Granite countertops look beautiful and are also made of some of the most durable and hard-wearing material available. However, one issue people can have with their granite countertops is water staining. This happens when water pools or drips onto a granite counter and is left there to dry. Water rings on granite are particularly common, as water on a cooler glass will form condensation and result in a circle of moisture on the counter. Show
Advertisement  How to Remove Water Stains From Granite Countertops Image Credit: MultimediaDean/iStock/GettyImages Video of the Day There is a debate around the best way to clean granite. Luckily, whether you're going for a homemade solution or wanting to use a store-bought cleaning product, there's a solution for you. Advertisement Homemade Solutions for a Water Stain On GraniteWhen dealing with a water stain on granite, you want something that will effectively remove the stain without causing any damage to the granite. A fantastic homemade solution to this conundrum is baking soda. To get the best results, you want to act as fast as possible before the stain sets in. First, pour out enough baking soda to cover the stain. Mix the powder in a bowl and add a small amount of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Keep adding it to the bowl until you have formed a thick paste. This mixture is sometimes referred to as a poultice. Spread this mixture over the entire stain, making sure the coverage is quite thick. Advertisement Get a small piece of plastic wrap and poke several small holes in it. Place the wrap over the poultice, sealing the edges to your counter with a little bit of water if necessary. Wait until your paste has fully dried into a powder – usually at least a day – then remove with a damp cloth. You can repeat this process on stubborn stains. Best Products to Use as Granite Stain RemoverFor light water staining, such as splash marks or water spots, you can use your usual dish detergent on a soft bristles brush, such as a dish brush. This should remove light marks quickly and effectively. You can mix your dish detergent with warm water and a small amount of rubbing alcohol to create a mixture with superior stain removing properties and a disinfectant element. Advertisement You can also purchase specialty granite stain remover from a supermarket or other cleaning supply store. Just make sure to check the ingredients beforehand in case there is anything too harsh or likely to cause damage to your countertop. What Not to Use on GraniteIn small concentrations, rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide can be used to lift stains and water rings on granite. However, if they are used in too high a concentration, they can break down the surface of the granite and cause it to become more porous. Granite that is more porous is more prone to future staining, plus this compromises its durability. Granite countertops can be resealed and should be every couple of years as part of maintenance, but this is a more expensive process. Advertisement You should avoid using anything highly acidic as a granite stain remover. Although granite is a tough material, it is more susceptible to acidic formulas thanks to its alkaline make up. The primary acidic elements in cleaning products are ammonia, lemon juice or vinegar. Don't use these in your homemade concoctions, and check the label of any store bought granite stain remover before use. Acids will break down the surface of the granite and cause unnecessary damage. Advertisement You should also be careful with what tools you use when cleaning your granite countertops. You don't want to use something too harsh that could cause scratches in the granite. A soft bristled brush is a good option if you need to lightly scrub, and a damp cloth in combination with an effective product is even more gentle. Never use anything like wire wool or a Brillo Pad as this can cause irreparable damage to your granite countertop. If you’ve chosen Granite as your countertop material, you can rest assured that it was a good choice. This natural stone is extremely hard and durable and it definitely can’t be stained easily. That’s not to say granite can’t be stained at all. Granite can still suffer from water stains, so we’re going to discuss how to remove it. Under some circumstances water stains, or worse, hard water stains can happen. But don’t worry too much about it. In this article, we will discuss everything about water stains, how they can happen and how to remove them. Looking for some more tips on how to take care of your granite countertop? We’ve got you covered! Just head to our definitive guide on granite countertops to find everything you need! Jump to Understanding Granite Water Stains How to remove hard water stains from granite Scrubing with water and detergent Scrubbing with a special paste Scraping superficial deposits Using a poultice How To Prevent Hard Water Stains On Granite Countertops? FAQ Understanding Granite Water StainsGranite is a porous material, which means it can absorb water and other liquids and makes it susceptible to stains. With that being said, it’s important to remember granite is one of the less porous natural stones, and, provided it’s properly sealed, it won’t stain at all. Find out more about sealing by reading our article: “How To Seal Granite Countertops”. Water stains happen when an unsealed granite surface absorbs water that’s been sitting on it for too long. Now, simple water stains shouldn’t be much of a problem, since they