.

We sealed the countertop quite some time ago, and it's now either coming off in sections, or didn't really seal properly, because now it looks terrible. It looks like it needs a really good cleaning.

Soap scum, and residue from this crappy sealer.

I've looked at the DuPont StoneTech products on amazon, but they are expensive. Is it worth the money?

Is there a product at the supermarket that's going to be strong enough to remove deep soap scum and this film the sealer created?

Thanks,
Dave

[Nestor]

I don't have a granite counter top and so I have no experience with them. So, maybe go down to any place that makes granite counter tops and buy a piece of scrap unsealed granite off them for $5 to use as a test piece.

Check that nail polish remover doesn't harm your granite. It shouldn't.

Try using nail polish remover to remove the sealer where it's flaking off. If it removes the sealer, then you can use acetone to remove it, which you should be able to buy for about $20 per gallon at any paint & hardware store or home center.

Go to the cleaning aisle of your home center and see if you can find a phosphoric acid based toilet bowl cleaner. You also should be able to buy phosphoric acid based toilet bowl cleaners at any place listed under "Janitorial Equipment & Supplies" in your yellow pages phone book.

Check that the phosphoric acid based toilet bowl cleaner doesn't harm granite.

Phosphoric acid is the active ingredient in most bathroom cleaners because it cuts through soap scum like a hot knife through butter, but won't attack chrome, even in strong concentrations.

You can use a phosphoric acid toilet bowl cleaner to clean up soap scum without having to worry that it will damage the chrome plating on your kitchen faucet or your stainless steel sink.

The only thing that I know of that cuts through soap scum better than phosphoric acid is oven cleaner. Check that oven cleaner doesn't harm your test piece of granite.

[pushkins]

As a cleaner granite manufacturers use Mentholated Spirits, don't leave it in pools, apply it and clean it off. As a sealer there are 3 or 4 products available, at least one of these shouldn't be used with a different one. Have you tried calling whoever installed it for you ?
Do not under and circumstances use any kind of oven cleaner or any (as a rule) foaming cleaners.
We do a lot of work using granite and marble, "Granite Shield" is one product we have used, Dupont's product (Stone Tech, I think it's called) works well also. 511 (Miracle) is our product of choice in a sealer for our kitchen and bathroom work that works very very well, they also have a extremely good range of pre sealing cleaners, they are not cheap at $30-$40/quart, IMO this is one of those areas that quality comes at a cost. Nowadays almost all granite is supplied with permanent sealers in place.

[Nestor]

As a cleaner granite manufacturers use Mentholated Spirits

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think you mean Methylated Spirits. Methylated spirits is denatured alcohol. It's 95 percent ethyl alcohol diluted with 5 percent methyl alcohol (aka: methanol or "wood alcohol") so that you can't drink methylated spirits (without going blind or killing yourself).


If 95 percent ethyl alcohol can be used to clean granite, then the 95 percent isopropyl alcohol, 5 percent water (or rubbing alcohol) you can buy in any pharmacy will almost certainly work equally well.

PS:
This is menthol:


This is methanol:

[pushkins]

OOps, your right I did mean methylated. I'd blame "spell check" but I didn't spell check so I'm the dummy.

[Nestor]

Ain't no dummies in here.

[gossamer]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think you mean Methylated Spirits. Methylated spirits is denatured alcohol. It's 95 percent ethyl alcohol diluted with 5 percent methyl alcohol (aka: methanol or "wood alcohol") so that you can't drink methylated spirits (without going blind or killing yourself).

Great, thanks for the clarification. Is there a brand-name product that includes this formulation, or do you know where I can find it?

Is this the active ingredient in the Dupont cleaners I've seen online?

Maybe isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle would be a good solution?

Thanks again,
Dave

[Nestor]

Is this the active ingredient in the Dupont cleaners I've seen online?

The ingredients in DuPont Granite and Marble Countertop Cleaner can be found on this MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet):

http://msds.dupont.com/msds/pdfs/EN/PEN_09004a35804cf798.pdf

Essentially, it's a 2 percent solution of isopropyl alcohol dissolved in water with a little detergent tossed in.

The "propan-2-ol" is isopropyl alcohol. An "alcohol" is anything with a hydroxyl group (that is, one of these: -OH) bonded to a carbon atom. Calling it propan-2-ol is just to let you know that the hydroxyl group is bonded to the middle carbon atom, not the carbon atom on either end. (that would be propan-1-ol)

Alcohol ethoxylates are "surfactants" (short for Surface Active Agents) which are commonly found in laundry detergents and general purpose household cleaners like Mr. Clean or Fantastik.

http://www.scienceinthebox.com/en_UK/glossary/alcoetho_en.html

Since these are the ONLY two components of DuPont Granite and Marble Countertop Cleaner, you could make your own by simply dissolving 2.5 fluid ounces of isopropyl alcohol and 1.25 fluid ounces of Mr. Clean in a gallon jug of water. Pour that solution into a discarded spray bottle from your local plastics recycling bin, and you just saved yourself $7.95.

Maybe isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle would be a good solution?

I wouldn't use straight isopropyl alcohol. That's cuz the chances are good that any sealer or polish put over the granite will be acrylic. That means it's made out of a plastic called polymethyl methacrylate (aka: Plexiglas). Pure isopropyl alcohol will dissolve that plastic.

[gossamer]

The ingredients in DuPont Granite and Marble Countertop Cleaner can be found on this MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet):
...
Essentially, it's a 2 percent solution of isopropyl alcohol dissolved in water with a little detergent tossed in.

Awesome, thanks so much for this.

Thanks,
Dave