The best countertop cleaners you can buy

Get the Full StoryCountertops in kitchens and bathrooms take lots of abuse and sometimes need to be cleaned multiple times daily. What are the best cleaners for different types of countertops?

The best overall cleaner in our tests, Clorox Scentiva Multi-Purpose Spray, cleans and disinfects nearly every type of countertop and leaves behind a fresh scent.

Kitchen and bathroom counters are subjected to everything from gritty dirt to greasy foods and soap scum. They are also touched by dozens of hands, drippy toothbrushes, and late-night snacks. Taking care of countertops is a never-ending job. Giving them a quick wipe with a paper towel may take care of a surface spill but eventually, usually at least once a day, they will need to be cleaned with a good cleaner.

With so many material options available for countertops, it is important to find a cleaner that will not damage the surface but will remove grime and bacteria without dulling the finish. Always read the labels on a product to make sure it is suitable for your countertop finish. This is particularly important for unsealed finishes, marble, and other stone countertops.

With the right cleaners and tools, you can have stain-free and clean countertops easily. I've been testing all-purpose cleaners, sponges, microfiber cloths, and disposable cleaning wipes for many years as a home economist for companies and publications. I'm always looking for the most effective, easiest to use, and the best value in products for myself and others.

These are the five best countertop-cleaning solutions. In addition, you will find my recommendations for preparing and cleaning a countertop.

Here are the best countertop cleaners you can buy:

Best countertop cleaner overall: Clorox Scentiva Multi-Purpose Spray

Best budget countertop cleaner: Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaner

Best disinfecting wipes for countertops: Clorox Ultra Clean Disinfecting Wipes

Best cleaner for stone countertops: StoneTech Daily Cleaner

Best environmentally-friendly countertop cleaner: Seventh Generation Free & Clear All Purpose Cleaner

Keep reading for more details about our top picks, and how to prep and clean a countertop.The best countertop cleaner overall

Walmart

Available in three divine scents, Clorox Scentiva Multi-Purpose Spray is an effective cleaner and disinfectant and can be used on sealed stone countertops.

When I'm testing a cleaner, the most important thing is how effective it is. The second is, how it smells. My nose can detect what I like and don't like immediately. What may seem fine to others can actually begin a chain reaction of symptoms that can ruin the day.

So when I tried Clorox Scentiva Multi-Purpose Spray, I did so very cautiously. I knew that most Clorox products are very good cleaners but some of the chemical smells are difficult for me. I was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed the fresh scents of Tuscan Lavender & Jasmine, Hawaiian Sunshine, and Pacific Breeze & Coconut my personal favorite .

After testing, I found this to be the best overall countertop cleaner because it is safe to use on so many types of countertops: stainless steel, sealed granite, laminate, sealed wood, ceramic tile, synthetic marble it should not be used on natural marble , concrete, and quartz. Whether you're cleaning the bathroom or kitchen, there's no need to switch out cleaners for every task because it works well on fiberglass bathroom fixtures and on kitchen appliances.

Simply spray on the cleaner, wait a minute or so, and wipe away the soil with a cloth or lint-free paper towel. If you want to also disinfect surfaces, leave the cleaner on the countertop surface for 10 minutes before wiping dry with a clean cloth.

Clorox Scentiva cuts through soap scum, grease, and grime easily. If there is a particularly yucky area, just let it work for a few minutes longer before wiping. For quick touch-ups between thorough cleanings, there are Clorox Scentiva Wipes. The one downside of the product is that for areas where the countertop is used for food preparation, you must rinse away the cleaner with clear water in those areas before using.

Pros: Simple-to-use spray bottle, pleasant scent without harsh chemical odor, safe to use on most nonporous surfaces, cleans tough grease and soap scum, disinfects surfaces

Cons: Areas used for food preparation must be rinsed before using

The best budget countertop cleaner

Amazon

Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaner is an effective cleaner and disinfectant at a budget price.

It's not just for cleaning floors: If you are willing to supply your own spray bottle and take a few minutes to mix Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaner with water, then you'll have an excellent countertop cleaner and disinfect for just pennies per use. What began in a Mississippi pine forest in 1929 is still around today, cutting through grease and grime and disinfecting surfaces.

I mentioned my sensitivity to scents and I will say that pine is not one of my favorites. However, a bottle of Pine-Sol is always under my sink since one fateful Christmas Day, when a disposable pan sprang a leak and poured greasy ham dripping over my countertops, down the front of the cabinets, and onto the floor. After sopping up the grease, spraying, and wiping with plenty of different cleaners, I still had a greasy film on the countertops. Pine-Sol was the only solution that removed the film.

I keep a solution that is ready to go at all times, in a labeled spray bottle you only need one-fourth cup per gallon of water . It also works well as a disinfectant if you allow it to remain on surfaces for 10 minutes before rinsing away. For those that don't want to be in a pine forest, Pine-Sol is now available in lemon, lavender, and tropical scents.

Pros: Costs pennies to use, cuts through tough grease and grime, disinfects surfaces, available in multiple scents

Cons: Must be mixed with water, not available in a spray bottle

The best disinfecting wipes for countertops

Target

Clorox Ultra Clean Disinfecting Wipes and handy for quick touch-ups between thorough cleanings.

The easiest way to keep kitchen and bathroom counters clean is frequent attention. It takes only a few seconds to grab a Clorox Ultra Clean Disinfecting Wipe to clean away messes and leave the surface sparkling. The wipes offer a simple, less messy way to clean surfaces without the need for liquids and tools.

While many wipes contain ingredients that clean and disinfect, I like that Clorox Ultra Clean Wipes are thicker and textured to better absorb greasy messes and gently scrub away dried-on stains. If I'm going to spend time cleaning a surface, I want the wipe that can tackle the job with ease and these wipes do that.

I find that the Ultra Clean wipes remove sticky messes in the kitchen and dried-on toothpaste on bathroom countertops easily. They are safe to use on granite, acrylic, and even sealed hardwood surfaces. Any areas used for food preparation should be rinsed with plain water after the disinfectant dries.

To get the most disinfecting benefit from Clorox wipes, don't try to do an entire bathroom or kitchen with the same wipe. There must be enough disinfectant left on the surfaces to properly kill the bacteria. After wiping an area down, allow it to air-dry before using.

Note that Clorox Ultra Clean Disinfecting Wipes is the rebranded name of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes with Ultra Strength Blue.

Pros: Thick, heavy-duty wipe with excellent scrubbing power, disinfectant, safe to use on all nonporous hard-surface countertops

Cons: Not available in an unscented formula, surface must be rinsed before putting food on it

See the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:The best smoke detectors you can buyThe best computer speakers you can buyThe best rotary tools you can buy

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