What Is The Effect Of Oven Cleaner On Kitchen Countertops?

The question that we seem to get every once in a while is what is the effect of oven cleaner on kitchen countertops? We have seen quite a bit in the 15 years of helping customers.

We have come up with a perfect remedy for solving this brutal kitchen nightmare of stained countertops.

If you are someone who gets annoyed by the littlest of stains or residues left behind, ruining the look of your kitchen, then this article is for you.

What Is The Effect Of Oven Cleaner On Kitchen Countertops?

Surprisingly, when it comes to cleaning kitchen countertops, be it be wooden, laminated surface, or stone slabs adorning your kitchens, people often run for oven cleaners to clean the grime, oil residue, and even liquid stains off them.

Little do they know that it does more harm than to help to overcome the problem.

Store-bought chemical cleaners come in handy as you may have one or the other brand of bleach or the like strong chemicals or detergents in your homes.

To save the last minute run to a grocery store when a guest calls up to come over, most people would reach for whatever is there in their home to make their kitchens look spick and span.

And in that rush, you might make a mistake that can cost you dollars, leaving you with regret.

Using harsh detergents, bleach, or other such solutions can do no good.

Though oven cleaners may have little impact on stone countertops like that luxurious marble, splendid granite, or vibrant quartz, they can still pose a risk of damage, ruining the surface to a great extent than you might have anticipated.

In a nutshell, using heavy chemicals and solutions to clean countertops made of especially natural stones can:

• Though take off the stubborn stains, it will wear off the layer of varnish from the surface as well
• Cause chemical reactions, leaving your beautiful countertops chipped, sticky, and in a severe case, full of holes and uneven surface
• Lose the natural luster in the case of natural stone countertops, damaging the shiny, glossy look with a notable color damage

Effect of Oven Cleaner on Granite Countertops

It is no surprise that granite is one of the countertop materials that are resistant to damage. Maybe you just purchased granite or Corian countertops because of the color, shine, and naturally intrinsic look that they bring to one’s kitchen.

The best part is that you can never go wrong with them because they jell well with any style of kitchen cabinets, whether modern wooden cabinets or the old-fashioned ones, giving a homely feel.

Oven cleaners on kitchen granite countertops can adversely affect the natural stone. At first, you may not notice the damage as, surprisingly, these cleaners work exceptionally well in removing the persistent stains, but the more often you use, the worse it will become over time.

Speaking from my experience, what happens is, firstly, the layer of polish slowly wears off depending on the type of chemical you use.

If the ingredient in the solution is harsh, there is a chance that the top layer of your countertop will melt in a way by making it a sticky mess.

Granite Countertop Cleaning Tips

I would personally suggest you ditch the kitchen cleaners with harsh chemicals. Better still, use natural cleaners or make one using natural ingredients if you would like and avoid damaging the protective layer of your stone or wood countertops.

Simple tips to follow:

• Clean as soon as possible with a good quality absorbent kitchen cloth.
• Use homemade cleaners or store-bought natural products to clean oil stains or any food stains off the granite. To save time, spray the solution onto the stain and leave it for 10 minutes before you start cleaning.
• Always clean in circular motions as that creates friction, helping to clean the stain easily

I usually use salt in my solutions for cleaning granite. Salt helps in cleaning the surface more easily.

Effect of Oven Cleaner on Marble Countertops

If you have ever used oven cleaner on your marble countertops before, you know how terribly wrong it can go!

You should never put oven cleaner on marble countertops!

One of the most common (mis)conceptions out there is that oven cleaners can be used to get rid of hard water deposits on your marble countertops.

However, this can often damage the finish on your countertops, so it is not advisable to clean this way.

In fact, you should never use any cleaners on marble that you are not certain about.

Marble Countertop Cleaning Tips

When it comes to marble countertops, nothing but warm water and a good quality dishwasher soap work best.

You just cannot go wrong with this natural remedy to clean marble countertops. You should not experience any problems cleaning with just these two ingredients.

Harmful ingredients, though, could quickly get rid of food particles but will affect the upper layer of your marble, slowly penetrating deeper and completely ruining it, which once used to be your kitchen’s perfect countertops.

Effect of Oven Cleaner on Quartz Countertops

The use of oven cleaner on quartz countertops is a common problem, since many homeowners choose to use it for cleaning their quartz countertops, not knowing that it is a no-no.

Using excessive amounts of it can result in irreparable damage to your quartz countertops. So, what is really going on when you clean your countertops with oven cleaner?

Quartz crystals are naturally porous. That means they can absorb substances like oil and grease from your hands and food.

When you clean them with an abrasive cleaner like oven cleaner, you’re essentially stripping away the crystals’ outer layer and exposing the inner crystals to all those substances.

Quartz Countertop Cleaning Tips

Quartz is stain-resistant, and most of the time, you will not have a problem even if you delay cleaning after you spill something over it. But, as I always say, be prompt when you spill something. Clean immediately.

To clean quartz, you can use just any dishwashing soup. The stains come out pretty nice and quickly. The trick with quartz lies with the cloth you use.

One of my preferred products for kitchen cloths is towels. They really work wonders.

For rigid stains, you can use solutions that are especially for treating quartz kitchen counters.

If you want to find out more about quartz countertop cleaning tips then you have come to the right place.  Check out our other article: Cleaning Quartz Countertops for more tips.

Final Thoughts

Depending on the type of material, such as stainless steel countertops, Formica countertops, tile countertops, or wooden countertops, you can purchase natural products for cleaning oil stains or other rigid stains from the slabs in your kitchen.

If the damage is already done and you are in search of countertop, you might want to contact Boston’s countertop experts at 978-447-1001 to speak to a professional.

Related Questions

What is the best way to clean kitchen countertops?

Stick to the basics! Using mild soaps, natural cleaners, or a homemade solution containing common ingredients like water, vinegar, and mild soap will do the trick.

It may take you time while scrubbing the fats off the shelf, so don’t stall the cleaning for later when you are done cooking. Be prompt!

Why is oven cleaner dangerous?

Most oven cleaners contain sodium hydroxide, a hazardous substance that is both corrosive and caustic. While it helps to get rid of grime and food stains, especially gravy, but also contaminates the surface by leaving a toxic residue behind.

Think about your child picking up a dropped slice of bread from a countertop that you cleaned with one of those toxic chemicals.