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Granite Cure
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| Problems: |
stains & spots |
rings,
marks, patches, smudges, scratches, rust, dulled, bleached, faded,
lightnes, darkens, absorbs, yellowing, haze, film, rough, powdery |
Q 2360: Water Stain:
I have just had "granite" countertops installed in
my kitchen. The stone is gray/white and carried the name Imperial
White. The stone was supposedly sealed on installation
but I find it is amazingly absorbent. A small puddle of water left
on the counter for about 2-3 minutes leaves a spreading dark spot.
Of course it disappears in a while but it makes me very concerned
about stains from grease or tomato sauce etc.
I have asked the vendor to re-seal the stone but I am wondering now
if I have some form of rock that really isn't appropriate for a kitchen
counter (it looks great but you can't get it wet or prepare food on
it). Is re-sealing going to take care of this problem
or was the Imperial White a big mistake? Patrick, July 31,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Patrick: What you're wondering about is, alas, true. Imperial
White (an Orthogneiss, not a granite) is an extremely porous stone,
and you will never find it in my sample board (I do fabrication, too).
Have your fabricator come back & seal it to death (it may require
up to 4 or 5 additional application, with an interval of at least
24 hours between each application) Sorry, I don't like breaking bad
news. Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA, Expert Panelist. |
| Q 2192: Water Stain:
A potted plant sitting on my Juparano Columbo
left a brown water stain. What do I use to get this out.
The stone has been impregnated once-6 yrs ago. It is in a little used
but highly visible area of my kitchen. Please advise. Thanks! Debbie,
July 9, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Debbie: You have to poultice the stain out using high-potency
Hydrogen Peroxide (30 - 40 volume. The one available at your pharmacy
won't do it, at only 3.5 volume. Go to your beauty salon and ask for
the clear type.) Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA, Expert Panelist. |
Q 2179: Water Stain:
The more I read about granite the more complex it appears to be. Never
knew there so many stones classified as granite each with its own
characteristics.
We just purchased a new home in Las Cruces, New Mexico that has granite
countertops in the kitchen and master bathroom. The granite is a light
color with a variety of colors in it. Not sure what type
it is, so that is something I will have to find out.
When you drop water on it is leaves a dark color mark on it
which vanishes when it dries out. From what I have read this may indicate
that it needs to sealed. I have not conducted the lemon test on it
but will do so on now some of scrap pieces of granite to see what
happens. The house builder has never used granite before and did so
in this house since it was going to be a show home. He is not sure
if the company who installed the granite sealed it or not. I will
check with them next week on this.
Our other questions are the following:
1. There appears to be some random pitting in the granite.
Is this natural or is the granite defective?
2. Should the seams between pieces of the granite be almost
invisible or is the visibility of the seams a matter of the type of
granite and the quality of the installation work involved?
3. There is one blurred spot near where two pieces were seamed together
that appears as if some of the seam sealant may have spilled and did
not get wiped. What can be used to remove that
Thanks, Len. July 8, Reply |
R1:
Dear Len: Don't bother with either the lemon juice test, or asking
the fabricator if that stone was sealed. It was obviously not, and
-- for what you're reporting -- it does need to be sealed real bad.
I do mean, REAL BAD!! Due to its excessive absorbency rate you will
always have problems, but the application of the right sealer (probably
4 or 5 applications at an interval of 24 hours each) will help minimize
them.
The pitting you're describing is a natural occurrence typical of many
a "granite".
About the seam, I don't think you diagnosis is right (but it could
be). You do not want to tangle with that situation. Have the fabricator
come back and do the job right -- whatever has to be done.
Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA, Expert Panelist. |
A 2121:
Spots: We had a contractor install a 50-sq.ft. bar and countertop.
The Absolute Black (3-cm) was
to be satin finish (to minimize surface dirt on counter top). The
fabricator assured us that he could install this satin finish, etc.
When he installed it, it looked fairly good after he rubbed it with
acetone and then applied Desmolit Shestone.
A few hours later, it rained, and spots developed all over
the top surface. He came back, cleaned it again with acetone,
and applied 511 Impregnator Penetrating Sealer for Granite (from Miracle
Sealants Co.,).
The spots remained, so he used a small (about 5") buffer with some
white liquid (not water) to buff the entire top. Result, every pass
left a streak.--which did not go away with sealing.
The contractor has billed us $5,400 for this (49 square-foot) counter
(with only one small sink cut-out), and we will not accept the 'wavy
lines' across the entire top surfaces.
The contractor sent a refinisher out to look at the job, and he's
not even sure the top is really granite. He noted that the bottom
surface did not appear to be cut by a chain, etc., and saw, perhaps,
no mica, etc., which usually is in genuine Absolute Black granite.
Do you think we should simply have another fabricator install a standard
polished Absolute Black top--or do you think this surface can be saved
(either in satin or glossy finish)? Bill, June 26, Reply |
R1:
Dear Bill: Of course, I can't comment on what the stone refinisher
told you, but black "granite" is not a
granite (no matter what the invoice of the distributor says). It's
either gabbro, or dolerite, or anorthosite. Each and every one of
these stones are better -- from a mechanical point of view -- than
true geological granite.
That said, the idea that a satin finish would show less soiling over
its polished counterpart is totally wrong. In fact, it's absolutely
the opposite. This forum is literally soaked with the tears of end
users that bought into the idea of hone-finished black "granite".
It is, in fact, a maintenance nightmare!
For what you're reporting to us, I must conclude that your fabricator
knows about stone just as much as I know about ancient Chinese literature!
