Shopping cart

Online Featured Items

Stain and Stain Removal

Identification of Stains
Natural stone is naturally porous and susceptible to staining. Granite is much less likely to stain because it is one of the least porous stones.  How porous a stone is reflects the ease or difficulty in removing the stain. To remove a stain, you must reverses the staining process.

Originally the stone absorbed the stain; now you must chemically break it down and allow it to be reabsorbed into a different substance. This different substance is called a Poultice, in the form of white powder. Identifying the stain correctly is very important in order to  choose the correct poultice.  Test patches will be necessary if you don't know the type of stain you have.

Types of Stains
Oil Based: grass, tar (asphaltic based products), cooking oils, butter, mayonnaise
Metal and Rust: iron, copper, bronze, etc.
Biological: algae, mildew, etc.
Ink: magic marker, pen, etc.

Removal of Stains

1) Wet the stained area with distilled water. This fills the pores of the stone with water and isolates the stain.

2) Prepare the poultice. Mix the powder and the chosen chemical into a thick paste.

2a) If you use a paper poultice, first soak the paper in the chemical, then lift the paper out until it stops dripping and finally apply it to the stained countertop.

3) Apply the poultice to the stain, do not spill on non-stained areas. Apply a minimum 1/4 inch thick, overlapping the stained area by about 1 inch.

4) Cover the poultice area with plastic.  Seal the edges with tape.

5) The poulitice must be completely dry. This is a very important step. As the poultice dries it pulls the stain from the stone surface into the poultice material. If the poultice is not dry, the stain may not be removed. It may take 24 to 48 hours to completely dry.

6) Remove the poultice from stone countertop, then rinse with warm water. Buff dry with a soft cloth. If the stain has not been removed, you must apply the poultice again. For difficult stains, it can take up to five applications for complete removal.