Aside from following the correct procedures, you should also use proper hard water stain removers when cleaning your granite countertops. Using unsuitable products will cause more harm than good to your home. But, with hundreds of options available, how do you know which ones you should buy?
We narrowed it down to five of our favorite stain cleaners that work not only for kitchen counters but also for other areas in your home.
In this buying guide, you’ll find out:
- Hard water stain removers comparison table
- What to consider before buying
- Product features and the pros & cons
- How to use these products (with video guides)
Hard Water Stain Removers for Granite Countertops – Comparison Table
| Product | Non-acidic and non-toxic? | Suitable for non-natural stone surfaces? | Unit Count | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baking Soda with 3% Hydrogen Peroxide | ✔ | ✔ | 8 ounces (Baking Soda) 16 fl. oz. (3% Hydrogen Peroxide) | View price here (Baking Soda) View price here (3% Hydrogen Peroxide) |
| CLR PRO Kitchen Daily Cleaner | ✔ | ✔ | 32 fl. oz. | View price here |
| Stone Care International Stain Remover | ✔ | ❌ | 10 fl. oz. | View price here |
| Stone Pro Stone & Glass Scrub | ✔ | ✔ | 1 quart | View price here |
| Pumice Stone | ✔ | ✔ | 11.2 ounces | View price here |
What to Consider Before Buying
Ingredients: You should always buy hard water stain removers that have non-acidic and non-toxic ingredients. Acidic ingredients such as vinegar or citrus will damage and weaken the sealant of your granite countertops. Also, toxic ingredients may cause harmful health effects especially if used on food preparation surfaces.
Suitable for cleaning other surfaces: The hard water stain removers should clean other surfaces aside from granite. For example, glass, tiles, grout, porcelain, or other natural stone surfaces. Rather than using them once and disposing of them, use the hard water stain removers to clean different areas in your home too. Not only will this save you money, but it will also save the environment by producing less waste.
Product type: Some hard water stain removers can be used in daily cleaning — an essential step in preventing hard water stains. Regularly using products that are not made for daily cleaning can damage your granite countertops.
Baking Soda with 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ➕ Environmental-friendly | ➖ Occasional packaging issues |
| ➕ Food grade ingredients | ➖ Slightly more expensive than other 3% hydrogen peroxide products |
| ➕ All-purpose household cleaner | |
| ➕ Refillable | |
| ➕ Thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon |
Safe for food preparation surfaces
As we all know, you can use baking soda for consumption or for cleaning your home. However, some people mistakenly use a higher percentage of hydrogen peroxide to clean granite countertops. Those may not damage your countertops, but they will cause caustic burns on your hands.
You may use any typical 3% hydrogen peroxide, but we recommend the Essential Oxygen Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide.
The Essential Oxygen Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide is safe for your hands and all food preparation surfaces. It is non-toxic, non-acidic, and alcohol-free to avoid damaging your granite countertops. Not only that, but it does not contain fluoride, GMO, or gluten — ingredients that have negative health effects.
All-purpose household cleaner
Besides removing hard water stains, you can use the Essential Oxygen Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide for a slew of cleaning purposes. You can use it to disinfect cuts, clean vegetables, or even mouthwash. While it may be slightly more expensive than other 3% hydrogen peroxide, its all-purpose cleaning capabilities allow you to save money in the long run.
Ethical product
The Essential Oxygen Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide is recyclable, not tested on animals, BPA-free, and is vegan-certified. Moreover, the certified woman-owned brand donates a percentage of its profits to community building.
CLR PRO Kitchen Daily Cleaner
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ➕ Effectively removes hard water deposits, dirt, calcium, and lime stains | ➖ Not recommended on marble, painted surfaces, mirrors, wood, colored grout, or wall coverings |
| ➕ Safe for use on natural stone and other household surfaces | ➖ Gives off an unpleasant chemical smell |
| ➕ Easy-to-use | ➖ Only for non-food contact surfaces |
| ➕Non-toxic, non-acidic, and alcohol-free |
Industrial strength daily cleaner
Most hard water stain cleaners are meant for occasional uses due to their strong chemical ingredients that may erode the granite if used frequently. However, the CLR PRO Kitchen Daily Cleaner not only removes hard water stains once and for all, but it is also suitable for daily cleaning. You can also use it to clean other surfaces in your home, including plastic, stainless steel, glass, and more. However, you are not recommended to use it on food preparation surfaces.