I never even heard of this "Desmolite Shestone" thing and, honestly,
I don't care to know about it, either! Sure enough it appears as being
the culprit. The acidity of the rain etched the stuff, and to eliminate
the "stains" (which stains are not), what does your fabricator do?
Uses acetone (which won't do sqft), then, to top it all, uses
an impregnator sealer for stone, which has no business whatsoever
being applied on black "granite" (there are a lot of horror stories
about this particular issue in this forum, too!) I really don't know
what the heck he did when he came back and used a right-angle buffer
on your poor stone, but it doesn't seem like it was the right
thing to do, of course!
Leave the fabricator alone (in order not to create any additional
mess) and strip the heck out your countertop by using a paint stripper
based on Methylene Chloride (anything else won't cut it. Read the
directions and precautionary measures and warnings on the product's
can). After that, when everything will come out being nice and uniform,
apply a color enhancer over your stone surface. This will turn your
top permanently black, which will minimize the visual effects
of surface staining (the nightmare of hone-finished black "granite".)
Out of pity, I'd like also to suggest that you print out my answer
and have your "Michelangelo" fabricator read it. Who knows, he may
just appreciate the education! Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
A 2089:
Spot: I have a new granite counter top on my bathroom vanity
KASHMIR GOLD.....it is doing great.
I also had a little shelf made for the shower niche and it keeps getting
spots from shampoo bottles, etc...if we catch it in time and rinse
off the soap, it usually dries. However we now have a spot (container
was from conditioner) that has been rinsed off, but has not dried
out completely and it is two weeks. How can I get out the spot?
This shelf was sealed with the same spray solvent that the tile grout
was sealed with, should we be treating this area differently (once
we get the spot out)? This should not require such high maintenance
should it????? Eileen, June 19, Reply |
R1:
Dear Eileen: Who gave you the idea that an Orthogneiss stone like
your Kashmire Gold would be easy to maintain? They they perhaps told
you that's a granite??!! That stone is like a sponge and should not
have been installed in a wet environment like a shower enclosure.
I have guidelines on stain removal available at no cost for you. Just
send an E-mail to this site and ask them to put you in touch directly
with me. Ciao and good luck,
Maurizio, USA |
A 2012:
Stains: We purchased our 'absolute
black' granite tiles and had our countertops built this
April.
The store that sold them to us never mentioned that we should seal
the tiles after installing them. Within a couple of weeks, we started
noticing some stains that were actually lighter than the black
granite. The stains were most likely from juice and water. We called
the store and they recommended doing the procedure that has been described
in your advice column make a paste of poultice (we used baking soda
and acetone), apply it over the stain, cover it with plastic and leave
it on for 48 hours). The stains did not come out, but since my wife
was having some friends over, she sealed the countertop with Pro-Solve
10 from Aquamix. The day after her party, there were several more
stains. The store owner took a left-over tile home, did some experiments,
called the technical department of the sealing solution company, and
then came over and applied a poultice paste over the stains and left
them on for 3-4 days. This too did not work.
At this point, I don't know what to do to remove the stains. We have
begun discussions about who is responsible for the problem, and I
am doing as much research to determine both if there is a solution
and if not, if were we sold defective material.
Do you have any advice for removing the stains other than what I have
mentioned?
Do you think this may be a case of 'doctored' stone vs real quality
granite? Your advice, please. Frank, USA, June 4. Reply |
R1:
Dear Frank: I'm so glad you put your name. As a rule I don't do anonymous,
and, boy oh boy, do I want to answer your question!!
When incompetents get their "education" from other incompetents, and
then in turn "educate" other persons down the line, that's exactly
what happens. Everybody is looking at a problem but nobody understands
the nature of it, and, consequently, try to come up with canned and
blanket "solutions" (which are the only ones they know and that of
course will not work), because their brains are not trained to think
on their own!
Black granite, not only does not need to be sealed, but it's a definite
mistake to seal it (even with my own sealer!), because you most likely
would end up having all those weird "stains" that you're reporting
and that nobody can understand what they are. Your direct experience
confirms that: You applied a sealer and the problem intensified, instead
of disappearing!! That should lead any normal person with an IQ slightly
higher than a carrot to conclude that, maybe, we're going in
the wrong direction, but ... What can you expect from a bunch of salesmen!
...
Let's start by saying that none of the weird things that you see are
stains, no matter what they look like. They are in fact ACID ETCHES,
no debate, period and shut up! Now that we've determined the REAL
nature of the problem, let's examine the possibilities and possible
remedies.
1) This is the most unlikely. Your black "granite" is not real "Black
Absolute" from South Africa, but is one of those rare stones that
look like black granite but are a mix breed. That is, they have some
calcite in them, and THAT is what reacts with the acids.
No black granite is a true granite. Most of them are either Gabbro,
or Dorelite, or (even if just a lonely one) Anorthosite. None of them
would ever etch, if it were left alone.
2) Still unlikely. Your tiles had been sealed in the factory, and
the sealer (which never had a chance to be absorbed by the stone --
as it should -- due to its inherent density) is the one that's actually
"staining," not the stone itself.
3) Most likely. Your black absolute "granite" tiles have been "doctored"
by the factory via the application of some sort of black makeup to
make them darker, therefore more "sellable." It is usually the case
with Black Zimbabwe (a Dolerite). Black Zimbabwe is not, by far, an
inferior stone. It is in fact an excellent stone from a mechanic point
of view and for all the intents and purposes of a kitchen countertop.
Its only problem is that it's not really black (rather a dark
gray), hence the "doctoring"!
