I am SO happy you are moved in! Looking forward to pictures!

I use Mrs. Meyers on my granite and have for 8 years, but I don't have any here at the new house to read to see if it is ok for the marble. I will need to know that ,too, for my bathroom!

Nancy

Alcohol-water in a spray bottle (with or without some essential lavender oil or other essential oil). I mix anywhere from 30-50% alc to water, and enough drops of lavender oil 'til it "smells right" (I go by scent and evaporation "properties" while mixing up or topping off the spray bottle, and adjust quantities as desired).

I use it on my granite, on my SS appliances, and I'll evens spritz it on the White Thassos marble and the travertine in the bathrooms for a quick cleaning. Works great; doesn't leave a haze or film, and disinfects as well.

I love it for my counters, no question about it, but it literally changed my life as far as cleaning SS appliances go, BTW. Smartest change I've ever made with regards to cleaning! :-)

I use Method daily granite/marble cleaner in my bathroom. I buy it at Whole Foods and it is supposed to be plant based, chemical free.

Hi Beagles,

The blog Design Sponge had a nice feature today on making your own environmentally sound cleaners. Note how pretty the cleaners look in bottles like this:
{{!gwi}}

I use cat_mom's recipe (alcohol, water and a drop of dish soap) on the marble in my bathroom.

Here is a link that might be useful: Design Sponge Spring Cleaning products

Hi Beagles -- Sorry! I just read your post again
and saw that you are asking for products you can buy.
(Truly, making your own is even easier.)

I love Method daily granite cleaner/polish for the granite in my kitchen.

Caldrea

Thanks guys. The alcohol is OK? It won't hurt the marble or bahia? I'm so scared to do anything that will mess up the counters!

I have been using cat mom's mixture, too. I love it, and agree it's phenomenal on stainless.

Bayes is an earth-friendly cleaner company with a granite cleaner, though I don't know if it works on marble. I haven't tried it, but I've been happy with their other products.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bayes Granite Cleaner

Great. I will order the Method stuff online (no Whole Foods here) and make cat mom's mixture in the meantime so we have something to use on Tuesday. Thanks!

Yes, timely question as I've been advised to not use anything acidic on my quartz as it strips shine over time. No vinagar, citrus, bleach, ammonia based items.

Does anyone know if alcohol, even if diluted in water, is corrosive to shine? I think beaglesdoitbetter is asking the same?

I've been sticking to warm soapy water, followed by clean wet wipe, followed by micro cloth but at times I wished for something that might make me at least 'feel' like I'm killing some possible germs. :-)

Target sells Method in Maryland. As does our Safeway.

I've used the Method too (on granite - no marble here) and like it. We are in a small town and our tiny Target carries it, so I'm sure you could find it local.

I am looking forward to trying that homemade cleaner though! Thanks for the tip!

In our area lowes and HD also sell method.

Great discussion! I'll save these for sure if I ever get my marble : )

francoise, I skip the dish soap. When we our counters were first installed, I mixed a few drops with water for cleaning (at the rec of our fabricator), but I didn't love it on our black granite. Left it a bit streaky/smeary. I wonder if the addition of alcohol counteracts that?

I had checked with a marble guy (marble institute type place?) re: the safety of alcohol-water on marble, and he assured me it was fine, wouldn't harm it. FWIW, all of our stone is sealed (with solvent-based, penetrating sealers). Our granite and marble are still as shiny as they've always been.

HTH!

I use the alcohol/water mix and Method granite cleaner. Both work great. Method can be purchased at Wegmans (major supermarket) if you have one in your area.

For 5 years I used the alcohol & water mixture on my granite - when we sold the shine was perfect.

I like steam. No chemicals, kills germs and bateria. I use a steamer to clean countertops, ovens, even my windows. I got one for about $50 at Costco a few years ago.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mine is Like This One

Our granite guy said just use soap and water. No need for special granite cleaners.

debrak_2008 I love wegmans! when i was in upstate NY there was one 10 minutes from me. Heaven! Now we have to drive 40 minutes to allentown to get wegmans chocolate chip ice cream (sorry- OT)

athomesewing we have a steamer too, somewhere. maybe we'll experiment with that some day too. for now, I think we will be trying the alcohol mix on tuesday when the housekeeper comes for the first time. Hopefully all will go well!

I graduated from GW Kitchen forum in 2002 :) I've been using the homemade alcohol/water solution on my granite for 10 years. It also works great on appliances, faucets, my glass sink in the bathroom, the porcelain and travertine floors. Pair it with a Microfiber cloth and you can't get a better cleaner and shine...one cloth for cleaning and one for drying. MF cloths are essential for shining granite. Please don't use soap. It's very hard to remove it all and it's dulling. I also use a granite polish from time to time.

Resurrecting this to see if any with polished marble have found great options. I can’t imagine using alcohol?!? That feels crazy to me. Have only been using water but tired of seeing streaks. Need something that is easy and stress free and “healthy”!

Rubbing alcohol is pH neutral. Mix it with water, add or don’t add essential oil (Lavender smells nice and has the added benefit of its own anti-bacterial properties). No streaks, kills germs.