Home · Cleaning · Best practice · Matching pH to the surface
Cleaning best practice
The short answer
Acids remove mineral soil like limescale, alkalis remove organic soil like grease, and using the wrong one damages the surface without cleaning it.
Almost every avoidable cleaning accident is a pH accident. The product was fine; it met a surface it should never have touched.
How it is done
- Alkaline for grease, protein and general soil.
- Acidic for scale, rust and mineral deposits.
- Neutral for natural stone, sealed wood and anything you are unsure about.
- Test in a hidden corner before the first full application.
Why it matters
Marble, travertine and limestone are calcium carbonate. An acidic bathroom cleaner etches them permanently in seconds, and no amount of subsequent cleaning brings the finish back.
questions
Asked about this
The safety data sheet states it, and a reputable supplier will provide one on request. If nobody can tell you, that is an answer in itself.
It is acidic. Fine on glass and kettles, ruinous on marble, natural stone and some grout.