How to Remove Banana Stains From a Granite Countertop

Stains in your granite countertop must be lifted from the granite.

Granite countertops add classic beauty to your kitchen and provide a sturdy, attractive work surface. Granite is a natural stone and, while it's strong and long-lasting, it's naturally porous and can absorb stains easily. When banana, an organic type stain, ends up on your granite countertop, you must not only remove the banana substance from your counter but also extract the stain from the granite surface in order to restore your countertop to its previous condition.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• Talcum powder
• 12-percent hydrogen peroxide
• Bowl
• Spoon
• Spatula
• Plastic wrap
• Scissors
• Clean cloths

Instructions

1. Wipe banana substance from your granite countertops using paper towels. Continue to pick up the banana substance without smearing it further into the surface of your counter. Discard the towels and banana in the garbage can.

2. Place 2 parts talcum powder and 1-part hydrogen peroxide in a bowl to make a stain-lifting poultice material. Mix the two ingredients to form a peanut butter-like paste. Add more liquid or talc, as needed, so you have a thick paste.

3. 

   A spatula spreads your poultice paste without scratching the granite.

   Spread your talc and peroxide poultice paste over the site of the banana stain on your granite countertop using your spatula. Apply the paste to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Ensure you've covered the entire stain and extended the poultice paste about 1 inch beyond the stain on all sides.

4. Cut a piece of plastic wrap to fit over your poultice paste. Place the plastic on top of the talc and peroxide mixture, covering the entire poultice. Leave the poultice on your granite countertop for up to 48 hours so it can extract the banana stain as the poultice materials dry.

5. 

   A poultice needs time to dry and lift the banana stain from your granite countertop.

   Check your granite countertop by lifting the edge of the poultice to see if the banana stain still remains. Put the poultice back in place if any stain is still present and continue to check the countertop every three hours.

6. Remove and discard the piece of plastic wrap and scrape the poultice materials up using your spatula. Discard the poultice materials. Dampen a clean cloth and wipe the surface of your granite countertop to remove any remaining poultice, then dry with a clean cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Repeat the application of your poultice if the banana stain remains or is old and set into the granite surface.

• Fuller's earth or powdered chalk can be substituted for the talcum powder and are available at your local hardware store.

• Do not use abrasive cleansers to remove banana stains from your granite countertop. Granite scratches easily and the scratches will attract dirt and debris.

References

• Marble Institute of America: Natural Stone Care and Cleaning: Organic Stains
• Kitchen Countertops: Care and Cleaning for Granite Countertops
• Mrs. Clean USA: Tips for Removing Stains on Granite