6/12
A hot stovetop
Don’t get too eager to clean after you’re done cooking. If the surface is still hot, you of course risk burning your hand, but you also risk burning the cleaning product. Not only could that damage the surface of your stove, but the steamy temperatures could also send chemicals into the air and trigger allergies, says Dmitri Kara of Fantastic Cleaners (UK).
7/12
Stone surfaces
There’s a bit of a double-edged misconception about stone surfaces, says Johnson. Pure stone is porous (and most multi-cleaners shouldn’t be used on porous surfaces), but most surfaces like marble and granite countertops have been treated to keep moisture out. That’s not the end of the story though. “Over time, the seal wears off, allowing moisture to seep in,” says Johnson. Multi-purpose cleaners fall under that “moisture” category, so they could leave a stain, or leave etching or pitting in stone, she says. Make sure you’re using a cleaner designed for stone to keep those surfaces looking good as new.
8/12
Countertops
No matter what material your counter is made of, Burkey says you’ll need to make sure you aren’t relying on a multi-purpose cleaner that doesn’t have disinfectant. “There’s a lot of cooking, and especially if you’re cooking with raw meats, you want to make sure there’s a disinfectant down,” she says. She recommends either Clorox wipes—which are nonabrasive but might damage certain surfaces—or doing a wipe-down with a solution of warm water and dish soap.