Now, what to do? If we're dealing with the case #3, the problem could
have been easily solved by cleaning the makeup off your tiles' surface
using a clean rag and acetone, but now we have two different layers
of some stupid sealer on top of the makeup, and acetone won't cut
it anymore! Still -- despite all the "expertise" displayed by all
the "gurus" involved in your stone adventure, and their desperate
attempts to screw things up permanently -- there's a solution. Get
hold of a good-quality paint stripper based on Methylene Chloride
(anything else won't cut it), and soak the heck out of your tiles.
Give ample time to the chemical to melt away all the crap sitting
on your innocent stone and keep feeding it as it dries; then scrub
it with a scouring pad (NOT a green sponge -- it would scratch the
granite surface, as incredible as it sounds!). A silver scouring
pad will do just fine. DO WEAR RUBBER GLOVES ALL THE TIME AND KEEP
THE ROOM PROPERLY VENTILATED. FOLLOW ANY OTHER PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE
WRITTEN ON THE CAN. Repeat if necessary (after the first cleaning,
you may have a few streaks of residue) by doing the final cleaning
with a clean white rag, instead of a scouring pad.
At the end of the day, you will have your dark gray stone nice, shiny
and with no "stains"! Accept it and learn how to love it for what
it is (not really black, that is), because it will serve you faithfully
for many years to come with no problem at all, for as long as you
won't seal it again!! All this, of course, unless you're actually
dealing with the rare yet possible case 1) listed above, which has
no solution. I would also have all the "geniuses" you've been dealing
with read this message. Who knows, maybe some of them will be able
to absorb some real intelligence (providing that their brains had
not been sealed with an impregnator for stone, that is!!). Finally,
do NOT waste your time asking them how to take care of your "granite"
tiles on a daily basis. You already had a taste (and a bad one at
that!) of the kind of "competent" answers you'd be getting, don't
you! But don't despair, you can get my free maintenance guidelines
for residential stone installation by hitting the link at the bottom
of this page's side bar. Treasure them; you'll be glad you did! And,
who knows, your stone
"professionals" could use them, too! ... Fat chance! Ciao and good
luck, Maurizio, USA |
A 1988: Stain: I am
a novice to granite countertops and just bought a new house with one
installed. After reading the many questions on your website,
I'm convinced of two things:
1) I have no idea what kind of stone I have and
2) I'm even less sure what to do to clean and maintain it. The stone
is a primarily black and green, not veined, but with a roughly circular
pattern of color. (I know, a picture's worth a thousand words.)
Water stands on the surface and the only "stains" I see are darker
"wet" marks that disappear, presumably with drying. So far, I've only
used water to clean it. So tell me, what do you think I've got and
what should I clean it with? Also, is the stone resistant to heat
e.g. can you put a hot pot down on it? There are some nicks in the
island portion--is clear acrylic glue OK to fill? Janet, May 29. Reply |
R1:
Dear Janet: I will start from the end. Theoretically, you could
use clear acrylic glue to fill the nicks. The question is: Will you
be able to do it without smearing with glue all the surroundings of
the nicks? Yes, you can put a hot pot on your stone counter top. From
what you're reporting about the water being absorbed (dark for a while,
then it disappears when it dries), your stone needs to be sealed with
a good quality impregnator-type sealer for stone.
As far as cleaning procedures are concerned, you will find useful
my maintenance guidelines that you can find at the end of this page's
side bar. Finally, I don't don't have a clue as to what your stone
is! Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
| A 1821: Stain:
Can you please tell me the brand name of a very good-quality impregnator-type
sealer? I just had granite countertops installed (Ghible?)
and noticed (after washing dishes) that I get water stains but by
the next morning they're gone. After reading all of the horrible staining
stories, I am petrified to place anything on the countertop (even
though its strength, durability & easy clean-up were the reasons
for buying it). The installer supposedly put on a sealer already but
I am going to make them come back and put on another one and wanted
to know the name of a REALLY good sealer/impregnator to have them
use that? Thanks, Patricia (NY),May 14.Reply
|
| R2:
Well, Since
the installer used a sealer to begin with it's smart to continue with
that impregnator. Ghibli is a very absorbent stone. As such before
using it anymore, the installer needs to install 5-6 coats, at 1 per
day, preferably this is before you start using it. You then need to
monitor the counter and maybe reapply (depending on use every 6 months).
You will also need to clean the tops with a neutral pH cleaner. Have
the installer get you the one formulated by the manufacturer of the
impregnator. If not Maurzio has some solution. Regards, Steven, USA
|
| R1:
Dear Patricia: Your experience
goes to prove - like if there were any additional need for it - that
relaying on chemical (impregnator) to bend the wrong stone for the
strong application to our human whims is a losing proposition. Have
your fabricator seal the darn thing until it doesn't absorb liquids
anymore. It's your legal right. Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
| A 1796: Stain:
I was asked to look at a Black Absolute Granite Island and
countertops installed by another contractor. The customers complaint
is that almost anything (soda, milk, tomato etc.) leaves a light permanent
stain if allowed to sit on counter for more than 3 minutes. The contractor
applied a sealant out of a can marked impregnator. Then he left instructions
for customer to remove residue, with soap and water, after 24 hours.
The customer said there was such a heavy residue you could not see
the stone. This does not sound like any impregnating sealer I've used.
I wiped out of the way corner with acetone No black residue was visible
on my white towel. However when I applied Black Pamir it masked the
light area. Is there any sealant the customer can apply to prevent
this reverse staining? Thanks, George, May 14. Reply |
| R2:
Yes stop
putting waxes and impregnators on it. Acetone everything off the island.
Realize that it is the waxes and impregnators that were etching. Now,
leave it alone. Gabbros don't need impregnators or waxes. Regards,
Steven, USA |
R1:
Dear George:
Why don't you take a gun and shoot yourself, after shooting dead the
contractor who applied the impregnator?! You'd be rendering a priceless
service to society.
