As spring cleaning begins, the most challenging part of keeping your home tidy is thoroughly cleaning your oven and kitchen countertops. A strong cleaner is needed to remove all of your stubborn, baked grease and oil stains from your oven, and oven cleaners are an excellent choice. So, the first question is, what are oven cleaners and what is the effect of oven ccleaner on kitchen countertops?
Any cleaning agent made to clean fifth dirty stains and remove hardened food deposits from oven walls is known as an oven cleaner. Although oven cleaners are superb at removing stains and grease from your oven, that doesn’t mean you should consider them general cleaners.
But, Sadly, many people are unaware of the dangers of applying oven cleaners on kitchen countertops. These cleaning products are highly toxic, poisonous, and corrosive, and using oven cleaning on kitchen counters, on the other hand, might cause the material to rust, lose color, or just become worthless.
There is no doubt that everyone wishes for a clean and sparkling kitchen. Cleanliness is beneficial not only for maintenance but also for appearance.
To achieve this purpose, many homeowners select the wrong one and attempt to use oven cleansers to help them eliminate stains quickly and make cleaning easier.
In this article, We will explain the effect of oven cleaner on your kitchen countertops and the alternative you use to clean your kitchen countertop. Before we get into further detail, let’s look at the substances in these compounds.
Oven Cleaner Ingredients:
So, what precisely are these dangerous substances found in oven cleaners?
Here are some of the key ingredients to keep an eye out for:
- Turpentine
- Degreasers
- Agents of foaming
- Agents of crystallization
- Hydroxide of sodium
- Butane
- Monoethanolamine (MEA) (MEA)
- Ethyl mono butyl ether
- Polyethylene Glycol
So, how does oven cleaning damage kitchen countertops?
It all depends on the type of countertop we’re working with them. In oven cleaners, components interact differently with different surfaces, so your surface may decay or come out relatively unscathed depending on what you’re cleaning.
When it comes to kitchen counters, like stone, tile, stainless steel, Formica, and wood, how do oven cleaners damage them?
Effect of Oven Cleaners on Kitchen Countertops
- Tiles countertops
- Stone countertops
- Countertops Made of Stainless Steel
- Wooden countertops
- Formica countertops
Tile Countertops
Oven cleaner: Is it the best way to clean tile countertops?
Unfortunately, No
Although tile counters aren’t particularly widespread, many people use oven cleaners to clean theirs since they sense the difficulty of cleaning the grout lines. No matter how helpful the chemicals in oven cleaning may appear, trust us when we say they will do more harm than benefit.
This surface will eventually discolor and cause grout issues when you use oven cleaners.
Stone Countertops
On stone countertops, oven cleaner components such as sodium hydroxide can increase the risk of rust, although they tend to resist oven cleaner action much better than other surfaces.
Since most stone kitchen countertops are natural stones created from the earth, this is a good thing. Natural stones like granite and marble resist discoloration and have inert properties.
Nevertheless, it is an option!
On the other hand, quartz countertops are most susceptible to degradation and color loss. Essentially, this type of counter is an engineered or “man-made stone” that is intentionally incorporated using certain pigments to create color.
The severe impact of oven cleaners damages these artificial colors.
Countertops Made of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel surfaces are prevalent in modern and commercial kitchens. On the other hand, toxins will discolor stainless steel based on composition.
Not all steel countertops will withstand the spray, but the chemicals may contaminate food placed on the surface afterward.
Wooden Countertops
It is strongly recommended not to use oven cleaning on wood kitchen counters, especially if the wood countertop has thin laminate-style wood. The same applies to butcher blocks.
When applied on these wooden worktops, it can cause a bubbling reaction that converts the surface into a peculiar sticky substance that can damage the wood counters. If you clean your wood counters with an oven cleaner, you may need to make costly repairs, So it may not be easy on your wallet.
Formica Countertops
This laminate-like kitchen countertop surface is one of the hardest available, although it is still prone to the effects of oven cleaning.
There is no wrongness in assuming there is no countertop safe!
Oven cleaner on these Formica countertops may cause damage and color to fade. Keeping this countertop attractive while using harmful chemicals isn’t very easy.
Alternative Ways To Clean Kitchen Countertops
- Vinegar: The foremost thing you should do is get some vinegar. Because vinegar is acidic, it will help neutralize the caustic lye in the oven cleanser.
- Baking soda: Apply a baking soda/water paste combination to the stain. After applying the paste, cover it with plastic wrap and leave it for a few days. The paste is supposed to lift the discoloration off the surface.
- Dishwash: You can make a liquid mixture of warm water or dish soap in a spray bottle. Use a sponge to clean the tiles gently until they clean.
- In a bowl, mix baking soda and dishwasher soap. This mixture can help remove light stains from steel surfaces.
Rub a smooth cloth onto the harmful area, keeping in mind the direction of the grain.
Avoid Using Oven Cleaner on Kitchen Countertops
In light of this discussion, it is possible to conclude that using oven cleaners in the kitchen can have serious harmful effects if not handled properly. It is advisable not to use harsh chemicals, and always prefer natural cleaners for cleaning your countertops because they are the safest, healthiest, and most affordable option.
The most crucial part is that your kitchen countertops will generally be safe if you regularly clean them with soapy water. You may have to invest a little time and energy into making it. Afterward, you will feel how comfortable you and your kitchen feel!