Stone Care Answers · 3 of 11
Cleaners: what's safe, what isn't
The product aisle, one bottle at a time. Most of what's under your sink belongs there.
22 answers on this page. Tap a question to open it.
Can I use Windex on my countertops?
Not on natural stone. Windex contains ammonia, which strips sealer and dulls polish over time. On quartz, occasional use is tolerated, but there's no reason for it. Warm water and mild dish soap does everything Windex would.
Are Clorox wipes safe on granite or marble?
Not for regular use. Most Clorox wipes are bleach-free quaternary formulas, and the brand lists sealed granite as an approved surface, but the surfactants leave a film on polished stone and repeated use wears the seal. On marble there's no upside. Hot water and dish soap for daily cleaning; diluted rubbing alcohol when you actually need to disinfect.
What about Lysol wipes?
Same answer. Quaternary disinfectants and solvents dull stone and pull sealer. On quartz they leave a film. Dish soap and water for daily cleaning; diluted alcohol when you actually need to disinfect.
Can I use bleach on stone countertops?
No, on any of the four. Bleach degrades sealer on natural stone, reacts unpredictably with stone and with stains, and attacks the resin binder in quartz, leaving dull or discolored patches. It doesn't disinfect anything that hot water and dish soap won't. If you need to sanitize, diluted rubbing alcohol.
Is vinegar safe for cleaning stone?
No. Vinegar is acid. On marble and marble-family quartzite it etches on contact, every time. On granite it strips sealer over time. On quartz it does nothing useful. Warm water and mild dish soap.
Can I clean stone with baking soda?
It won't etch, but it's a mild abrasive, and on a polished finish that's the wrong direction. A paste of baking soda on marble is one of the ways people dull it. Skip it. Dish soap and a soft cloth.
Is hydrogen peroxide okay on marble?
As an occasional cleaner on light stone, yes. As a stain remover, leave it: stain extraction isn't a homeowner job, and the products that pull stains out of stone are matched to the stain and the stone by someone who's done it before. Blot, rinse, dish soap, send a photo.
Can I use Bar Keepers Friend on my counters?
No. It's oxalic acid plus abrasive. On marble it etches; on any polished stone it scratches. It's made for stainless and porcelain. It has no business near a stone counter.
Are Magic Erasers safe on stone or quartz?
No. A Magic Eraser is melamine foam, which is a fine abrasive. It dulls polished stone and scratches the sheen on quartz. It feels like it's cleaning because it's sanding. If you've used one, that's the hazy patch.
Is Dawn dish soap safe for stone?
Yes. A drop of mild dish soap in warm water on a soft cloth is the daily cleaner for every stone we work on. Rinse and dry afterward; soap left to dry builds a film. Skip the degreaser and antibacterial versions.
Homeowner
Is Method or a similar plant-based cleaner safe on stone?
Only the ones labeled for stone and pH-neutral. Many plant-based all-purpose sprays are acidic, and acid etches marble. Check the label for granite or marble safe; if it's an all-surface spray, assume it isn't.
Is Weiman granite cleaner and sealer good?
The cleaner is pH-neutral and fine for daily use. The sealer is a water-based consumer impregnator: it penetrates, it protects, and it needs reapplying more often than a solvent-based pro product. The polish is a topcoat that builds up and hazes. Cleaner yes, sealer for upkeep, polish no.
Is Granite Gold sealer any good?
It's a water-based consumer impregnator, and it works for what it is. The difference from a pro sealer isn't spray versus penetrating; both penetrate. It's solids content, dwell time, and how often you're reapplying. Water-based consumer sealers hold for months; solvent-based pro sealers hold for longer per application. The Granite Gold cleaner is fine daily. The polish is a topper; skip it.
Can I use Simple Green on granite?
Not the standard bottle. It's a shop degreaser and it leaves residue on polished stone that dulls the reflection over time. Simple Green makes a stone-specific version. If the label doesn't say stone, don't. Dish soap does the same job with nothing left behind.
Someone told me to use Pledge on my counters.
Pledge is furniture polish: silicone and oils. It leaves a slick film that builds up, attracts dust, and turns hazy. It's not a stone product and it's a strip-off job once it's layered. Don't.
Is rubbing alcohol safe for stone countertops?
Diluted, yes. Isopropyl alcohol cut with water is the safe way to disinfect natural stone and quartz without acid or bleach. Wipe, don't soak, and dry after. It's the answer to the raw-chicken question.
Homeowner
Can I use acetone or nail polish remover on my counter?
On marble, granite, and quartzite, yes: a little acetone on a cloth lifts polish, ink, or adhesive and flashes off without hurting the stone. On quartz, no; solvents can mark the resin. Don't let it pool, and not on a fresh seal, because solvent can lift sealer that hasn't cured.
Homeowner
Can I steam clean my stone countertops?
No. Quartz manufacturers advise against steam cleaners; heat stresses the resin. On natural stone there's no cleaning benefit a cloth doesn't give you. Steam is for tile floors.
How do I disinfect my counter after raw chicken?
Hot water and dish soap first, which removes the actual mess. Then a wipe with diluted rubbing alcohol, then dry. No bleach, no disinfecting wipes; those strip sealer and etch marble. The soap does most of the work.
Homeowner
Are natural cleaners safe for stone?
"Natural" usually means vinegar, lemon, or citric acid, and those are exactly what etch marble. Natural is not the same as neutral. The safest cleaner for stone is also the most boring: warm water and mild dish soap.
What does pH-neutral mean and why does it matter?
Neutral is a pH of about 7, the same as water. Acids are below it and etch marble. Strong alkalines are above it and strip sealer and dull polish. A pH-neutral stone cleaner sits in the middle and does neither. That's the whole reason the label says it.
So what should I actually clean my counters with?
Warm water, a drop of mild dish soap, a soft microfiber cloth, and a dry cloth after. Or a pH-neutral stone cleaner if you want a bottle. That's the entire product list for marble, granite, quartzite, and quartz. Everything else on the shelf is either a risk or a topper.
Homeowner
Nothing here matches that. Try the search on the main answers page, or send a photo below.
Sources:
Manufacturer SDS/product pages for each product named; Natural Stone Institute pH guidance.
Reviewed September 2026. Fact-checked against Natural Stone Institute publications and manufacturer technical data by an independent reviewer. Written by Restore My Counters.
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