Time and again I've been preaching and reporting real-life episode
of the "damages" that an impregnator does to stones - like black "granite"
(no such an animal like black granite) - that don't need to be sealed,
but, apparently, the salesmen got onto you and that contractor real
good, to the point that they sealed with an impregnator your brains,
too, just in case -
the Gods forbid it - some intelligence had a chance to sink in!!
The light stains reported to you by your customer are etchings on
the first impregnator that had been applied on the stone. Now, to
"eliminate" the problem, all you guys can do is to apply more impregnator.
In other words, you have a problem before you, but have no clue whatsoever
about its nature, yet you go about it by trying some pathetic solutions.
Get hold of a strong paint-stripper based on Mythelene Chloride (anything
else will not do) and flood that poor stone with it. Let it sit several
minutes feeding it when necessary, then remove all the stupid impregnator
that had no business being there in the first place, by rubbing the
surface of the stone with a rough rag. Discard frequently. Wear rubber
gloves and keep the place ventilated. Follow all cautionary direction
on the can of the stripper. Once you're done, spill a few drops of
lemon juice on the countertop, let them sit for a few minutes, then
wipe them dry. If you still notice a slight discoloration, that means
that the stupid sealer wasn't removed completely, therefore you have
to repeat the procedure until the lemon juice will tell you that the
job is done. After that, let your customer enjoy their stone the way
Mother Nature intended. All you have to do is giving them some precise
guidelines on proper maintenance and indicate them the right products
to use. But, let me guess, you don't much (and so does the other contractor)
about that, do you! Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
| |
| A 1717: Stain:
My daughter left an oily salad dressing bottle overnight on my new
granite counter. How do I remove the stain? Gail, April 16.
Reply |
R1:
You need to apply a poultice. Take some paper towels and cut them
to just larger than the stain. Immerse them in acetone. Cover with
plastic wrap and tape the edges. Let sit for 24 hrs. Let air dry for
4-5 hrs.
If successful apply an impregnator per manufacturers recommendations.
If not successful, do the procedure until it is removed. Regards,
Steven, USA |
A 1715: First, I would
like to thank you for this website. I find much useful info, however
now I am overwhelmed...
I have three different granites installed in my home. The names that
were supplied to me are:
1. Absolute Black - found on the kitchen floor. This has not
been sealed. I would like it (and the grout) to be darker black. The
floor does not appear to have any stains in it, just hard water stains
on it. What can I do to protect it, and maintain it?
2. Tropical Fantasy - grey with swirls of black/blue and quartz
-- kitchen counters (slab) the only granite in the house that does
not absorb water. Shinny... I clean with windex. What should I do
to maintain it, protect it etc. Can I do this myself
3. Pink something ... not really pink. grey stone with some
hint of pink quartz, grey streaks, tiny metallic silver specks. beautiful
shinny stone gets very dark when wet, holds water a long time. This
stone has never been sealed, and since it is in showers, it has hard
water stains, actually looks like a white film over some surface.
How do I clean off hard water stains, and prepare this stone
for sealing. Not worried so much about stains, primarily interest
in water repellant with some stain protection.
Any information would be very much appreciated. Any recommendation
on products welcome. If you advise a professional assessment, is there
anyone in the Northern California Bay Area (San Francisco area) that
you could recommend? Thank you, Eric, April 16. Reply |
R1:
Dear Eric: 1. Black Absolute is quite a dense stone and does not need
to be sealed.
It's not supposed to absorb water. Hard water deposit can develop
when spilled water dries, but they are only sitting on the surface
and should be easy to remove. If it's not "black" enough for you,
it can't be helped. 2. Tropical Fantasy. Quite a good stone. Forget
Windex.
3. Pink something. It looks like you have a big absorbency problem.
You need to seal that stone with a good-quality impregnator several
times to minimize the problem. Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
| |
A 1651: Stain:
How do we get rid of this stain? The granite was installed
6 months ago. It was sealed. However, from this problem, the sealer
isn't providing protection. What sealer do you recommend. Thank you
for your help. We are going crazy trying to eliminate this stain!
Tim, April 4. Reply |
| R1:
Dear Tim: And who's Kim? Why do you ask here? what to do Go back to
your fabricator. They made money out your "granite" countertop, didn't
they?! It's only fair of them to solve your problem, don't you agree?
Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
| A 1641: Stain:
We have just had Kashmir Gold laid
on our kitchen bench and noticed that if you leave an oil spill too
long that it will stain. So does water around the sink but that soon
disappears. My concern is the oil spills. Can you suggest what
we can do to remove them and also avoid them? Regards, Cathy, April
3. Reply |
| R6:
Dear Cathy, You will not believe, when I stained a Raw Silk granite
table top with oil, I simply put a lot of talcum powder on the stain
and left it there for sometime, at least most of the oil vanished-
how I would not know. This is what I also do when I stain silk saris
with oil too - put a lot of talcum powder on it and give a good rub.
