Granite Countertop Stains
Summary: Granite countertops are beautiful, but remember, they will stain. Try to keep oils and liquids off of granite before it is sealed and stained countertops will be a thing of the past.
DEAR TIM: I was wondering if human saliva can stain unsealed granite countertops? We just had some installed today and the guy was spitting on the suction cups prior to using them to move the pieces. Now they have dark spots where the suctions cups were in contact with the granite. Stressed Out Big Kitchen Investment Guy - Bart Jansen
DEAR BART - aka Mr. Stressed Out: I imagine anything is possible, and that saliva could stain granite. But my instincts tell me the stains are temporary.
Not all granites are equal. They are as varied as grains of sand on a beach. Different granites have varying chemical and crystalline makeups. These characteristics make them react differently when water soaks into the micro-pores of the granite. One thing this observation of yours illustrated is that liquids can soak into the polished faces of the granite surface.
The moisture of the saliva causes light to refract differently and this is why you see a dark spot. Once the granite dries, the dark spot usually goes away. Sealers help to block the pores and micro-cracks in the granite so water and oils sit on the surface.
Stains become permanent when the liquid can't leave the granite.Oils are one such liquid. They can be very difficult to lift from a granite surface. This is one reason pizza boxes should never be placed on a granite top. Oil can soak into the cardboard box and then pass into the granite.
If the worker had just spit out a wad of chewing tobacco or been eating some spaghetti with tomato sauce, then there is a chance his saliva contained colored molecules that could stain the granite. If this is the case, the granite supplier probably has special cleaners that can be used to remove the stains.
One thing is for certain, do not seal the granite until the surface is stain-free. Sealing the granite could lock the stain into the stone permanently.
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Comments:
Molly 06 Dec 2007, 23:32
I know it isn't PC when granite is all the rage, but I don't really like
the brown of my polished granite counters. Is there a way to purposely
stain them a deeper color -- red wineish, or dark grey/black? Is there a
way to rough up the polish on them and would that be necessary for stains
to soak in?
AsktheBuilder 07 Dec 2007, 06:14
Molly,
I have really bad news. Forget about permanently staining your granite tops. You have two options in my opinion; suck it up, live with the current color or open up the checkbook and get the exact tops it the perfect color you want. Money can't always buy happiness, but this is one time where it can. :->
Ginny 10 Dec 2007, 20:58
We purchased our granite counter tops about 18 months ago. About a month
after they were in, I noticed a teal/blue hue where my paper towel holder
was. The towel holder is stainless steel and has a dark rubber bottom. I
called the installer and they said to try bleach. It really didn't show
much improvement, but my husband and I decided to move the paper towel
holder and place cork pads on the bottom to provide some air circulation so
maybe it doesn't happen again. Well, it has and our installer is stumped.
I'm willing to try other concoctions besides bleach, but they offered no
suggestions and I'm afraid to make it worse. We are really due to seal it
again, but I'm afraid it will seal in whatever this is. Any ideas as to
what may be causing this and any solutions? Thanks!
AsktheBuilder 11 Dec 2007, 08:28
Ginny,
STOP IMMEDIATELY the amateur chemistry experiments. Never do that with any surface. I feel it is a sealer issue. The granite was not sealed with enough coats and/or an inferior sealer was used. Let the granite dry well. Help it with fans. Do not allow the top to get wet. Buy the most expensive sealer and follow the instructions to the letter.
Linda 13 Jan 2008, 07:25
A few months ago I was cleaning my granit countertop in my bathroom. I
used a product without reading the label and now I have light colored
stains all over my black conutertop...HELP!!! is there anything I can do to
reverse this ? I believe I took the color out in these areas.
AsktheBuilder 13 Jan 2008, 07:30
Linda,
It is pretty difficult to change the coloration of the minerals in granite! Let's hope you modified a sealer that might have been on the granite. Contact a few local granite fabricators in your area and see if they have an answer.
schafer 13 Jan 2008, 22:48
ginny with the teal/blue stains from a paper towel holder - we had the
exact same situation within 2 weeks after installation. the installer,
after trying other things, used straight clorox and a torch to heat the
granite. it took numerous times, but it is completely gone... and we
threw the towel holder away!!
kim 16 Jan 2008, 06:13
Hello,
We have enjoyed our kitchen granite counter-top for about 10 months now. There is a seam between two sections near the kitchen sink. The counter was sealed when it was installed. However I just noticed that there is a small stain growing along this seam. What can be done ro reverse this ?
Nancy McVille 16 Jan 2008, 13:10
I have beautiful granite countertops in my bathroom that are getting
limescale buildup around the faucets. I'm beginning to think this granite
was not sealed. I'd like to get them sealed, but I beleive the limescale
must be removed first. How to I do this? I'm reluctant to use just
anything for fear of causing permanent damage to my granite. HELP!
AsktheBuilder 16 Jan 2008, 15:02
Kim,
Call a few local granite fabricators and see if they have a magic solution. View all comments |
