How to effectively clean your kitchen work surface?

Natural stone

Despite the fact that natural stone is the most durable material among others used to make kitchen countertops, small scratches may appear on its surface, which will accumulate dirt over time.

Therefore, for prevention, it is necessary to use cutting boards, as well as trivets for hot pans and pots.

At the end of each day, you can wash the stone surface with warm water, wiping it dry thoroughly.

Hard abrasive and chemically aggressive cleaning agents cannot be used for stone countertops.

If a stain does appear on the stone surface, then you can remove it either with special compounds that can be bought in a household chemical store, or with improvised means.

A mixture that copes well with ingrained stains is:

• 500 ml of warm water;
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar;
• 2-3 drops of tea tree oil or lavender.

Soak a cloth with this mixture, carefully treat the stained area and leave for half an hour. Next, the surface of the countertop must be thoroughly washed with warm water and dried with a soft microfiber cloth. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated.

To remove stains from light surfaces, use a mixture of:

• An aqueous solution of baking soda;
• a mixture of regular flour and liquid soap;
• alcohol spray;
• hydrogen peroxide.

Important! To remove, use only soft cloths and sponges. As a rule, it is enough to simply rub the dirty area and the stain will disappear.

To remove stains from a dark surface, you can use hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

These products must be applied to the stain and left until dry, if this does not help, the procedure will have to be repeated.

Artificial stone

To care for the surface of this material, you can use slightly rougher napkins and sponges, but it is also better to avoid using chemically active compounds.

Every evening, you need to wipe the surface of the countertop, removing “daytime” dirt from it: crumbs, grease, droplets of water. For regular care, first use damp and then dry soft cloth napkins.

To remove stains from light artificial stone surfaces, use an aqueous solution of citric acid or 5% table vinegar and baking soda.

1. Wet a foam sponge in the resulting solution;
2. Gently rub the stain with the soft side until it disappears completely.

To remove stains from a dark countertop, you can use any dishwashing gel or acrylic bathtub cleaner.

Important! To clean light-colored countertops made of artificial stone, you should use only white sponges, since all others can stain the surface in their color.

After cleaning, the surface of the countertop should be wiped with a dry towel.

Chipboard

A countertop made of chipboard is a popular choice for the kitchen. Such surfaces are covered with a special heat-resistant, wear-resistant and environmentally friendly plastic.

The matte surface of such a countertop is more resistant to scratches. However, with proper care, scratches will not appear for a long time even on glossy surfaces.

The most important thing in caring for chipboard countertops is to minimize the interaction of any liquid with the surface, since the material tends to absorb moisture, swell and deteriorate.

• To remove more complex stains, such as oil stains, you can use liquid dishwashing detergent.
• You can remove stubborn stains from a light-colored chipboard countertop using baking soda diluted with water to a thick paste.
• Stubborn stains can be removed from a dark-colored surface using a 5% vinegar solution. or lemon juice.

Important! To remove stains, first use a damp cloth, then a dry one. Don’t forget about cutting boards and coasters for hot pans and pots. It is not recommended to use washing powders for cleaning and washing the surface.

Solid wood

A wooden countertop is beautiful and environmentally friendly, but wood is a very delicate material that requires special attention. When using a wooden countertop, you must ensure that any liquid does not linger on its surface for a long time.

Only natural products and compounds should be used for cleaning and maintenance. It is not recommended to use abrasive and chemically active agents.

To remove stubborn stains from a wooden tabletop, you can use:

• Cosmetic clay, which can penetrate between the wood fibers, thereby reliably sealing small cracks.
• Starch diluted in warm water to a slurry state. It must be distributed over the entire surface with gentle and light movements. Then remove the excess with a napkin soaked in polish for wooden furniture.
• Baking soda mixed with natural aromatic oils of eucalyptus, tea tree, lavender, etc. This product can effectively remove pathogenic bacteria and unpleasant odors, such as fish odors, from the surface.

Important! Wooden countertops should be treated with furniture wax from time to time, so they will retain their aesthetic appeal longer.

Stubborn greasy stains can be removed from a wooden countertop using a mixture of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 2 teaspoons of any vegetable oil.

1. This mixture, similar in consistency to a paste, must be evenly distributed over the entire surface with light circular movements.
2. Then wipe the surface first with a damp cloth, and then with a dry one.

Using medical alcohol and a cotton pad soaked in it, you can remove stubborn stains from a wooden countertop of any color.

Plastic

Kitchen countertops with a plastic coating are the most budget-friendly, and therefore the most common. Plastic can easily be damaged by hot pans and pots, so do not forget to use special coasters. It is easy to care for plastic using a regular damp cloth.

You can remove any type of dirt, including the most stubborn stains, using laundry soap.

Caring for the surface of a kitchen countertop made of any material should become your daily good habit or evening ritual.

How to remove marks from hot objects?

If it still happened that a hot frying pan “landed” on the table, and traces of thermal exposure appeared on the surface, then you can try to remove them:

• from a wooden surface using polish;
• from plastic countertops using a special solvent for PVC;
• from artificial stone – with products containing ammonia.

Natural stone, as a rule, will not suffer from short-term thermal exposure, but it is best to use special stands.

Remember that proper and timely care of the kitchen countertop can significantly extend its service life and please you with its fresh appearance.