Do get back to me- if you succeed. Pushpa, India. |
| R5:
Dear Cathy: I feel truly sorry for you. The crappy stone that was
sold as granite to you will give you nothing but trouble. The poulticing
method given to you by Garner is totally wrong from beginning to end
(there an answer of mine a little further up on how to properly poultice
an oily stain.) Remember, however, that you will never be able to
enjoy your stone. Get rid of it: It's only money and I believe that
your mental health is more important that money to you! Ciao and good
luck, Maurizio, USA |
| R4:
Mix diatomaceous earth or a clay (kaolin, attapulgite) with ammonia
into a fudge consistency, spread it about a quarter inch thick over
the stains cover with Ceran wrap, tape it down, wait 24 hours then
take a peek. If it works, great, if not then do it again. Once the
stains are gone then seal the surface well. Garner, USA. |
| R3:
Cathy -- That stone must be sealed better. Use an impregnator. That
should protect the beauty of your kitchen. If it is sealed properly,
it should not stain. Peace & Propserity, Tile Guy, USA. |
| R2:
Kashmir Sun Gold is very porous and unless you want to pre-stain /
seal it with inert mineral oil (butcher block oil) you need to use
a heavy duty commercial sealer like a flouro polymer based sealer.
Even then, the manufacturers of these sealers say you may need to
re-apply as often as yearly. Alex, USA. |
| R1:
You can try letting the stone completely dry out. Poultice off the
oil. Now that the stone looks the way it is supposed to, you can apply
a water based impregnator once a day for 5-6 days. You are done when
the stone does not absorb the impregnator anymore. Then use the lemon
juice every three months to check and see if you need to add more
impregnator. Regards, Steven, USA |
| A 1635: Stain:
Please help. Our granite countertop is stained with oil from
the dressing bottle. It won't wash off. What can we do. Thanks. Tim,
April 3. Reply |
R3:
Dear Tim: I consider commercially available poultice-kits nothing
but an expensive marketing gimmick. True professionals never use them!!
Steven advice is the one to follow.
Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
| R2:
Try a commercially available poultice. Try to contact the company
that fabricated and installed your stone to see if they can show you
how to do this. Alex, USA. |
| R1:
Use a poultice. Take some paper towels and soak them in acetone. Lay
them on top of the stain. Cover with plastic wrap. Wait 24 hours and
remove. It may take a couple of tries. Once the stain is gone apply
an impregnating sealer once a day until the impregnator does not penetrate
anymore. From then on check the absorbency of the counter using the
lemon juice test. Regards, Steven, USA |
| A 1467: Stains:
I had Uba Tuba granite installed
in my kitchen and sealed it immediately. I have been using Windex
to clean it and now its looking very dull. What can I do to
bring back the shine? (I realize now I need to use a granite
cleaner) Also, my coffee maker leaked coffee onto the countertop and
it sat for several hours before I realized it. Now that area looks
darker-can I do anything about it? Thank you, Julie, Feb 22. Reply |
R1:
If the Ubatuba needed an impregnator (which surprises me) then the
Windex removed the impregnator. Or was it a wax sealer? You can clean
the coffee stain with a solution hydrogen Peroxide 12% and few drops
of ammonia. This may take a couple of treatments.
You can call the original fabrication facility to see if they can
help you with restoring the original shine. Regards, Steven, USA |
| A
1352: Stains: Yesterday we had some stone countertops
installed in our kitchen. The stone is called Kashmire
White. You indicated in one of your responses that
this stone is not granite. I'm curious about what stone it is,
but more importantly, I would like to have your recommendations
for how to seal the stone. Our installer said that the
surface was sealed already, but I noticed that a wet cup left
a ring on the surface after sitting for about 5 minutes. The
dark ring disappeared as the water was absorbed into or evaporated
from the stone. I am not concerned about temporary discolorations
from water, but I am concerned about coffee spills and
splattered oil from cooking. Stephen, Jan 21. Reply |
R3:
Dear Stephen, The
stone you have used can be slate. There is a variety available
in
India by this name which is slate. Proper sealing is important
and I would recommend resealing the stone to protect it from
damage in future. Regards Arun, India Reply
|
| R2:
Kashmir
White is one of those stones that we dread people purchasing.
The impregnators can not stay ahead its absorptive nature. Therefore,
I advise you to clean as you go, take care not spill oils, and
eat out frequently. As a counter top it will need all this to
look good. Regards, Steven, USA Reply |
R1:
Dear
Stephen: You had better be concerned!!
Unfortunately I have some bad news from you. What Kashmire stone
actually is I don't know for sure, but I do know that it is
not granite. In fact it does not look like granite and, most
importantly, it does not perform like granite. I do believe
that's a gneiss, but, again, I'm not for sure. Maybe our friend
Daniel, or Dr. Hans can be more specific on that. The bad news
is that your situation is pretty much hopeless. You may find
sealers that work for a few days, or a few weeks at best, but
that's how far as you will ever go with that stuff. Sorry. Ciao
and good luck, Maurizio, USA Reply |
| |
| A 1300: Stains: I was browsing
the website and came across the same exact problem as that of
A 1077. I have Sivakashi
installed as a vanity top in my bathroom- and getting the same
stains. Your answer is dismal- there's NOTHING I can do about
this?? I've just spent an enormous sum of money on this "granite"
top and am very upset. Any way to remove the current water spot
(it's a smoky black discoloration) and future spotting?
Please give me some hope!! The family bathroom can not function
as just a showcase. Tom, Jan 5, Reply |
| R1: Well,
same stone, same problems. You don't expect me to give you a
different answer, do you! For the removal of the stains, do
'poulticing'. After that, try to buy all the sealers on the
market place (please, don't buy mine, I can tell you right now
that it won't do a perfect sealing with that stone), try them
all, and keep your fingers crossed. Oh, by the way, you too,
don't forget to thank you the company who sold that "granite"
to you. It's always a good thing being nice to "Michelangelos"!
Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
|
| A 1212: Spots:
I just read a response of A
1077 that you wrote about a very absorbant "granite"
countertop. You said it is probably metamorphic sandstone. That
is probably what I have, as it is also pinkish-tan- and it water
spots easily. We keep it sealed and that seems to be fine, but
we had a big party and grease impregnated a spot on the
counter. Can this be removed in any way? Thanks. Judy, USA,
Nov 24. Reply |
| R2: Judy, Yes it can, try a poultice. This is when something
absorbent is placed over the stain. Diatomaceous earth is good
but not found readily so paper towels can be used. A product
known as acetone may be able to be used. The acetone will dry
up the oil. Cover the area with cellophane and expect it to
take a couple of attempts. Once diminished seal the area again.
Without seeing your countertops I have no idea what it is, so
do a test in an inconspicuous area to make sure the poultice
will not dis- color the area as well. Best regards, Steven,
USA |
R1: Dear Judy: Hopefully yes. 1. Get some paper-towel (I'm
partial to "Bounty" and "Viva") and make a "pillow" (7 or 8
fold) slightly larger than the stain. 2. Get some Acetone, which
is available at any hardware store. Do not use your nail polish
remover. 3. Soak the "pillow" of paper towel with the acetone
(what you have now is
called a "poultice"), place it onto the stain, cover it with
plastic wrap, and tape it down (you don't want it to evaporate).
4. After 24 hours or so, remove the plastic, and LEAVE THE POULTICE
ALONE 5. When the poultice is completely dry (figure approx.
a couple of hours), remove it and see what happened. You may
have to repeat the procedure a few times, before the stain is
completely removed. Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA |
|
| A
1137: Stain: I have a granite counter top that has an
oil base paint stain. The paint came off but the oil
has stained the granite. How do I get it
out? USA, Oct 11, Reply |
| R4:
Sorry to say that in all likelihood you will be replacing the
piece or living with the stain. Poultices can be tried. Please
review the Findstone library about application. Good luck, Steven,
USA |
|
| R3:
I would try a poultice using pulped tissues soaked in thinners
left on the surface. Cover the tissues with cling film for a
few hours and then remove the film and allow the tissues to
dry out. This procedure can be repeated. It will be very difficult
to remove all traces of the paint. Regards, Jim, Australia |
|
| R2: This could be tricky as some granites have been
dyed to enhance the color, particularly if it is a black. The
reason this is an issue is because the way to remove the stain
is by the use of a poultice. A poultice is a mixture of clay
compounds and oil removers. The poultice should be applied and
left for 4 to 24 hours, then removed and scrubbed clean. The
poultice should extract the stain. If not repeat. Let the area
dry completely because it will remain dark until this happens.
You can purchase a ready to use poultice formula from a reputable
distributor. Please test the process on an extra piece of material
or an inconspicuous area first to determine suitability. Bob,
USA |
|
| R1: It'll be extremely difficult, because the oil
of oil-based paint has the tendency to become hard. Try to poultice
it with a paint stripper based on Methylene Chloride. You may have to try several times, and you will
never be sure to succeed completely. Ciao and good luck, Maurizio,
USA |
|
|
A 1099: Stains:
I have a stain on my granite from oil: (Any
suggestions before resealing it on how to remove the oil stain?)
Thank you, Suzanne, USA, Sept 11, Reply
R3: There are a couple of ways
to approach removal of oil from granite. The first is to use a commercial
poultice specifically formulated for oil. You would apply the poultice
according to manufacturer instructions cover with plastic wrap
and wait. You may have to do this a couple of times. The second
way is to make up a poultice of your own. We use diatomaceous earth
or baby powder and acetone. We make it into a paste and apply
like the commercial poultice. Sometimes we just rub the area with
acetone a few times if the oil has not been there for too long (Doesn't
work very often). Lastly, I am curious about what type of granite
you have and what type of sealer is being used. I ask because there
are so many granites being used today with varying absorption rates. You
may want to email Maurizio about what type of sealer you should
be using.
Best
of luck, Steven, USA
R2:
Dear Suzanne: You need to make a so called "poultice". Relax, I'll
keep it simple this time, too!
You need: 1. Some paper towel (I'm partial to "Bounty");
2. A can of acetone (forget your nail-polish-remover, get a can
at your local hardware store);
3. Some plastic wrap
4. Some masking tape;
5. A pair of rubber gloves.
Directions: Get two or three sheets of paper-towel and fold them
to make like a "pillow" (8 or 10 fold) a little wider than the stain.
Wear your rubber gloves, soak the "pillow" with acetone, then position
the soaked "pillow" over the stain (by now, the "pillow" has become
a "poultice"), tapping lightly with you gloved fingertips to assure
full contact with the surface of the stone. Put the plastic wrap
over the poultice and tape it down. Leave it there for 24 hours,
take the plastic off and LEAVE THE POULTICE ALONE UNTIL IT'S COMPLETELY
DRY (it may take an hour or so). In other words, don't peak! When
the poultice is completely dry, remove it, clean the area underneath
it with a dampened clean rag, then wipe it dry with some dry paper-towel.
If the stain is not completely gone, you'll have to repeat the procedure
over again until the stain is completely removed. Some times
it will take 3 or 4 attempts. Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, USA
R1: Hi, You need Poultice - A unique mixture to
extract stains from natural stone. Pini, USA
I tried mixing baking powder and water, covered it with plastic
wrap for a day then took plastic off, waited until powder hardened
and took that off also. Everyone I spoke to said, there is no way
that the guy who installed it sealed it properly that yes oil is
the worst enemy of granite but the granite should not have sucked
it up that quickly. Anyhow it appears to be lighter but still there.
I bought a sealer but would like to be successful in getting the
whole oil stain out before resealing all the countertops in my kitchen.
Please advise:) Thank you,Suzanne, USA, Sept 18,
Hi! Don't forget to add a striper to the mixture, ammonia or Windex.
