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How to Clean Wooden Countertops

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How to Clean Walls and Ceilings

How to Clean Synthetic Countertops

Though beautiful, natural-surface countertops can be expensive, easy to stain, and tough to maintain. Synthetic countertops solve most of these problems.

Laminate Countertops

The most inexpensive countertop option, laminate counters are made from layers of paper and plastics and finished with a hard, plasticky coating. Laminates require no regular maintenance. Lighter colors will stain, though, so wipe up spills quickly and use reasonable care to prevent staining.

Cleaning laminates: Standing water can be a big problem for laminate countertops—if water leaks into the seams of laminates, it can cause the layers to separate and the countertop to warp. Laminates can be cleaned with acidic or basic cleansers, all-purpose cleansers, mild abrasives, chlorine bleach, and most other household cleansers, but you should always rinse surfaces after cleaning them, since cleaning residue left on the surface can cause etching. Avoid harsh abrasives on laminate countertops.
Removing stains from laminates: Repeated cleanings will often remove stains from laminate countertops. A paste of baking soda and water may help to remove more stubborn stains. Avoid harsh or abrasive cleansers or bleach on laminate, as they may damage the finish.

Solid Surface Countertops

Made from heavy, high-quality plastics, solid surface countertops require no maintenance and resist most chemicals and stains.

Cleaning solid surface countertops: Solid surface countertops come without most of the cleaning restrictions that other countertop materials demand—you can use mild abrasive cleaners and most other household cleaning agents.
Removing stains from solid surface countertops: Solid surface countertops resist most—but not all—stains. Remove stains from solid surface countertops with an abrasive liquid cleanser and a nonwoven scrubbing pad.
Repairing scratches in solid surface countertops: Never use a solid surface countertop as a cutting board—you’ll scratch the surface. Shallow scratches can be rubbed away using a liquid abrasive cleaner and a scrubbing pad, but deeper scratches require professional repair.