DIY Granite Cleaner (made with essential oils)

Granite counters are gorgeous, but they require a little extra care to make sure that they stay looking that way.  This is especially true for using homemade DIY granite cleaners.  You need to be careful because cleaners and techniques that work well on other surfaces, can damage granite.

Avoid using any acidic cleaners on granite counters.  Acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, ammonia, bleach, and citric acid can damage granite.

Instead use gentle, but powerful cleaners like alcohol, natural dish soap, and lemon essential oil.  These cleaners will cut through the dirt and grime, deep clean, and make your kitchen and bathroom counters shine.

Benefits of This Homemade Granite Cleaner

• natural
• easy to make – only 4 ingredients.  I can whip up a batch in about a minute.
• cheap- costs just pennies per use
• powerful cleaner & disinfectant
• fresh & clean scent that smells great!
• non-acidic and safe for natural stone like granite, marble, limestone, quartz, and slate
• non abrasive, won’t scratch granite and other natural stone counters
• shines surfaces and leaves them sparkling

What you need to make your own homemade granite cleaner

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

alcohol– Alcohol is a natural disinfectant.  You can use rubbing alcohol, vodka, or Everclear.   There’s no need to use expensive vodka; cheap vodka or Everclear works just as well as the expensive stuff for cleaning.  And it has almost no scent.  You can find rubbing alcohol online here.

water– To help extend the shelf life of your granite cleaner, use distilled or filtered water that’s been boiled and cooled.

Sal Suds– You only need a drop or two of a natural dish soap like Sal Suds.  I get Sal Suds online here.

lemon essential oil– Lemon EO is a powerful, natural cleaner.  It’s antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral — plus it’s a great degreaser.

spray bottle– use a 10 oz or larger spray bottle made of glass or essential-oil-safe plastic like PET (plastic #1) or HDPE (plastic #2).  Here’s a link to where I get my spray bottles: plastic spray bottle and glass spray bottle

label – click here for your free printable label

How to make DIY cleaner for granite, marble, quartz, slate, and other natural stone

step 1: add 1 cup water to a spray bottle

tip: to help extend the shelf life of your granite cleaner, use distilled or filtered water that’s been boiled and cooled

tip: be sure to use a spray bottle that’s safe to use with essential oils.  Here are a few of my favorite options: glass, stainless steel, or certain types of plastic (PET #1 or HDPE #2)

tip: use a funnel to make it easier to pour the water in the bottle without making a mess

step 2:  add 2 tablespoons vodka

tip:  use the cheap stuff; it works just as well as the expensive stuff for cleaning

tip:  you can substitute Everclear or rubbing alcohol

step 3:  add 1-2 drops Sal Suds or natural dish soap

step 4:  add 10 drops lemon essential oil, then put on spray top and shake to mix

step 5 (optional):  add a label to your bottle so your remember what it is

• print out this free printable label (click here to get your free printable label)
• cut it out
• I use packing tape to apply the label to bottle.  It’s cheap, sticks well, and keeps the label from getting wet and dirty.

Here’s the homemade granite cleaner recipe one more time

1 cup distilled water

2 tablespoons vodka, Everclear, OR rubbing alcohol

1-2 drops Sal Suds or other natural dish soap

10 drops lemon essential oil

How to use

step 1:  shake cleaner well before each use

step 2:  spray cleaner on sponge or soft microfiber cloth

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step 3:  clean surface in small, circular motions

step 4:  buff it dry until all cleaner is gone and stone surface is shiny

tip:  While I’ve called this a “DIY granite cleaner”, it actually works great on many surfaces.   Use it on sealed granite, marble, quartz, slate, and other natural stone surfaces from kitchen and bathroom counters to fireplace surrounds, shower tile, furniture, windowsills, table tops, and more.

tip: wipe spills up immediately before the stain has a chance to penetrate the stone

tip: don’t use vinegar or any other acidic cleaners on granite and other natural stone counters

tip: don’t use any abrasive cleaners as they can scratch natural stone counters

How to keep your granite counter looking great

• Be sure to apply a granite sealer to your countertop to protect it
• Clean up any spills right away so they don’t have a chance to sink into and ruin your counter
• Use a gentle, non-acidic cleaner like the one in this recipe
• Don’t use regular cleaners on your natural stone, as they might strip away the protective seal and leave the granite exposed
• Don’t leave any wet items on your counter, as the liquid can soak into the counter and stain it
• Use a cutting board.  Although granite is hard, cutting directly on the stone can scratch it.
• Similarly, don’t put anything on the granite that could scratch it.  Surface scratches will etch the granite and make the countertop look dull.

Where to get supplies

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

alcohol– You can use rubbing alcohol, vodka, or Everclear.  There’s no need to use expensive vodka; cheap vodka or Everclear works just as well as the expensive stuff for cleaning.  You can find rubbing alcohol online here.

water–  You can find distilled water in the water aisle of your local grocery store, Walmart, or Target.

Sal Suds–  I get Sal Suds online here

spray bottle– these are the spray bottles I use: plastic spray bottle and glass spray bottle

label– click here for your free printable label

here are a few other essential oil posts that I think you’ll like:

11 Best Essential Oil Recipes for Laundry

DIY liquid laundry detergent

homemade shower cleaner

natural dishwasher detergent

homemade “Lysol” disinfecting spray

streak-free window & mirror glass spray

kitchen & bathroom cleaning wipes

Stainless Steel Polish

Trash Can Deodorizer Tabs

DIY dusting spray

all-surface floor cleaner

mold & mildew spray

toilet cleaning fizzies

trash can deodorizer spray

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Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Disclaimer: Please know that this website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link.