Pini, USA, Sept 20
Okay so don't mix the
baking powder with water? Add ammonia or Windex? I just want to
make sure I don't screw this up. Thank you I appreciate your response.
Suzanne, USA, Sept 20,
Mix baking powder with ammonia or Windex! Pini, USA, Sept 20
A 1077: Spot:
Great website! Wish I had found it sooner. We just
had granite counters installed. They are a lighter
stone (were told it was granite), Sivakashi
Pink. I noticed that they temporarily water spot around
the faucet and am worried about long-term spotting from my soap
dispenser or food (grease, berries). The installers wiped a coat
of sealant on & off again quickly. Is there any cause for concern?
Should I go back & reseal the counters? What can I expect regarding
water spotting and staining, particularly with grease, once the
counter is well sealed? Nancy, USA, August 27. Reply
R1: OK, here's the story.
Your "granite" (whatever it is. I suspect it's a metamorphic sandstone,
but I am sure that your fabricator will show you an invoice that
"prove" it's granite!...) is an extremely absorbent material. The
way you describe your problem is that it was not sealed properly.
Not that it matters much, mind you. Because, even if it had been
sealed properly you will always have problems -- and a lot of them
-- with the extreme absorbency of the stone. Certainly, your faucet
and soap dispenser will be the first one to show. But, eventually,
just about anything else will do! I suggest you to use your kitchen
as a showplace. And, by the way, you should also thank your fabricator
for having sampled that beautiful stone and fabricated it for you.
It sounds to me like he sure knows what is doing! But don't worry
too much: It's only money! Sorry! Maurizio, USA
A 1062: Stain: My daughter recently moved into new
house that have grayish/brown granite
countertops in kitchen. Not knowing and not being told about need
to seal, the kitchen island countertop has been spattered
with grease from a griddle. What can be done with this granite
top? Larry, USA, Aug 7. Reply
R1: Dear Larry:
The first thing to do is to remove the oily stains from your daughter's
granite. To do that you need to make a so-called "poultice" (Relax,
it's easy!). A "poultice" is meant to reabsorb the stain from inside
the stone out, into something more absorbent than the stone itself.
It is composed by two components: A) A chemical that will interact
with the type of stain at hand (in this case, grease). B) An
absorbing medium to reabsorb the stain out of the stone. There are
several absorbing media available, from cotton balls, to paper-towel
(I'm partial to "Bounty"), to talc (such as baby powder), to diatomaceous
earth (the white stuff used in pools' filters). They are all good.
I experimented with several chemicals to remove grease stains and
concluded that, among those more readily available, Acetone available
at any hardware store, paint department) is the most effective.
As far as the absorbent medium is concerned, either talc or paper-towel
will do just fine. If you choose talc, mix it with the acetone to
make a paste a little less consistent than peanut butter. If you choose
paper-towel, make like a "pillow" (7 or 8 fold) a little wider than
the stain, then soak it with acetone. In the case of the talc, apply
the paste with a putty knife. (DO NOT use a plastic spatula. The acetone
will melt it!) Over the stain (approx. 1/2" wider that the stain itself)
leaving it a good 1/4" thick or better. In the case of the paper-towel,
just put the soaked "pillow" over the stain.
In either case, cover the "poultice" with plastic wrap and tape it
down (at this stage you don't want the acetone to evaporate. You want
it to go down inside the stone to meet with staining agent and attack
it). Leave it there for a day or so then remove the plastic wrap.
Next, let the "poultice" dry completely (one hour or so) DO NOT peak.
This is the most delicate stage: By removing the plastic you will
allow the acetone (hopefully together with the staining agent) to
be reabsorbed by either the talc, or the paper-towel. When completely
dry, remove the poultice and, in most cases, you will see that the
stain is gone. If not, repeat the procedure step by step. With some
stubborn and old grease stains you may have to do it a few times.
Once the stains are removed you shouldhave a good-quality sealer for
stone (Impregnator) applied professionally to your countertop. Good
luck, Maurizio, USA
A 1038: Stain: I have black absolute
granite countertops in my kitchen. The counters
stain when they come into contact with acidic juice such as tomato
or citris. The counters were sealed a second time and the staining
continues to occur. What is the cause? Thank you. Pal,
USA, July 17. Reply
R3: Dear Steve: Black
absolute is not exactly the densest, but is very dense, all right.
Butter and milk, being grease substances may stain the stone to a
certain extent, but won't go very deep. A good cleaning with water
and dish detergent should do (of course, if they'd use our product,
it would be even better. For me, at least!). Seems to me, however,
that your customers are not exactly Mr. and Mrs. Clean. They have
to let the butter and milk sit a very looooong time before they start
staining! If they'd clean the surface of the top right after breakfast
I believe they wouldn't have any problem. Good luck, Maurizio, USA
This seems to be close to the problem we are having. We have had no
similar problems with any other granite (sic) so could you mail me
your recommendations as to treatment (or not). The main culprits are
milk and butter, and our customers don't or wont understand that nero
being the densest of materials is the likeliest to stain. Any help
appreciated. Steve, UK, July 21.
R2: Firstly sealers
do not offer a complete seal from stains - it just helps resist stains.
