How to Clean Stains on a Granite Stone Countertop

Granite is a porous material. It is best to remove stains before they set.

Removing stains from your granite counter tops can be challenging. If a stain has set, the use of a poultice will be required to extract the substance that caused the stain, according to stone surfaces resource Natural Stone. A poultice is mixture of a chemical and an absorbent material such as diatomaceous earth, paper towels, powdered whiting or clay. Kitchen counter stains are generally oil-based, organic, biological or metal. Each type of stain calls for a different poultice mixture. Attempting to remove the stain with the wrong chemical can result in additional damage to your granite countertop.

Things You'll Need

• Whiting powder
• Diatomaceous earth
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Iron out
• Methylene chloride
• Ammonia
• Distilled water
• Plastic kitchen wrap
• Painter's tape

Instructions

1. Blend whiting powder with hydrogen peroxide for removal of organic stains including coffee, tea or soda. Whiting powder is made from chalk and can be purchased at any store that sells paint. Add the powder to the peroxide until it takes on the consistency of a thick paste, like peanut butter. The poultice should not be runny.

2. Mix ammonia and whiting powder into a paste to remove oil-based stains.

3. Make a poultice for ink removal by mixing methylene chloride into a paste with whiting powder.

4. Mix one part Iron-out with one part diatomaceous earth, add water until the mixture takes on a soupy consistency. Iron-out, a product used in home water softening and for removal of rust or metal stains, is a white powder that can be purchased from hardware stores.

5. Wet the stained area with distilled water. Apply the poultice to the stained area in a 1/4-inch-thick layer and overlap the stain by about 1 inch. Cover the poultice with a plastic kitchen wrap and tape the wrap to the counter. Poke holes in the plastic to allow the poultice to dry. Allowing the poultice to dry is essential to the stain removal process and typically takes between 24 and 48 hours, according to Natural Stone.

6. Remove the poultice with distilled water. Buff the area with a soft cloth. Stubborn stains can take up to five applications to remove. Repeat as needed.

References

• Natural Stone: Stain Removal Basics

Resources

• The Housekeeping Channel