Don’t Take Your Countertop for Granite: 6 Ideas for Preventing Stains and Protecting the Finish

When you invest in granite countertops, you want to make sure they look great for as long as possible—and that means knowing how to prevent countertop stains. While it’s true that granite doesn’t necessarily stain easily, it’s also wise to do all you can to keep it safe.

Protecting Granite Countertops

To follow are six ideas to prevent stains and protect the finish of your granite countertops:

1. Seal your countertop (and reseal regularly—talk to our team to figure out how often you should reseal).
2. Avoid using harsh cleaners that have citrus, vinegar, or bleach in their ingredients.
3. Use a trivet when necessary—the hot pan won’t damage your stone, but the grime on the bottom of the pan might stain it.
4. Avoid spilling fruit juices and wine on the surface (these are acidic substances).
5. Never place cooking oil, creams (like makeup), or perfumes on the surface.
6. Always use a coaster.

Does Granite Stain Easily?

While it’s important to know how to prevent countertop stains, you can rest easy knowing that granite countertops don’t incur stains easily. Though they are a porous stone that must be sealed, they are actually much less porous than other types of natural stone, like marble.

Removing Stains from Granite

If a stain has occurred on your granite countertop, there’s no need to fret. Most of the time, stains aren’t permanent and can be removed easily. All you need to do is create a poultice or a paste—the type of ingredients put into it depends on what type of stain your granite is experiencing.

Oil. Create a mixture of baking soda and water, then place it over the stain. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and hold it in place with tape, then let it sit anywhere from twenty-four hours to three days.

Superglue. Soak a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and carefully scrub the glue stain.

Ink or paint. For lighter stones, use hydrogen peroxide. For darker stones, use lacquer thinner.

Remember not to use bleach when you remove stains from your granite; doing so may permanently damage your stone.

Keeping Granite Beautiful

Understanding how to prevent stains on your granite is essential to keeping your stone looking beautiful for as long as possible. For more tips on how to care for your granite countertop, get in touch with Stone Concepts, Inc. at (978) 568-1911.