Secondly, the acidic nature of the staining agents is an unusual culprit
with granite (especially those like absolute black). The sealer
may be reacting with these acidic liquids and show up as stains due
to the breakdown of the sealer. Try putting a drop of water
on your granite and see how quickly it soaks in. This will show you
the effectiveness of the sealer. Black granites also have a tendency
to show up imperfections such as trafficking paths (tracking) when
the polish gets worn and "tide" marks from dirty water. Not
much you can do about it except be diligent with spills and don't
expect miracles from sealers. Regards, Jim, Australia
R1: Dear Pal: The
cause is probably the sealer. I'm not saying that what was used on
your counter -- and twice! -- is a bad sealer (I don't even know which
one it is, nor do I care to know!); What I'm saying is that sealing
black absolute is a bad idea, even if you use the sealer that my company
manufactures. Black absolute granite is a basaltic rock, partly
metamorphic, of an igneous origination, of the plutonic type (high
pressure and high temperature). All this mumbo-jumbo is the get to
understand that black absolute (that from a petrographic classification
is not a granite -- despite what the invoice of the dealer says) is
an extremely dense rock and doesn't absorb much. Not even the sealer.
Sealers for stone (impregnators) are designed to be below surface
sealers and none of it is supposed to remain on the surface of the
stone to be sealed.
Of course, for a sealer to go below, it has be absorbed by the stone,
so that it can go in and clog its pores. It's not the case, here!
The sealer won't go in, a film of it will remain on the surface and
... it will get damaged by acidic substances such as those you've
been describing. In other words, the damage does not occur to the
stone (black absolute, being a silicate rock, does not etch, unless
one uses hydrochloric acid), it rather occurs to the stupid sealer
that has no business being there to begin with, and notwithstanding
what all the salesmen out there will try to tell you. They are the
same salesman who "trained" (brainwashed, better defines it) the "professionals"
who made your countertop and stubbornly keep sealing it, without having
a clue about the real problem. (I'm sorry, I do have a huge problem
dealing with mediocrity!). How to solve your problem? Very simple:
have the darn sealer completely removed and enjoy your otherwise "bullet
proof" black absolute granite for the rest of your life, the way Mother
Nature intended. The best sure way to remove completely the sealer
is to use a right angle polisher / grinder with a 7" diameter
pad-holder, a white nylon pad to fit it, and some oxalic acid (it's
a white powder and can be found at any good hardware store). You will
also need a spray bottle with some tap water. Sprinkle some oxalic
acid over an area to fit under the 7" diameter pad, spray a mist of
water, over, say 4 or 5 square feet, put your polisher on top of the
powder, rub it back and forth a few times (without pulling the trigger)
to form some sort of paste (oxalic acid with the water), then apply
a certain amount of pressure, pull the trigger and buff the area that
you've targeted (4 or 5 square feet), until it becomes dry and shiny.
Repeat until you've treated the whole counter. Better yet, have the
"genius" who applied the sealer twice do the work for free. After
all, he the one who created the problem. Good luck. Maurizio, USA
A 1024: Stains: We
have been having problems with Nero Assoluto
(Absolute Black) staining from a variety of causes. We
seal with products, with which we have had no problems with any other
granite. Is it it's low porosity, Or possibly that it
is so (relatively) featureless? Steve, UK. June 27 reply
R1: A good deal of
the problems of staining associated with absolute black is indeed
because of the lack of "graining" which makes everything show more.
Most other patterns do a much better job of hiding stains and water
marks etc... It is not really much different in density than
other granites, so its porosity should not be a factor. Sealing
of the product is critical to minimise the possibility of staining.
You may wish to try another brand of sealer. One other "trick"
for removing stains is to use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide mixed
with white bread. Make a dough of it and smush it on the stain. Let
it set for a while and the stain should leach out into the bread.
Hope that helps! Bill, USA
R2: I sure would love
to have more specifics about the type of staining you've been experiencing
with absolute black. They way you say it sounds ... kind of unheard
of. Such stone should be pretty much problem-free. Yes, you're right,
it is very dense (therefore the use of a sealer is pretty much useless,
in my opinion). In fact, we never seal "Nero Assoluto". Anyway, let
me know more and, maybe, I'll be able to help. Maurizio, USA. Expert
Panelist,
A 986: Stains: I have granite
counter tops (12" "tiles") in my kitchen--a little over a year old.
In several areas the stone has become stained through absorbing
grease or oil from food. Can you suggest a cleaning solution?
Ordinary cleaners seem to just sit on the surface without penetrating
sufficiently to do any good. I have heard of poultices, but do not
know the composition or a source. Micheal, USA. May 17 reply
R1: Dear Michael: Yes, a poultice
is what you need. A poultice has the task to reabsorb the stain out
of the stone. A poultice is made of two components: 1. The absorbing
agent. 2. The cleaning agent. It is intuitive that, while
the absorbing agent can always be the same, the cleaning agent must
be tailored to the stain at hand. For greasy stains do the following:
- Take some paper towel (I am partial to "Bounty") and make
a "pillow" 7 or 8 fold thick a little wider than the stain.
- Put the "pillow" over the stain and pour some acetone (available
at any hardware store, paint dpt.) until the paper towel is soaked.
- Slightly tap the pillow all over with your fingertips (wear
rubber gloves) to assure full contact with the surface of the
stone.
- Cover the pillow with some plastic wrap and tape it down
to assure complete seal.
- Leave the poultice there for 24 hours, then take the plastic
off. (DON'T PEAK!!)
- ALLOW THE PAPER TOWEL TO DRY COMPLETELY.
- Remove the paper towel and check if
the stain is gone. If not, repeat.
If the stain is not grease but, say, coffee
or wine, then use Hydrogen Peroxide instead of Acetone following the
same procedure above (never forget to wear rubber gloves). Get the
Hydrogen Peroxide at your local beauty salon (30 or 40 volume, clear).
The one sold at the pharmacy (3.5 volume) is not strong enough. Good
luck, Maurizio, USA
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The views expressed in this section are not of FindStone. |
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just spent about ten minutes looking at your site, but from what I
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