Quick and easy cleaning
Cleaning hard water stains with the CLR PRO Kitchen Daily Cleaner takes no more than 15 minutes. You only have to spray the product onto the stains and wipe in circular motions with a microfiber cloth. Then, rinse off the product and wipe dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
Non-acidic, non-toxic, and alcohol-free ingredients
The CLR PRO Kitchen Daily Cleaner does not contain alcohol, bleach, ammonia, or phosphates. Products containing these ingredients will damage and weaken the granite countertops’ sealant.
Stone Care International Stain Remover
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ➕ Removes all kinds of stains from stone surfaces | ➖ Only for natural stone surfaces |
| ➕ Easy to use | ➖ Leaves behind a temporary mark |
| ➕ Established brand | |
| ➕ Doesn't have a chemical smell like other cleaners |
Removes all kinds of stains from natural stone surfaces
The Stone Care International Granite & Stone Stain Removers removes ink, oil, food, wine, and mildew stains without requiring any scrubbing. Moreover, it is suitable for natural stone surfaces such as marble, travertine, limestone, terra cotta, and soapstone.
Easy-to-use without mixing required
This product is made ready to use for a quick and easy stain removal job. Unlike other stain removers, you do not need to mix this product with anything else before using it. You simply have to pour it onto the stains and let the product do the work — no scrubbing or razor blade scraping required.
Cleans and polishes at the same time
Aside from removing hard water stains, the Stone Care International Stain Remover also restores your countertops’ luster. However, you should always use a standalone sealer and polish for a more holistic granite countertop protection.
Stone Pro Stone & Glass Scrub
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ➕ Non-toxic, non-acidic, and environmentally friendly | ➖ May whiten dark surfaces |
| ➕ Best value for money | ➖ Requires some elbow grease for best results |
| ➕ Suitable for natural stone surfaces, glass, porcelain, and grout | |
| ➕ Free of any scents, perfumes, or dyes |
Suitable for natural stone surfaces, glass, and more
The Stone Pro Stone & Glass Scrub is ideal for natural stones, glass, and porcelain. Its organic cleaning agents and soft abrasive properties will gently yet effectively remove hard water stains. Moreover, it will not damage your faucets, metal fixtures, or metal framing.
Safe and organic ingredients
The Stone Pro Stone & Glass Scrub utilizes non-acidic and non-toxic compounds to remove hard water stains from your countertops safely. Acidic and toxic ingredients found in typical daily cleaners may damage your countertops’ sealant.
Free of any scents, perfumes, or dyes
Unlike other cleaners, the Stone Pro Stone & Glass Scrub does not emit any strong chemical smells.
Pumice Stone
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ➕ No chemicals used unlike other hard water stain removers | ➖ Requires more effort than other cleaners |
| ➕ Can be used on other areas in your home | ➖ Must be wet or it will scratch your countertops |
| ➕ Surprisingly effective | |
| ➕ Environmental-friendly | |
| ➕ Pumice powder that is left behind has various uses around your home |
No chemicals used
Pumice is a natural stone usually found near volcanoes. It is light, odorless, and removes hard water stains without using any chemicals or synthetic ingredients. Removing hard water stains with pumice stones leaves behind pumice powder, which has various uses in your homes.
Multi-purpose product for your homes
You can use a pumice stone to clean hard water stains from granite countertops, toilet bowls, bathtubs, and swimming pools. Furthermore, the pumice powder that’s left behind can be used around your home. For example, you can use pumice as a soil amendment in your gardens.
Almost instant results
Removing hard water stains with pumice stones requires no more than 20 minutes, depending on the size of the stains.
Key Takeaways
These are the best hard water stain removers for granite countertops as of 2021.
- Baking Soda with 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
- CLR PRO Kitchen Daily Cleaner
- Stone Care International Stain Remover
- Stone Pro Stone & Glass Scrub
- Pumice Stone
Which of these hard water stain removers do you use? Let us know in the comments below!
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