Last updated on September 27th, 2023 at 07:45 pm
I have often recommended vinegar as a safe, non-toxic cleaning solution, and it is a natural descaler. However, vinegar is not always a good choice, especially when it comes to natural stone surfaces such as slate tiles and granite benchtops.
Vinegar can be effective against a mineral buildup from hard water. For the same reason, you can use in the washing machine to soften the water. But natural stones like marble and granite contain calcium carbonate and other minerals and you do NOT want them to be “descaled”.
So for your slate or quartz tiles, your marble or granite benchtops, leave the vinegar and other descalers in the cupboard. The acidity of vinegar can cause these delicate surfaces to corrode and discolor, leading to permanent damage.
In addition to natural stone, vinegar should generally not be used to clean wood surfaces, as it can damage the wood and can cause discoloration.
The Norwex Descaler and Bathroom Cleaner are also unsuitable on these surfaces, as are lemon juice or anything that contains citric acid. I have slate tiles in my bathroom, so I generally stick to the scrub cloth or envirocloth fabrics for cleaning them, occasionally adding in some norwex cream cleanser or cleaning paste.
The new Norwex probiotic hard surface cleaner is also a good option for these surfaces, especially when you’re also talking grout or another surface where you want to leave the enzymes breaking down stains and odours.
