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Oven cleaners are very effective cleaning tools for getting rid of tough stains in the oven, these specks of dirt build up over time with regular use of the oven. A lot of homeowners prefer to use oven cleaners over regular cleaners because of how fast and easy it gets the job done.
Usually, you do not need to scrub off the dirt; with oven cleaner, all you have to do is apply it on the surface, wait for a short while and then wipe it all clean, easy peasy!
Nobody really likes seeing greasy-like dirt from food splatters, and oil sitting pretty around the kitchen, especially on the countertop. These stains can be very degrading to the beauty of the kitchen and slightly upsetting.
In fact, some of these stains wouldn’t come off with merely using water and because of the superb cleaning effect oven cleaners have, we might consider using oven cleaners to eliminate the stains off the countertop to restore it to its initial beauty.
However, this move might not be a very good idea as oven cleaners are specifically designed to remove stains and dirt from the oven, not the countertop. The chemicals used to make oven cleaners are very harsh and strong, therefore using them on your countertop may cause some damage.
That being said there is a lot you’ll be finding out about using oven cleaners on the countertops in this article, let’s dive right into it.
Is It Bad To Use Oven Cleaners On Kitchen Countertops?
Yes, it is pretty a bad idea to use oven cleaners to clean out tough stains from the kitchen countertops, the reason being that, oven cleaners contain very harsh chemicals that can be damaging to the countertops.
Chemicals such as butane, sodium hydroxide, and monoethanolamine (MEA), other chemicals in oven cleaners include the following;
- Degreasers
- Crystallization agents
- Diethylene Glycol
- Monobutyl ether
- Foaming agents
- Turpentine
Merely exposing the surface of your oven cleaners can get the surface disfigured or get the color faded out, which can be a bigger problem. The above chemicals should not come in contact with the kitchen countertop no matter how tough the said stain or dirt is.
Apart from it possibly damaging the kitchen countertop there is also a risk of this chemical coming in contact with food items.
How Different Kitchen Countertops React To Oven Cleaners?
The following are separate ways oven cleaners can negatively affect different types of countertops;
1. Tile Countertop
You may assume that oven cleaners are not harsh enough to affect the appearance of your tile kitchen countertop, however, that is not the case. Oven cleaners have a deteriorating effect on the tile countertops, as they can strip off their color or the design with continuous exposure to oven cleaners.
2. Wooden Countertop
Oven cleaners have the worst effect on wooden kitchen countertops, it is a really terrible idea to use them to get rid of dirt and stains on wooden countertops. After wiping off stains with oven cleaners, you shouldn’t be surprised when you begin to notice a chemical reaction that turns out to like gummy and sticky.
Except you are ready to do some major repairs on your wooden kitchen countertops, disregard any thoughts of cleaning it with oven cleaners.
3. Marble And Granite Countertops
Marble and granite countertops are usually referred to as stone countertops, they both seem tough and it may be hard to believe that oven cleaners can affect them. There is no doubt that marble and granite countertops are both natural stones that are resistant to harsh chemicals.
However, some manmade finishing has been done to bring it to perfection. Oven cleaners can cause marble and granite countertops to lose their shine and make them look dull.
4. Formica Countertops
You may be very shocked that even the toughest of all kitchen countertop is not safe from the adverse effect of oven cleaners. Formica Countertops are also at risk of discoloration, the shiny finish would also become dull. It is best to discontinue using oven cleaners on your Formica kitchen countertops.
Tips On How To Properly Clean Kitchen Countertops
No one would want to intentionally cause damage to their kitchen countertop, the following are useful tips to prevent oven cleaners mishaps on kitchen countertops;
- Avoid cleaning kitchen countertop surfaces with harsh chemicals, especially those you can find in an oven cleaner.
- You can make use of mild soap or dishwashers to clean countertop surfaces.
- Windex is also a good cleaning agent to consider for kitchen countertops.
- Rather than using oven cleaners, you can make a DIY baking soda and white vinegar paste, app;y on the tough stains and leave it for a day or two before cleaning it all off.
In Closing
Oven cleaners should not be used on kitchen countertop surfaces as they are not formulated for that purpose.
Continuous exposure to the harsh chemicals in oven cleaners on countertops will not only strip them of their beautiful, shiny colors but can also cause some health issues as it is very usual for food items to come in contact with countertop surfaces,
The effect oven cleaners have on countertops as well as the best approach to getting rid of tough and stubborn stains off kitchen them has been disclosed in this article.
