How to remove oil stains from granite

Were you fixing a meal in the kitchen and your friend came up behind you suddenly? Before you knew the oil decanter in your hand had spilled and was staining your precious granite counter top. No scenario could have been worse because no one can bear their granite counter tops to be stained and particularly to be stained with oil.

One of the most important things you should do, when you get granite counter or flooring is to make sure that the sealer has been properly applied and that the finish has been correctly done. This makes maintenance free granite counter or flooring and then if it gets stained now and then, removing such stains becomes easier.

However granite is a natural stone and its color is very prone to darkening by any stain particularly oil spill. Therefore in such circumstances it’s best to treat that stain with a poultice. In the following methods, we shall teach you how to make effective poultices so that you can get rid of these stains for good.

Method (Using unbleached flour and dish washing liquid)

Unbleached flour serves as a good absorbent and therefore helps in the stain removal. Dish washing liquid has a grease cutting quality and helps to get rid of any greasy stains. This method will enable you to get out any oil stains from your granite by using a poultice made of these two ingredients. Proceed as described below.

Things that you will require:

· A bowl

· One cup of unbleached flour

· 3 tables spoons dish washing liquid

· Water

· Plastic wrap

Steps that you need to take:

1.    Primarily, you need to make a mixture of our two major ingredients. For this purpose take a small bowl and add one cup of unbleached flour and three table spoons of dish washing liquid.

2.    Add water to this mixture. The mixture should be of the consistency of yogurt.

3.    Then, apply this mixture as a poultice to the granite, approximately ¼ inch thick.

4.    Cover this poultice with a plastic wrap and leave it on the stain for the night or longer; so that it can have ample time to exercise its stain-lifting powers.

5.    Afterwards, wash off the poultice and blot the area dry.

6.    Hopefully you will have got rid of the oil stains from the granite by now.

Tip:

Since powder is known as an oil absorbent, therefore before treating the stain with the poultice, you can also sprinkle some dry baby powder on the oil stain and then wipe it off with a dry dish cloth.

Method two (Using Baby powder and Hydrogen per oxide)

Hydrogen per oxide makes an effective poultice when combined with any absorbent material. Therefore this poultice will help you to remove the most stubborn oil stains from your granite counter and to bid adieu to them.

Things that you will require:

· Paper towel

· Plastic wrap

· Hydrogen per oxide / Acetone

· baby powder

· spatula/soft wool

· Water

Steps that you need to take:

1.   First of all, you need to dampen the granite spot which is stained with oil. For this dampening you can either use acetone or hydrogen per oxide. However, the latter is safer.

2.   Next, you have to make a poultice paste by mixing liquids such as acetone or hydrogen per oxide, with absorbent materials such as untreated flour, baby powder etc. In this case, we will be making the paste by mixing hydrogen per oxide and baby powder. The paste should be of the consistency of peanut butter.

3.   After making the paste, you have to apply it on the damp, stained area. Make sure that you cover the whole stained area with approximately half inch thick paste.

4.   After the application of the paste, cover it with a plastic wrap (Saran wrap or similar).

5.   Allow the poultice to sit on the stain for approximately 48 hours.

6.   Then, when you have to remove the poultice, make sure that you do this gently so that granite might not be damaged.

7.   In order to remove the poultice gently, primarily moisten it with some water. Then remove this damp poultice gently with soft wool or spatula.

8.   Lastly rinse the granite surface with clean water and allow it to dry.

Tip:

Olive oil is most likely to stain the granite surface darky, therefore acetone poultice works effectively to counter this darkening stain. You can also consider replacing hydrogen per oxide with acetone in the first step.

Method three (Using Baking powder)

Baking powder is a well-known absorbent and therefore its poultice can effectively remove oil stains from granite surface. It is the mildest method and can in no way harm your granite counter top. Proceed as described below.

Things that you will require:

· Water

· Baking powder

· Plastic wrap

Steps that you need to take:

1.   Primarily, take baking powder and water and make a mixture of these two ingredients.

2.   Apply this mixture onto the stained area and cover it with a plastic wrap.

3.   Then, leave it lying on the stained area for almost twenty four hours.

4.   Lastly, wash it off the next day and wipe the surface dry. Your granite counter top or flooring must be free of oil stains.

Tip:

If you don’t have the time or ingredients; or if you just don’t feel like making a poultice, then you can also get commercial or store-bought poultices and place them on the stained area. Leave them lying overnight, however you wouldn’t have to cover them.