will evaporate quickly, thus leaving the stone without causing any visual damage. The real baddies here are hard water stains. Hard water is simply water with high mineral content. When it sinks into a granite countertop, those minerals will remain there even after the natural evaporation of the water that brought them there. That’s why hard water stains can be hard to remove and really inconvenient. We will teach you all the methods you can use to restore your water-stained granite and make it look beautiful again. How to remove hard water stains from graniteSince there’s no way to know for sure how stubborn your stain really is, we will start with simple tips and techniques and move on to more complex solutions. Scrubing with water and detergentThis simple fix is the first you should try. Use a bristled brush to scrub the stain with gentle detergent (dishwashing type, for instance) and water. If it gets the job done, great! Scrubbing with a special pasteMake a paste of baking soda and water, or talc with a diluted solution of ammonia, bleach, or hydrogen peroxide. Use a soft brush to scrub the stain with the paste and then rinse it thoroughly. If you’re getting results from this procedure, repeat it until you’re satisfied with the progress. Scraping superficial depositsIf you notice that the water rings are sitting on the surface, you can resort to more abrasive techniques to try and remove them. For instance, you can scrub softly with a Brillo pad and scrape with a razor blade. Using a poulticeWhen the stain has sunk in deep enough just applying products to the surface of the granite won’t be enough to suck it out. However, using an appropriate poultice and leaving it there for a few days might do the trick. The poultice is prepared by mixing water, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide. Your goal is to make it the same consistency as peanut butter. Apply the poultice to the stained area forming a ¼ to ½ inch thick coating. Extend this coating beyond the stained area by at least 1 inch. Cover it with plastic and tape it for sealing. After 24 hours, remove the plastic and let the poultice dry for another 24 hours. The drying process is what pulls the stain out of the stone and into the material. Then, remove the poultice, rinse it with water, and buff dry with a soft cloth. Check how it affected the stain, it might take up to 5 applications to remove it thoroughly. If the homemade poultice is not enough to remove your stains, you can try commercial granite poultice. However, chances are you’re dealing with a hard water stain that has sunk too deep and can’t be removed. How To Prevent Hard Water Stains On Granite Countertops?The best way to protect your granite countertops against any stain is cleaning spills as soon as they happen and, of course, sealing them whenever necessary. In order to better understand the process of sealing, and finding out how and when you should seal your countertops click here. If you live near Sarasota, you can count on our stone specialists at Eagle Stones to help you with granite repair and restoration. FAQCan granite be stained? Yes, it can. It is less porous than other natural stones, but it can still stain if not cared for. A way to avoid stains is to seal granite. Does granite need to be sealed? Yes, it does. Granite is very resistant, both to physical damage and stains. However it is still a natural stone, therefore porous, so sealing it is a must to ensure its long last quality. Can I recover granite that was stained by water? It is possible, yes. This article gives you several options according to the stubbornness of the stain in question. Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on whatsapp Share on email Share on telegram Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on whatsapp Share on email Share on telegram Share ThisShare on facebook Share on twitter Share on whatsapp Share on email Share on telegram Related PostsAnswers Are Granite Countertops Outdated? The short answer is: it depends on whom you ask. Although still striving on the... Guides How to Drill a Granite Countertop Home remodeling takes into account a lot of things: wallpapers, floors, decoration, furniture, windows, and... Answers How Are Granite Countertops Made? Granite countertops have been on ongrowing demand. Slowly being detached from their expensive roots, these... Why does my granite show water marks?Why Does It Happen? Even if your granite seems extremely smooth to the touch, it is a natural substance, and on a microscopic level it is uneven and full of holes. The porous surface of stone allows water to cling to it and absorb, darkening the appearance.
How do you get water out of granite?Scrubbing with a special paste
Make a paste of baking soda and water, or talc with a diluted solution of ammonia, bleach, or hydrogen peroxide. Use a soft brush to scrub the stain with the paste and then rinse it thoroughly.
Can stains on granite be removed?A mix between bleach and water can help remove tough stains, such as food and drink stains, including coffee and wine on sealed granite countertops.
How do you remove hard water stains from granite and marble?You will need to use baking soda and a soft bristle brush to do the job. All you need to do is make a poultice out of baking soda with a small amount of water to remove the staining. Apply the paste then scrub it away.
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Water stain on granite how to remove
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