How To Remove Old Oil Stain From Granite Countertop

Question: "How practise I remove water stains from my black honed absolute granite counter tops?"

Removing stains from granite countertops tin exist both a challenge and a puzzle at the aforementioned time. In order to remove a stain, you need to ensure that it is indeed a stain and not damage to the stone. Side by side, you lot need to determine what caused the stain so that you tin can utilise the right materials to remove it. Hither are guidelines for determining the problem and the necessary steps to resolve information technology.

Stain or Damage?

Use these guidelines to determine whether the spots yous are seeing are in fact stains or if they are areas of damaged stone. If you lot are unsure, consult a professional person before proceeding.

Stains:

Discoloration from the stone arresting a staining agent (coffee, tea, oil, etc.)
When the staining agent is removed, the stain is gone.

Harm:

A change in the natural chemical makeup of the rock.
Not caused by the stone absorbing an agent, but rather caused by harm to the surface.
Corrosion, typically caused by acids, leaving "rings" or "water spots" that cannot be removed. Some examples of things that might cause these stains are toilet bowl cleaner or spilled white vinegar.
You cannot remove a "stain" that is actually impairment as information technology requires repairing/removing the damaged expanse.
It needs to be determined if the damage is to the stone or to the protective coating/sealant. (Some types of granite do not require sealants and when they are practical, they get damaged and look every bit though the surface area is stained.)
The remedy for damaged rock is to refinish information technology. Use i of these guides for more information: How to Remove Vinegar Stains from Granite Countertops or How to Remove Chemic Stains from Countertops.

Removing Stains from Granite

Removing stains requires the use of a poultice. A poultice consists of two materials: 1) an absorptive material, such every bit Bounty or Viva paper towels, talcum powder or diatomaceous earth and two) a chemic to remove the stain. There are five different categories of stains and each has its ain designated chemical for the poultice.

*If your stain is caused past a soap bottle/dispenser, see our guide How to Remove Dish Soap Rings from Granite Countertops.

Categories of Stain:

Stains: Organic (coffee, soda, mustard, gravy, tea, etc.)
Chemical: Hydrogen Peroxide (xxx%-40% by book)
Stains: Inorganic (ink, dyes, clay, etc.)
Chemical: Rubbing Alcohol for ink; Hydrogen Peroxide (30%-40% past book) for all others
Stains: Oil (whatever type of cooking oil, some mineral oils, butter, margarine, etc.)
Chemical: Pure Acetone (avoid using nail polish remover equally different brands have different ingredients)
Stains: Biological (mold, mildew, etc.)
Chemical: Bleach or MB-9
Stains: Metal (rust, copper, etc.)
Chemical: Iron-out (a white powder available at hardware stores)

The Removal Procedure:

Due to the nature of this removal procedure, you lot may want to exam a small, inconspicuous area of the stone to ensure there are no adverse effects.

Begin by mixing the poultice (ex: talc powder and hydrogen peroxide). You lot will desire to create a thick paste. It should have the consistency of putty.
Apply the mix to the stained surface area, keeping it but on the stain. The layer of paste should be about one fourth of an inch thick and overlap the stain about a half an inch.
Comprehend the area with plastic wrap and record the edges down. Allow information technology to set for 24 hours.
Remove the tape and plastic wrap just, leaving the poultice in place.
Allow this to remain on the stain until it is completely dry. This can accept anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days.
When the paste is completely dry, utilize a plastic scraper to scrape abroad the paste.
Wipe remaining paste away with a clean cloth.
Clean the expanse as normal and dry with another clean material.
If the stain remains, you may need to echo steps 2-half dozen several times, peculiarly for oily stains, each time removing more of the stain.

Water Stains

Almost water stains are but a temporary problem. The granite may darken or lighten in color when the water is absorbed into the stone. Yet, once the water evaporates, the color of the stone should return to normal. To forbid this absorption from happening in the starting time place, information technology is necessary to seal the surface of the granite with a high quality sealer. This tin can exist completed on your ain or by a professional person.

If hardwater stains occur, they can be removed by applying vinegar to the area using the same methods every bit above.

Repairing Damage to Granite

It will require professional assist to repair damaged stone. You lot can also consult the location where you purchased your stone for advice and service options.

Other Stains

If you need to remove super glue from your granite, we have a guide detailing the process for that: How to Remove Super Mucilage from Granite.

If you have dark stains that are simply effectually the faucet, these are usually caused by the oils in the plumber's putty used to seal the faucet. We have a guide specifically for this problem as well: How to Remove Plumber's Putty Stains from Granite.

Additional Tips

If you admittedly cannot remove the stain, you lot can lighten or darken the stone as needed to hide the stain using the methods in the guide How to Restore Granite Countertop Color.