Modern Surfaces Playbook from Tidy Casa
Some classic tips still slap. Others… not so much on today’s stainless skins, resin-bound quartz, sealed floors, and touchscreen everything. Here’s the fun, no-scolding guide to what to retire (or use carefully) and what to do now—so your home looks great and your finishes live a long, happy life.
Appliances
1) Stainless steel: skip the vinegar/bleach swirl
Retire: Acids + chlorides can pit thin stainless and chew gaskets.
Do now: Mild dish soap + warm water, wipe with the grain, then finish with 70% isopropyl alcohol or a stainless spray on a microfiber.
2) Self-clean ovens don’t want oven cleaner
Retire: Caustics damage pyrolytic enamel and door seals.
Do now: Run the self-clean cycle. For spots, use a baking-soda paste and a non-scratch pad when the oven is completely cool.
3) Glass/induction cooktops hate abrasives
Retire: Scouring powders = micro-scratches and haze.
Do now: Cooktop cream + a flat razor scraper for cooked-on blobs.
4) Touchscreens are not windows
Retire: Ammonia or vinegar—they strip anti-glare/oleophobic coatings.
Do now: Barely damp microfiber with water; if needed, 70% isopropyl on the cloth, not the screen.
5) Vinegar inside the dishwasher dispenser
Retire: Long-term acid can harden seals and plastics.
Do now: Real rinse-aid. For descaling, use a citric-acid cleaner or set a small bowl of vinegar on the top rack occasionally (don’t fill the dispenser).
6) Vinegar as “softener” in HE washers
Retire: Repeated acid is rough on seals and doesn’t fix over-sudsing.
Do now: Use HE detergent correctly, run a monthly tub-clean, leave the door open to dry, and wipe the gasket.
Countertops
1) Marble/travertine/limestone ≠ lemon bar
Retire: Vinegar/lemon—acids etch calcite (permanent dull spots).
Do now: pH-neutral stone cleaner and routine re-sealing.
2) Quartz isn’t “vinegar on everything”
Retire: Strong acids/alkalis/solvents can haze the resin binder.
Do now: Mild dish soap + water or a quartz-safe spray; wipe dry. Keep hot pots and paint thinner far, far away.
3) Oil for “shine” on stone
Retire: Leaves a sticky dust-magnet film.
Do now: Clean → dry → stone-safe polish if you want extra pop; keep natural stone sealed.
4) Solid surface (e.g., Corian)
Retire: Powder abrasives that dull the gloss.
Do now: Mild liquid cleaner; use the proper pads only if you intend to refresh/matte the finish.
Furniture & Floors
1) Steam mops on wood/laminate/LVP
Retire: Heat + moisture can warp cores, weaken adhesives, and cloud wear layers.
Do now: Barely damp microfiber + manufacturer-approved cleaner.
2) Oil soap on polyurethane floors
Retire: Residue dulls and makes future recoats a headache.
Do now: Bona-style pH-neutral cleaner; keep moisture light and dry quickly.
3) Waxing urethane floors
Retire: Slippery buildup + recoat nightmares.
Do now: Clean only; if it’s tired, hire a pro to screen & recoat.
4) Silicone aerosol polishes on wood furniture
Retire: Smears, dust magnets, and refinishing drama.
Do now: Dry/slightly damp microfiber; wood-safe cleaner as needed.
5) Saddle soap/olive oil on protected leather
Retire: Many sofas are polyurethane-top-coated; oils can stain or go rancid.
Do now: pH-balanced cleaner/conditioner made for protected leather. Always test.
6) Magic Eraser everywhere
Retire: It’s a micro-abrasive—great for some things, too harsh for glossy paint, appliance plastics, or matte fixtures.
Do now: Start with soap + microfiber; only spot-test the eraser on hard, non-glossy areas.
Bath & Toilets
1) Pumice on every toilet
Retire: Fine on standard porcelain glaze, but newer ultra-smooth coatings can scratch.
Do now: Non-scratch pad + acid bowl cleaner first; if you use pumice, keep it very wet and only on plain porcelain.
2) Strong acids on stone/grout showers
Retire: Etches stone and strips sealer.
Do now: Alkaline/surfactant cleaner for soap scum; stone-safe descaler sparingly; re-seal grout/stone on schedule.
Quick Upgrade Cheats (bookmark this)
- Stainless: Dish soap + water; alcohol for fingerprints.
- Glass cooktop: Cooktop cream + flat razor.
- Quartz/Granite: pH-neutral cleaner; avoid harsh acids/alkalis.
- Wood floors: No steam, no oil soap; pH-neutral wood cleaner.
- Touchscreens: Water-damp microfiber; 70% IPA on the cloth only.
Tiny Modern Cleaning Toolkit
Microfiber cloths • Non-scratch scrub pads • pH-neutral stone/wood cleaners • Cooktop cream + razor • 70% isopropyl alcohol • Citric-acid descaler
Safety non-negotiables:
Never mix bleach with vinegar or ammonia, always spot-test, and when in doubt-check the manufacturer’s care guide.
Want us to do the nerdy surface-safe clean for you?
Tidy Casa can handle it while you keep your evenings free. If you’d like, I can turn this into a printable one-page checklist for your fridge, too.